Comments on: Reading Atheist Books on a Plane

By: ollie

ollie — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:35:39 +0000

Some time ago, when I was driving through rural Oklahoma, I stopped to eat lunch at a local diner. I was reading Futuyma’s book “Science on Trail, the Case for Evolution”.

The waitress said “you are a teacher, aren’t you?” (I teach mathematics at the university level).

On planes, the weirdest looks I ever got was when I was reading a translation of the Koran. A couple of people asked me about it.

By: T&A

T&A — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:40:15 +0000

Thank you for the acknowledgment!

As a flight attendant I encounter almost every slice of humanity on a daily basis. It was refreshing to see someone reading Hitchens’ book among the sea of Holy Bibles I normally encounter.

After this encounter, I felt energized and hopeful for our species. Perhaps a day will come when books on religion or atheism will only be for historical reference, and not for educational or faith reasons.

By: TXatheist

TXatheist — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:46:09 +0000

Thanks Siamang, hope you are well also. I”ve tried to make it to the HCOF service but I”m rarely in Houston and I usually head back really really early on Sundays to catch light traffic out of that concrete jungle called Houston.

By: Mriana

Mriana — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:14:46 +0000

I’ve seen their website before and thought then that if I was ever in Houston, TX I was going to check them out. The website makes it seem like a perfect place for Freethinkers like myself.

What I want to know is, what did that piece of paper say?

By: Siamang

Siamang — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:01:00 +0000

tx, I think that’s a wise choice on the part of your family. They’d be outmatched with you on this subject, I think!

Good to see you posting here again. Take care. Happy Thanksgiving.

By: HappyNat

HappyNat — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:00:19 +0000

I read The End of Faith on my trip to Zurich, I figured they knew one person who wasn’t going to hijack the plane. I never noticed an looks from people, but I grabbed myself an empty row so I could stretch out.

By: TXatheist

TXatheist — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:49:23 +0000

About a year ago I was reading “The book your church doesn’t want you to read” on a airplane and it struck up a conversation with a guy who was a life coach. It was very interesting and the only thing he really said that I challenged him was that he believed that his wife had the power to read people and tell a great deal about them just by talking with her. So I said great, when we land I’ll talk to your wife. He just shook my hand when we got off so I didn’t pursue it. I use to be very nervous about reading atheist books but no more. It was about 2 years ago I just said I’ve had it with being intimidated about my atheism so now I’m more than happy to discuss it.
On a side note my cousin and I were traveling and had the Hitchens book on CD while driving around. We were laughing if we got pulled over in Arkansas and a cop saw that thing. “Oh boy, the heathens are coming” as we laughed to ourselves.

p.s. Hemant, your book and your book alone is the one atheist book I have out in my front room usually on the dinner table or coffee table. No one has ever asked about it but I think most of my family and friends know where I stand so they just choose not to talk about politics or religion.