Facebook, Atheism and Santa

Allow me to introduce you to another Facebook group - Hey Facebook!... Atheist Groups are NOT Hate Groups! Stop Banning Them!

Personally, I was unaware that Facebook was banning atheist groups. I suppose it is possible; most organisations are very tentative and risk averse when it comes to dealing with religion, and if it came down to a straight choice between the God-botherers and God-deniers, then the latter will (more often that not) lose. However, to ban an atheist group because it is a hate group seems to be crass, particularly when you can join the BNP Facebook group. There is nothing hating about atheism; in fact, atheists tend to be more tolerant than the believers.

Yet I can't get too worked up about this. If Facebook wants to ban atheist groups, then let it crack on and do so. It is a private organisation and frankly it can do what it wants with its own website. As an atheist, I can't bring myself to be anything other than mildly peeved that religious groups get a higher profile on Facebook than atheist ones. Because, at the end of the day, this is Facebook - a social networking site with oodles of stupid groups. I honestly don't think that anyone is going to be swayed to atheism or to religion by Facebook. Besides, there is a certain poetic justice in God (Other Public Figure, apparently) sitting on a website that also boasts Santa Claus (classed as a politician, would you believe) as a user.

Still, the group is worth checking out if only for the pictures. This one is probably my favourite.