Comments on: The Brown Phenomenon http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/ by Hemant Mehta Sun, 27 May 2012 16:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Kori http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-161615 Kori Wed, 07 May 2008 00:48:30 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-161615 There are religious groups at schools where the religion they entail is "well-represented" - why not let the same occur for nonreligious? There are religious groups at schools where the religion they entail is “well-represented” – why not let the same occur for nonreligious?

]]> By: Christophe Thill http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160838 Christophe Thill Mon, 05 May 2008 09:10:48 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160838 Hurray for Brown University ! HP Lovecraft would be proud of them. Hurray for Brown University ! HP Lovecraft would be proud of them.

]]> By: cipher http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160251 cipher Sat, 03 May 2008 14:49:53 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160251 Hemant, Campus evangelism has been growing here in Boston for some time. Here is a 2003 article I saved from the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2003/11/30/god_on_the_quad/ I think that the reaction to it here may be more pronounced than it is in other parts of the country, because we have such a long history of liberalism and secularism -hence these organizations. You'll notice the article says that there are 15 evangelical groups at MIT. This floors me; if you told the kids that relativity had been invalidated, they'd demand proof - but Christian truth claims they accept without qualification. Hemant,

Campus evangelism has been growing here in Boston for some time. Here is a 2003 article I saved from the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2003/11/30/god_on_the_quad/

I think that the reaction to it here may be more pronounced than it is in other parts of the country, because we have such a long history of liberalism and secularism -hence these organizations.

You’ll notice the article says that there are 15 evangelical groups at MIT. This floors me; if you told the kids that relativity had been invalidated, they’d demand proof – but Christian truth claims they accept without qualification.

]]> By: Derek http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160015 Derek Fri, 02 May 2008 16:57:38 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160015 @Vincent I guess you didn't cross paths with CCF (Cornell Christian Fellowship, the Cornell InterVarsity chapter). I was part of that group for a year or so and we were pretty heavy into campus evangelism. It's also where I met the succubus who would spend the next five years completely dismantling my self-worth and social life. A friend of mine brought her there as an evangelism attempt... Go figure... @Vincent

I guess you didn’t cross paths with CCF (Cornell Christian Fellowship, the Cornell InterVarsity chapter). I was part of that group for a year or so and we were pretty heavy into campus evangelism.

It’s also where I met the succubus who would spend the next five years completely dismantling my self-worth and social life. A friend of mine brought her there as an evangelism attempt… Go figure…

]]> By: Vincent http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160010 Vincent Fri, 02 May 2008 16:40:59 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-160010 I'm not too surprised to see my alma mater of Cornell does not have an SSA group. I don't think I knew any atheists when I was there, but I didn't know any prostheletizers either. Sure, theres a Campus Crusade chapter, but I barely remember seeing them do anything. I was part of the Cornell Catholic Community when I was there, and we didn't recruit. I remember there being an inordinate amount of Jews there, but that my have just been culture shock of leaving Oklahoma where there are like 20. I believe there's plenty of room for such a group, and if I could do anything as an alumnus not living there to encourage such a group I would. I think it would do best if it focused on something like debate, and tried to bring back the flavor of Ingersol. In fact an Ingersol fan club might to better as a launching point. I’m not too surprised to see my alma mater of Cornell does not have an SSA group. I don’t think I knew any atheists when I was there, but I didn’t know any prostheletizers either. Sure, theres a Campus Crusade chapter, but I barely remember seeing them do anything. I was part of the Cornell Catholic Community when I was there, and we didn’t recruit. I remember there being an inordinate amount of Jews there, but that my have just been culture shock of leaving Oklahoma where there are like 20.
I believe there’s plenty of room for such a group, and if I could do anything as an alumnus not living there to encourage such a group I would. I think it would do best if it focused on something like debate, and tried to bring back the flavor of Ingersol. In fact an Ingersol fan club might to better as a launching point.

]]> By: spazeboy http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159944 spazeboy Fri, 02 May 2008 11:43:50 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159944 We've got the same thing happening at Wesleyan University, which is a pretty safe place to be an atheist. There are a number of reasons why I personally am unable to start an SSA chapter at Wesleyan, but when I looked into it I found out that someone had requested a group starting packet, but of the 200+ groups on campus, none is an SSA. We’ve got the same thing happening at Wesleyan University, which is a pretty safe place to be an atheist. There are a number of reasons why I personally am unable to start an SSA chapter at Wesleyan, but when I looked into it I found out that someone had requested a group starting packet, but of the 200+ groups on campus, none is an SSA.

]]> By: NYCatheist http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159849 NYCatheist Fri, 02 May 2008 02:01:57 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159849 NYC too. We have our atheist group, but it isn't as large or as well funded as you would expect from such a big city with so many heathens. NYC too. We have our atheist group, but it isn’t as large or as well funded as you would expect from such a big city with so many heathens.

]]> By: Efrique http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159831 Efrique Fri, 02 May 2008 01:21:37 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159831 I only became active in reading and writing about atheism in response to the increasingly astonishing behaviour of the fundies (of various stripes), creationists and their friends. If they could bring themselves to behave decently, I'd go back to being a quiet atheist. I doubt it's going to happen. I only became active in reading and writing about atheism in response to the increasingly astonishing behaviour of the fundies (of various stripes), creationists and their friends.

If they could bring themselves to behave decently, I’d go back to being a quiet atheist. I doubt it’s going to happen.

]]> By: Mike Clawson http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159785 Mike Clawson Thu, 01 May 2008 22:37:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159785 <blockquote>Growing up in a fairly right-wing religious setting, there was always a feeling that “true” Christians were in the minority and diminishing and that atheists were just on the verge of winning a war to take over the schools and the country. When I started reading atheists a while back, I was surprised to find that they usually feel that they are the persecuted ones.</blockquote> I've had the exact same experience.

Growing up in a fairly right-wing religious setting, there was always a feeling that “true” Christians were in the minority and diminishing and that atheists were just on the verge of winning a war to take over the schools and the country. When I started reading atheists a while back, I was surprised to find that they usually feel that they are the persecuted ones.

I’ve had the exact same experience.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159768 Matthew Thu, 01 May 2008 21:01:05 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/01/the-brown-phenomenon/#comment-159768 Funny, isn't it, how people need to feel like a marginalized minority before they get really energetic about something? Growing up in a fairly right-wing religious setting, there was always a feeling that "true" Christians were in the minority and diminishing and that atheists were just on the verge of winning a war to take over the schools and the country. When I started reading atheists a while back, I was surprised to find that they usually feel that <em>they</em> are the persecuted ones. Funny, isn’t it, how people need to feel like a marginalized minority before they get really energetic about something? Growing up in a fairly right-wing religious setting, there was always a feeling that “true” Christians were in the minority and diminishing and that atheists were just on the verge of winning a war to take over the schools and the country. When I started reading atheists a while back, I was surprised to find that they usually feel that they are the persecuted ones.

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