The traditional African is belief-centred. Thus the antithesis of that archetype - the "African Atheist” - may appear incompatible to some. Although belief is an individual affair our culture largely supports this convention. Some individuals are even of the notion that it is in the disposition of the African to be spiritual. But that may have more to do with our environment than our supposed nature. Similarly there are those who believe atheism to be “un-African”.

In a continent that nurtures her people to foster belief, it’s almost amazing how some manage to disengage from this climate.
How does one come to lean towards atheism in an incubator that encourages belief? Is this due to academic pride? Detachment from culture? Disappointment as a “believer”?
Or are we all dormant atheists hiding behind a belief that shields us from a feeling of emptiness?

Even though spirituality governs a large part of our society, the presence of atheism in Africa is actually very comprehensible. It seems that our consolidated continental prayers have either been in vain (as largely we still lag behind as a continent) or the “God” we’ve been bugging all along has just been thin air. So it could even be argued that it’s actually a bitter irony that currently more Africans are firm “believers” than atheists upon reflection.

But in a continent that gives credence to spirituality – from government level to the most humble citizen - how does one function in such a society as an atheist? How does such a person remain relevant? Or does the African atheist by default become an outcast in society? If so, is such disownment mutual?

*Just to be clear, I am mainly discussing the African atheist living in Africa.*

I'm one of the African non-theists (more agnostic than atheist) and persecution of our lot is rife. I've come to find it's generally naive to reveal your beliefs to people who simply can't reconcile or remotely comprehend your position so I just pretend and conform if only to have my peace. Only one of my 5 siblings and a few friends know my beliefs and I intend to keep it that way.

I can't even tell my girlfriend and would likely not tell my future wife. Such as shame to hide behind such a facade but what can you do against such intolerance from seemingly everyone in this society.

I'm really sorry to hear that. It's so unfortunate when one must essentially live undercover - I actually think it's unhealthy too.

By the way which belief do you "pretend" to "conform" to and how did you come to your "non-theist" way of thinking?

I am Agnostic more towards the Atheist side, because I don't recognize any of the religious gods, including Jesus and Mohammed. Everybody knows my faith in my family and see me as a lost soul. I normally warn people not to start religious rhetoric with me and don't care what people say. I normally feel so unhappy being in that environment called Nigeria as you are more or less a social pariah for refusing to accept the status quo, but still i dont care because I see religion as nonsense and not something meant for a smart mind.

emöfine:

I'm really sorry to hear that. It's so unfortunate when one must essentially live undercover - I actually think it's unhealthy too.

By the way which belief do you "pretend" to "conform" to and how did you come to your "non-theist" way of thinking?

I pretend to be a Catholic but I never attend mass. I graduated recently from UNN and I remember my classmates and roomies never gave me peace and some even ostracized and ridiculed me (though I gave as good as I got in returning the ridicule).

Sometimes, I feel alone but funny enough, I had 2 converts in school who I "recruited" in my belief system. I intend one day to be an evangelical atheist.

Could someone please describe the terms 'atheism' & 'African' ?

Uyi Iredia:

Could someone please describe the terms 'atheism' & 'African' ?

The dictionary is your friend, bro. Else, Google or Yahoo and several search engines and encyclopedias are there. What a silly question. You don't know who or what an African or atheist is? Are you being funny?

Obi1kenobi:

The dictionary is your friend, bro. Else, Google or Yahoo and several search engines and encyclopedias are there. What a silly question. You don't know who or what an African or atheist is? Are you being funny?

He's trying to be foolishly philosophical by creating complexity out of simplicity. Christians always try to see and interpret what doesn't exist and that is what he is trying to do.

2good:

He's trying to be foolishly philosophical by creating complexity out of simplicity.

Foolish, yes ! Philosophical, no problem Complexity & Simplicity are nothing but thought. In the search for truth there are no sacred cows. Foolishness, Wisdom, God, Satan, Science, Religion, Good, Evil etc are concepts which are wiped clean of their sacredness in order to ascertain what really exists.

"All I know is, I know nothing"
- Socrates

2good:
Christians always try to see and interpret what doesn't exist

Oh ! So you see this. What are you blind to that they are searching for.

