Secularist Rituals in the US: Solidarity and Legitimization

Abstract

In a responding to the new atheism, some secularist groups and leaders have been advocating a more positive atheism that seeks to create non-theist alternatives to traditional religion. These alternatives include rites-of-passage usually associated with religious services, such as funerals, These rituals can also include secularist public events ridiculing and protesting religion in order to foster a positive atheist group identity. We examine specific secular rituals organized by secular humanist groups, arguing that such rituals serve both a function of creating solidarity among participants as well as legitimizing secularism to the wider society. We specifically look at the celebration of Darwin Day and how it plays a legitimizing function among secularist groups. At the same time, the use of rituals has divided American secularists.

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This chapter is based on a longer and different version of a chapter that appears in our book Atheist Awakening: Secular Activism and Community in America (Oxford University Press, 2014)