The one admirable thing about atheists is, they were always individualists, the rugged type with the tough and callous attitude of someone who wouldn't succumb to any sort of weakness, who refused to give a damn what others thought or did. That's the caricature we mentally carry of the atheist, anyway.
These days, they're sounding more and more like whiners and feel-gooders.
Camp Quest is a secular camp operated in Butler County, Ohio, by a group incorporated in Kentucky. It is for kids who come from families who are atheist or agnostic. For these kids, Camp Quest provides a refuge from a society where God feels omnipresent.
"I sometimes get pressured at my school, like why do I not believe in God?" said Molly Silverman, a camper. "But here, they never pressure me or anything
Instead, Silverman is accepted without criticism for not bowing her head before each meal.
Lawyer and author Edwin Kagin, an atheist, founded the camp 10 years ago, and chooses to focus on subjects that steer clear of religion.
"We also have critical thinking," said Kagin. "We teach science. We teach evolution. We have a strong emphasis on scientific method."
Kagin also refers back to American history to nurture his Godless environment.
Each camper is given a Godless one-dollar bill, without the phrase "In God We Trust" printed on the back, because the "God" one-dollar bills didn't emerge until the 1950s.
An estimated 6 million Americans are atheists or agnostics who either do not believe in God or question the existence of God.
Hostility toward atheists and agnostics in the United States prompts some non-religious people to refer to their admission of Godlessness as "coming out of the closet." Polls have shown Americans would choose a president who is gay, female or Muslim over a non-God-fearing person.
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