2good:
and that is what he is trying to do.

Yes, you're right.

Obi1kenobi:

The dictionary is your friend, bro. Else, Google or Yahoo and several search engines and encyclopedias are there.

It's a fellow human(s) who made a dictionary. And no, dictionaries aren't my friends, anyone who thinks a dictionary is a friend is obviously psychotic. Let's try the following definitions:

* African - a dark skinned person from the continent of Africa or of African descent
* atheist - a person who rejects the notion of a God

Obi1kenobi:
What a silly question. You don't know who or what an African or atheist is? Are you being funny?

Why are questions silly ? Did the question tell you it was silly ? I thought critical thinking required asking questions ? Funny ke I just dey.

Obi1kenobi:

I'm one of the African non-theists (more agnostic than atheist) and persecution of our lot is rife. I've come to find it's generally naive to reveal your beliefs to people who simply can't reconcile or remotely comprehend your position so I just pretend and conform if only to have my peace. Only one of my 5 siblings and a few friends know my beliefs and I intend to keep it that way.

I can't even tell my girlfriend and would likely not tell my future wife. Such as shame to hide behind such a facade but what can you do against such intolerance from seemingly everyone in this society.

in your shoes bro although my beliefs are more similar to 2goods,

Uyi Iredia:

It's a fellow human(s) who made a dictionary. And no, dictionaries aren't my friends, anyone who thinks a dictionary is a friend is obviously psychotic. Let's try the following definitions:

* African - a dark skinned person from the continent of Africa or of African descent
* atheist  - a person who rejects the notion of a God

Why are questions silly ? Did the question tell you it was silly ? I thought critical thinking required asking questions ? Funny ke   I just dey.

You are so confused because the Dictionary was developed by the owner of the Language you speak, so you cannot be smarter than the creators themselves that set the rules governing how you use their language. Until you develop your own language and get a global approval of your development, you have no claim to another mans property right so don't speak like you know more that the oxford professors that developed the dictionary of their mother tongue when your own history was compiled by this same people.
If you think the definition of Africa is not inline which what you'll like it to be, then look for a better world, or better still develop your local dialect and sell it to the world. Everything you see in the oxford dictionary is exactly the way it should be. Its like the bible of the christian that should never be modified else you're not speaking proper English but your own version which becomes a vernacular.

Being an african atheist is not so easy especially in an environment that is so superstitious. People are always under the illision that they are being hunted by some unseen enemies hence the need to pray down fire and brimestone on them. I am an agnost but on a journey to becoming a non-theist. A few of my friends know and as for my wife, she is trying hard to make me change my mind to the extent of reporting me to everyone that matter in Daystar Christian Centre including the chairman of the church BOT and some pastors. I still go to church to make her happy and my house is also a hse fellowship center

2good:

You are so confused because the Dictionary was developed by the owner of the Language you speak, so you cannot be smarter than the creators themselves that set the rules governing how you use their language. Until you develop your own language and get a global approval of your development, you have no claim to another mans property right so don't speak like you know more that the oxford professors that developed the dictionary of their mother tongue when your own history was compiled by this same people.
If you think the definition of Africa is not inline which what you'll like it to be, then look for a better world, or better still develop your local dialect and sell it to the world. Everything you see in the oxford dictionary is exactly the way it should be. Its like the bible of the christian that should never be modified else you're not speaking proper English but your own version which becomes a vernacular.

I call it the "miseducation of uyi iredia". This is what happens when charlatans like oyedepo have a say in a university's curriculum.

Uyi Iredia:

Could someone please describe the terms 'atheism' & 'African' ?

Atheism? The belief that Mohammed is the son of Jehovah, Jesus is his last prophet and Ishtar is his daughter.
African? A person of small stature, slanted eyes, blond hair and hazel eyes.

Uyi Iredia:

It's a fellow human(s) who made a dictionary. And no, dictionaries aren't my friends, anyone who thinks a dictionary is a friend is obviously psychotic. Let's try the following definitions:

* African - a dark skinned person from the continent of Africa or of African descent
* atheist  - a person who rejects the notion of a God

Why are questions silly ? Did the question tell you it was silly ? I thought critical thinking required asking questions ? Funny ke   I just dey.

