Welcome to the Atheist Alliance International-Humanist Canada convention! It is very exciting to be involved in the organization of this vanguard event which builds bridges in several important ways. Firstly, it is a Canado-American collaboration. Secondly, it brings together the English- and French-speaking worlds by presenting major speakers from both communities. Thirdly, and most importantly to me personally, this event unites atheists and humanists in a common purpose.
As atheists, we reject the baseless supernaturalism of the various theisms. As humanists, we adopt a reality-based approach to questions of ethics. Together, as atheist humanists, we abandon the bankrupt, faith-based moral codes which religions have historically imposed upon us, to the great detriment of humanity. Together, we look to the future and its considerable challenges with the conviction that we humans are responsible for our own fate.
I am also very pleased that we are collaborating with Centre for Inquiry Montreal in hosting its annual International Blasphemy Rights Day celebration on the very eve of the convention and on site. Freedom of expression -- a cornerstone of human rights in general -- is currently under attack from those religious partisans who would impose severe restrictions on anyone who is not sufficiently "respectful" of religious beliefs.
In the English-speaking world the word "humanist" has too often been adopted as a euphemism, out of reluctance to label oneself an atheist. Among our francophone colleagues, this conundrum is more complex. French-speaking countries boast some of the highest rates of irreligion when compared to other regions of the planet. And yet, the prejudice against overt atheism remains extremely strong, perhaps even stronger than in the hyper-religious USA. This prejudice is widespread even among secular activists, who often speak as if atheism were just another belief system, on a par with religious beliefs, and even echo the religious propaganda which holds that overt atheism constitutes a threat to freedom of belief!
In reality, atheism is not a threat to freedom of conscience but an affirmation of it. We atheist humanists are far more than just a community of nonbelievers. We represent the vanguard of the fight for religious freedom -- i.e. the freedom to choose one's religion, or no religion at all. We are the best and most assiduous fighters for freedom of religion, because we know that we ourselves are the first victims when such freedom is threatened.
In a very real sense, atheism, like humanism, is a univeral value. Just as humanism is a set of ethical standards which all humans can embrace if they set aside their tribal, pre-modern, supernatural beliefs, every person is an atheist with respect to the gods of other religions. To fight for the freedom of conscience of atheists -- i.e. to defend the right to renounce the beliefs imposed upon us -- is to defend that freedom for everyone. We must encourage all nonbelievers to come out of the atheist closet and directly challenge the old prejudice which says that you have to be religious to be ethical. There is much work to be done. This convention is one step in that effort. Thank you for joining us!
David Rand
Coordinator, Atheist Freethinkers