When I first started this blog a couple of days ago, I had my picture and my city and state on my profile. I was also considering posting something on my Facebook status telling EVERYONE to check out my new blog. My very loving husband who I know just wants to help and protect me, made me all paranoid. He told me that I should take my picture off (which I did) and be careful because if certain potential employers saw it, they may not hire me. So I tried to make my profile a little more anonymous, and I decided to only send a private message to certain people letting them know to check out my blog. If you are reading this, you may be one of those people. :)
Anyway, I want to know what everyone thinks. The whole point of starting this blog in the first place was that I think atheists, humanists, agnostics, etc. should come out of the closet. I don't think they should have to be afraid of what people think. If I was Jewish and had a blog that talked about my faith, would I have to worry about it offending people and preventing me from getting a job? I wouldn't think so.... So, why is this any different? Is it? Do you think it's true that if potential employers saw my blog, they wouldn't hire me? Are people really THAT offended by atheism and the like? Should I go ahead and put my picture and info on my profile, or should I continue to be paranoid and careful about who knows about my blog? I would appreciate any and all comments......
Looks good, keep the open-mindedness coming. If only all educators stuck with the facts.
ReplyDeleteMZ
I think despite the fact that it would be illegal for an employer to not hire you because of your views, semi-anonymity is perhaps a wise way to go, at least until you become more established in your profession. Perhaps then those who disagreed with your views and who had reason to judge (parents, colleagues, superiors) would be apt to base their judgments more on your merits as a teacher than on your beliefs. I don't know as disclosing your location would be a terrible idea. I think given the subject matter you're discussing, it would be insightful to readers to know the context in which you're working (trying to work) as the public education system varies greatly from state to state, city to city. Perhaps not the school system, but the town I would think would be alright to let others in on. I hope this helps a little. So glad you are doing this! :)
ReplyDeleteYour husband is right. A quick Google will prove it. Our online "reputation" is taken into account by all, including potential employers.
ReplyDeleteYou, are also right, in that we non-believers need to be more aggressive in standing up for our POV and in questioning the believer's POV. Understand that this is about "they" and "us", we are not on the same page, much less the same side. Believers, are driven by irrational, unsubstantiated "faith". We cannot depend on their logic because they have replaced it with this faith.
Look at at it through their eyes for a minute. They don't want an Atheist anywhere near their children, much less teaching them. We are Ateists, and that means we are Anti-Christs to these people. We are a minority and we are not safe.
Thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteErin, I think I will take your advice and wait until I at least get a permanent teaching job before disclosing more personal info on my profile.
Michael, Thanks for the comments. I agree with you that we are a minority, but I think we aren't as small a minority as it sometimes seems (we just need more people to come out!). And I also agree that there are a lot of people out there who don't want atheists near their children because of their own irrational beliefs. However, I also think there might be a lot more people than we think out there who cling to their "faith" simply because they want to believe there is a heaven or they want a way to explain the unexplainable (even if it's not logical), but they are actually pretty open minded when it comes to religion (or lack thereof) and don't think of us as anti-christs. I just don't know if I can rely on there being enough religiously liberal elementary school principals and parents out there to come out publicly as an atheist myself.
And you shouldn't "come out". Not in your situation. Yes, most believers, believe because they are scared and un-satisfied and wan't more than anything to believe that they are entitled to a wondrous, perfect after-life if they just tow the line. However, the "line" is a man-made lie and the fact that these believers refuse to recognize that fact makes them un-trustworthy. They aren't to be be pitied. They are the enemy. Period. They think they are holy, and they think you and I are evil.
ReplyDeleteWe don't believe in something that is the driving force in their lives. They have as little regard for us, as we have for them. The problem is that they are in control, and we are in contempt, at least according to them.