Seriously, abandon this charade for the sake of whatever remains of your credibility. Your pretentious claim to erudition and wisdom with your red herring arguments only make you look ridiculous.

Your silly questions add nothing to this thread. It's like asking an adult for a cup of water and he asks you to define "water".

dekung:

Being an african atheist is not so easy especially in an environment that is so superstitious. People are always under the illision that they are being hunted by some unseen enemies hence the need to pray down fire and brimestone on them. I am an agnost but on a journey to becoming a non-theist. A few of my friends know and as for my wife, she is trying hard to make me change my mind to the extent of reporting me to everyone that matter in Daystar Christian Centre including the chairman of the church BOT and some pastors. I still go to church to make her happy and my house is also a hse fellowship center

That must suck!!! There's no other  way to put it. You have my sympathies because I can't imagine anyone "reporting" me to some id!ot called a pastor. I view these religious leaders as either ignorant or willfully ignorant and I don't respect ignorance.

@Martian,
I do not have a iota of respect for any MOG either. Despite my wife's insistence that I go to church she knows religious programmes are a no no, especially when am in the living room. Cos when I listen to the crap those people have to say on air, I almost want to throw up. They are all too deceitful. Another interesting twist is that my elder brother is pastor in a new covenant church, in fact he was ordained a reverend sometimes last year. The only good thing about his pastoral work is that he is a successful businessman. Pastoral work for him is valauntary and the same goes for all the pastors in that ministry. Some of them are bank executives, proffessionals in different feilds and businessmen who have nothing to do with church funds. This of course does not make him any better than the rest of the crew who do nothing but milk the congregation for money.

2good:

You are so confused

Where did you get the idea ?

2good:
because the Dictionary was developed by the

who developed the word dictionary ? and who developed the first dictionary ?

2good:
owner of the Language you speak,

So a person owns a language I have never seen, heard, touched, smelt or felt. Who owns language mr2good ? The speaker or natural selection that bestowed language in gradual incremental steps ?

2good:
so you cannot be smarter than the creators themselves that set

I'm simply smart. You can say I'm dull on the basis of what I write but I don't have to have to believe that.

2good:
the rules governing how you use their language.

that's no different from scientists inventing jargons for things that they & laymen can observe.

2good:
Until you develop your own language and get a global approval of your development,

so the Edos got global approval b4 making their language. I think you must understand that you were indoctrinated/taught a language.

2good:
you have no claim to another mans property right

Yet we all build properties. And when a man dies, we talk about property rights of the owner as if the man was still alive.

2good:
so don't speak like you know more that the oxford professors that developed the dictionary of their mother tongue when your own history was compiled by this same people.

Oxford professors did not develop the English language. In fact a smart Oxford professor knows that no one man or set of people can own a language.

2good:
If you think the definition of Africa is not inline which what you'll like it to be,

Are you crazy ? I defined the terms 'African' & 'atheist'. I never set out to define the term 'Africa'

2good:
then look for a better world,

I'm in a good world. It'll be better next time. I don't think this world'll ever become the best. I find talks of singularities to be nonsense.

2good:
or better still develop your local dialect and sell it to the world.

I don't fully understand my dialect. It isn't mine to begin with, another man made it, isn't it ?

2good:
Everything you see in the oxford dictionary is exactly the way it should be.

and yet it changes over time. The word ok for example, means Oklahoma, means ok & once meant a political party in New Jersey (not sure 'bout the details though).

2good:
Its like the bible of the christian that should never be modified else you're not speaking proper English but your own version which becomes a vernacular.

Why are you speakin' like a dogmatic christian ? The Bible has been modified so many times in so many ways by so many people e.g the Jews, the Englis, Italians, French, the Edos etc It has been modified into versions eg KJV, NKJV, Jehovah's Witness etc. Yet the stories are the same. I think both the Bible, God & Evolution share one thing in common. They're stories. Please, don't let my words confuse you.

