Names like atheist, agnostic or unbeliever are negatives. Their point of reference is not what I believe in, but what someone else believes in. If asked if I am an atheist, I will happily acknowledge that I am one. However, in reply to a more open question, I would in earlier times identify myself as a Humanist. Nowadays, like Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennett, I am an enthusiastic Bright.
I am a believer by the way. I believe that we live on a planet which orbits one of billions of stars in our galaxy. I believe that our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe. I believe that the earth is billions of years old. I believe that humans have evolved from “lower” forms of life. I believe that most groups of humans have come up with similar values – don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie - because they have had to deal with similar problems. I believe in the Golden Rule. In fact when I begin to think of the number of things I believe in, I am sure they must at least match the beliefs of those who are retarded by superstition.
My beliefs are based on a naturalistic worldview and that by definition makes me a bright. The new name is important to me because it is not a label stuck on me by some in-group (theists) to identify outsiders (atheists). It is a name chosen by an in-group to which I am happy to belong. In the words of Richard Dawkins: “I am a bright. You are (quite probably) a bright. Most of the people I know are brights. The majority of scientists are brights.” The name “bright” is positive and it is influenced by the idea of light and the Enlightenment. It is not intended to be arrogant but slightly provocative to attract attention.
The Brights movement is political. Its focus is not on debating theists but on demanding equal status for the naturalistic worldview. For instance the NZ Charities Act 2005 gives charitable status to an organisation that “advances religion”, even though this breaches the Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act. If you want to do something about this and other privileges enjoyed by the supernatural worldview in NZ, maybe you should check out www.the-brights.net.
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2 comments:
NZBright
Thank you very much for your comments on why you are a Bright. You get an "A" for accuracy on all your comments.
Paul Geisert
Co-director of The Brights' Net
I would qualify as a Bright, but I am reluctant to describe myself as such as I disagree with the way the work Bright has been hi-jacked in the same way the word Gay has been hi-jacked by the homosexual community, but most importantly the word Bright is just so twee.
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