For Freethought Radio creator Dan Barker, the idea that life is not eternal is what makes it that much more meaningful and special.
In a lecture sponsored by Atheists, Humanists, & Agnostics Thursday, Barker told the story of his transition from a deeply religious believer to one of the most well-known activists and voices on the behalf of atheism in the United States.
“I was a true believer. I got the goosebumps,” Barker said. “It’s a very powerful thing that happens in the mind.”
Born into an evangelical Christian family, Barker served as a preacher for 19 years before becoming an atheist.
He explained that since then, atheism in the United States has gained some ground.
“At least now, atheists are at the table. It used to be that to be an American, you had to have some kind of religion,” Barker said. “[At one time] if you didn’t have any religion, you were just a bad evil person.”
While Barker’s talk did center around many of the atheist arguments that find some of the faults and failings regarding religion, he was slightly optimistic regarding the departure from traditional behavior displayed by Pope Francis.
“The current Pope seems to be at least on the surface to be a breath of fresh air,” Barker said. “He seems to be more people-centered rather than Vatican centered.”
When asked by questioners in the crowd how to explain atheism, Barker advised not so much to tell people how to think but to emphasize that atheism is another way of thinking.
“Let it be known that you have a different point of view and that you’re not ashamed of that,” Barker said.
AHA organizers were positive about the number of event attendees, with official attendance at 82 according to AHA President Sam Erickson.
Erickson was also pleased with audience participation.
“We went a little over on time, but that just means people had good questions,” he said.