Obi1kenobi:

I pretend to be a Catholic but I never attend mass. I graduated recently from UNN and I remember my classmates and roomies never gave me peace and some even ostracized and ridiculed me (though I gave as good as I got in returning the ridicule).

To tell you the truth, many of these “believers” are pretenders themselves. Some people casually call themselves a christian as if they are reiterating their name - na for mouth only. It’s just customary behaviour my friend.

Sometimes, I feel alone but funny enough, I had 2 converts in school who I "recruited" in my belief system. I intend one day to be an evangelical atheist.

The Evangelical atheist is not at all a new phenomenon, that would actually make an interesting topic. I think of Dawkins when I see that heading.

2good:
Everybody knows my faith in my family and see me as a lost soul.

Ditto. They even have the gall to call me “brainwashed” and blame my current thinking on particular books. Oh the Irony!

dekung:
I am an agnost but on a journey to becoming a non-theist.

And how do you intend to embark on such a journey? You are surrounded by that which displeases you

she is trying hard to make me change my mind to the extent of reporting me to everyone that matter in Daystar Christian Centre including the chairman of the church BOT and some pastors. I still go to church to make her happy and my house is also a hse fellowship center

Na by force or by faith

It looks like you’ve been made redundant in your own household and the irony is that the "God" you are opposed to plays a functional role in your own home.

@Topic[color=#000099][/color]: How does the African atheist cater to their unbelief in a continent so steeped in spirituality?

Obi1kenobi:

Seriously, abandon this charade for the sake of whatever remains of your credibility. Your pretentious claim to erudition and wisdom with your red herring arguments only make you look ridiculous.

I dey laff like Socrates. I started like an ignorant baby: I asked anyone to define the terms atheist &

Obi1kenobi:
Your silly questions add nothing to this thread. It's like asking an adult for a cup of water and he asks you to define "water".

I gave questions & replied the questions you gave me Mr Martian. BTW, is Mr Martian your name, or your fake name ?

@emofine,
I wont say I am redundant, or that God has takem over my home. I just love my wife and I want to make her happy. Besides, I enjoy the songs the sing in church, probably the only attraction there. The decision to do away with s.tupid religious belief was not something that came suddenly, it took me time because in my previous post I talked about my older brother who is an ordained reverend. I actually lived with him throughout my University days so I was deeply entrenched into the christian doctrines and dogmas which of course I believed but lately I went through some critical and logical thinking. One day I was in church, during a worship service I asked myself, what if all of us in this service were actually deluding ourselves thinking we are praying to God, but rather we are only talking to the thin air. Later I examined the lives of several people I know are true christians. Some of them have been praying for one thing for several years yet nothing has happened for them. After that I came to Nairaland. The information I got from Nairaland actually sealed everything. Through NL I got books, articles etc. Am still reading, and thats why I said it is a journey.

emöfine:

@Topic[color=#000099][/color]: How does the African atheist cater to their unbelief in a continent so steeped in spirituality?

What's in a so-called unbelief to cater for ? Nothing. I prefer my life to any so-called belief or unbelief.

DISCLAIMER to all posters: I made a mistake when I referred to 'Ob1kenobi' as 'Martian'.

emöfine:

To tell you the truth, many of these “believers” are pretenders themselves. Some people casually call themselves a christian as if they are reiterating their name - na for mouth only. It’s just customary behaviour my friend.

You are pretender to. Even me sef, I be pretender. Consider this: We have our Nairaland names & our real-life names.

emöfine:
The Evangelical atheist is not at all a new phenomenon, that would actually make an interesting topic. I think of Dawkins when I see that heading.

They evangelical atheists profess not to believe a God who created everything. I believe that they believe in something - themselves. I submit to you that if they believe in nothing, all atheists will go mad.

Martian:

Atheism? The belief that Mohammed is the son of Jehovah, Jesus is his last prophet and Ishtar is his daughter.

That's similar to the belief that Athena came from the head of Zeus whilst Zeus came from Cronos & Gaia. BTW, there's an OOL hypothesis called Gaia hypothesis.

[/quote]African? A person of small stature, slanted eyes, blond hair and hazel eyes.
[quote]

Agreed. After all, all humans came from Africa, not so ? Note that I started by asking for definitions.

