Understanding an Atheist: A Practical Guide to Relating to Nonbelievers, Second Edition

Everyone knows an atheist. You may not know it, but you do. Many atheists are closeted because of the social and familial stigma that comes with being an open atheist in a society full of religious believers. Often referred to as the fastest growing demographic in America, those with no religious affiliation make up about 10-15% of the US population. That means it’s likely that 1 out of every 10 people you know either doesn’t subscribe to an organized religion or doesn’t believe in a supreme being at all.Understanding an Atheist is a book written by Kevin Davis, head writer at SecularVoices.org, a popular blog on the Patheos network. This book was written for anyone who knows a nonbeliever, whether they’re open about their beliefs or not. In it, Kevin takes you through his own experiences, raised Catholic, once devout Christian, then closeted atheist, now openly a nonbeliever and active in the atheist/secular community. Through this journey, readers will gain an understanding of what it’s like for someone to abandon faith in the supernatural and gravitate toward evidence-based reasoning, ultimately facing the taboo of being a nonbeliever.The purpose of this book is not to tear down religion or the religious, but to answer questions that believers may not yet be comfortable asking their atheist loved ones. Understanding an Atheist will provide some insight into how the mind of an atheist operates, what they stand for, what prejudices they face, and how they feel, surrounded by religion every day.