David Swanson writes a particularly lucid essay in American Chronicle pointing out that you are likely friends with an atheist, whether you are aware of it or not. The assertion is reminiscent of a similar assertion made when gays and lesbians were first coming out of the closet. I’ve made the point myself, and Swanson makes it in his essay as well, that there are many parallels between the plight of homosexuals and atheists to be accepted in society. This includes the fact that both groups are visually indistinct from the “normal” population, they are reluctant to come out of the closet due to the vocal public reaction to them, and there’s lots of fear and misunderstanding about them.

Swanson goes on to make a point I had never considered, and in considering it, disagree with. to wit:

There is a parallel in the campaign for equal rights for atheists with the campaign for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people, but it is inexact. The more atheists can come out of the closet, the more they will be accepted, and the more they will then be willing to come out of the closet, etc. But, unlike the myth of gay proselytization, there really is a significant danger / promise that in opening society to atheism, more people will be converted to atheism who were never atheists before.
…from the point of view of the religious proselytizer, there is a danger here that is more real than the danger the “gay agenda.

Many people (including most doctors and scientists studying human sexuality) assert that sexuality exists as a spectrum, with homosexuality at one end and heterosexuality at the other. The population lies in an uneven distribution across that whole spectrum, with the majority firmly at the heterosexual end. But any individual is pretty much hard wired to his or her location on that spectrum. In other words, homosexuality is not a “choice” any more than being tall is.

Swanson’s assertion is predicated on two things. One is that atheism is sufficiently attractive that people will freely choose it once (or if) society makes it an acceptable choice. The second, is that it is a choice. But simplifying a bit, the first predicate is moot if, in fact, the second is false. So the issue to consider is foremost whether or not spirituality is a choice. Increasingly, I’m convinced it’s not a choice anymore than sexuality is.

There are lots of scientific studies and evidence that humans in general tend to be hardwired for religion much like they are hardwired for heterosexuality. And spirituality clearly exists on a spectrum between atheism and theism, with lots of gray area in the middle for Sunday Christians and agnostics. If you’re hardwired for one end of the spectrum, and there is a spectrum, doesn’t it make sense that you’re hardwired for where ever your position is on the spectrum is?

Further, this analogy with sexuality follows with my own personal experience. Granted, that doesn’t make it fact, but it is another data point. I was raised in a Catholic household. I was active in the church as a child. By all accounts, I should have grown up to be a good Catholic. But it just never quite made sense to me. I wrestled with it for years. I tried immersing myself deeper in the church. I explored other religions. Yet eventually I was forced to confront the reality that I was an atheist. For many years I shunned that label. I hedged when answering questions about spirituality. I was over 30 before I became comfortable with being an atheist, and it still makes me uncomfortable at times because I know several people I’m close to aren’t really comfortable with it. This is all very similar to the path many gays and lesbians I know followed in coming out of their closets. That slow realization and reconciliation with your true nature.

I think one of the reasons people have trouble accepting that spirituality is spectral and hardwired is that often atheism is positioned as a choice similar to the choice to be Jewish, Christian, or Hindu. But I think that’s not a remotely accurate depiction. The choice between Methodist and Pentecostal, or even between Hindu and Muslim are all choices at the theist end of the spectrum. I contend that people that gravitate toward fundamentalist Christianity would gravitate toward fundamentalist Islam or fundamentalist Hindu had they been born in other cultures. Asking your Presbyterian friend to try Catholicism is similar to suggesting that he try dating blonds , or short women. It’s variations on the theme, but at the same position on the spirituality vector. Atheism is at the other end of the vector. It’s a completely different mindset.

So if Swanson is correct, if public acceptance of atheism results in more people identifying as atheists, I believe the reason is only that a greater percentage of extant atheists are in the closet or in denial than is suspected. I do not believe that people wired for theism will be “converted” to atheists anymore than gays are drawing people over to their side of the sexuality spectrum.

It’s time for society to give up on the fear of and animosity toward atheists. We’re just people too, and we’re not contagious.