Uyi Iredia:

I dey laff like Socrates. I started like an ignorant baby: I asked anyone to define the terms atheist &

I gave questions & replied the questions you gave me Mr Martian. BTW, is Mr Martian your name, or your fake name ?

I've told you to quit this charade. Your questions were totally irrelevant to the thread and made no sense in the context of the thread's enquiries. For starters, I don't see how a thread enquiring as to the experiences of atheists in this society should concern you.

You obviously love the sound of your own voice and are unnecessarily argumentative.

Martian and Dekung,
I wouldn't quite go as far as disparaging all theists or dismissing them with contempt. I say this though the insufferable arrogance and meddling bigotry of many of them (probably most of them) irritates me to the core. Doing so would make you sink to their level of bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I don't really subscribe to Dawkin's militant brand of atheism with it's philistinic, nihilist views of religion.

I'm a strong advocate of a secular society that's respectful to all creeds to create less conflict and mutual respect. A shame there'll always be radical elements that insist otherwise.

dekung:

@emofine,
I wont say I am redundant, or that God has takem over my home. I just love my wife and I want to make her happy. Besides, I enjoy the songs the sing in church, probably the only attraction there. The decision to do away with s.tupid religious belief was not something that came suddenly, it took me time because in my previous post I talked about my older brother who is an ordained reverend. I actually lived with him throughout my University days so I was deeply entrenched into the christian doctrines and dogmas which of course I believed but lately I went through some critical and logical thinking. One day I was in church, during a worship service I asked myself, what if all of us in this service were actually deluding ourselves thinking we are praying to God, but rather we are only talking to the thin air. Later I examined the lives of several people I know are true christians. Some of them have been praying for one thing for several years yet nothing has happened for them. After that I came to Nairaland. The information I got from Nairaland actually sealed everything. Through NL I got books, articles etc. Am still reading, and thats why I said it is a journey.

I find the bolded interesting due to its relevance to me. There are a few things I find I'm still attached to as a former Catholic. I remember during the last xmas when I lay propped on stacked pillows in my bedroom listening to rendition of carols like "o little town of Bethlehem", "silent night", "joy to the world" and "hark the herald angels sing" and I really found my spirit soaring in the ambience even though the lyrics don't hold the same meaning for me anymore.

As to your "deconversion" from christianity, it mirrors mine. You just get to a stage where in a silent moment of introspection (with people in your fellowship rolling about and speaking in tongues), you wonder if you're not wasting your time in a mass scale fraud.

Throw in some anti-religious literature in the mix and the seeds of doubt were firmly sown, taking root and germinating. I'm still agnostic though, rather than a full-fledged atheist.

Obi1kenobi:

Martian and Dekung,
I wouldn't quite go as far as disparaging all theists or dismissing them with contempt. I say this though the insufferable arrogance and meddling bigotry of many of them (probably most of them) irritates me to the core. Doing so would make you sink to their level of bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I don't really subscribe to Dawkin's militant brand of atheism with it's philistinic, nihilist views of religion.

My brother, tolerate that arrogance. You & I are equally guilty of arrogance.

Obi1kenobi:
I'm a strong advocate of a secular society that's respectful to all creeds to create less conflict and mutual respect. A shame there'll always be radical elements that insist otherwise.

There is no secular society than can possibly be respectful to all creeds. Secularity itself is a creed which abrogates other creeds to a greater or lesser extent.

Uyi Iredia:

My brother, tolerate that arrogance. You & I are equally guilty of arrogance.

There is no secular society than can possibly be respectful to all creeds. Secularity itself is a creed which abrogates other creeds to a greater or lesser extent.

You must have missed the part where I said "shame there'll always be radical elements who think otherwise". Your comment about secularity is little different from saying society would never be free of crime and therefore leaving it unchecked.

Nigeria is several decades away from attaining the kind of secularity you'd find in Europe, the US and Japanese society. No one is under the illusion of creating a utopian society but it should be our life mission to live and die trying.

There's no arrogance about me demanding the right to my belief system free of criticism, ostracism and persecution from religious bigots.