Our Community

Atheists are not a homogenous group. We have no creeds or doctrines. In fact, if we were to have a doctrine, it would be to think for oneself and not have a doctrine. Beyond that, we vary in all the ways that humans vary. This independence and diversity has led some to say that organizing atheists is like herding cats. So how and why do we come to be organized?

Humans are social primates. Our brains evolved to navigate social spaces and even the most introverted among us crave companionship and a sense of community. In many societies, churches and temples have doubled as community centers. In this way, religion has often held a privileged monopoly on certain social and communal functions. Members of a given religious congregation may differ widely, but they share a group identity and their religious activities foster a sense of belonging and togetherness. Churches are not only a place where people come together once a week, they also have teams in local bowling leagues; they splinter off smaller interest-based groups; they provide assistance to parents, children, and families; they sponsor and organize community service events. We atheists are no less (or more) human than anyone else, so we still crave the same sense of community. What to do, then, when one does not subscribe to any form of supernatural beliefs?

We in the Boston Atheists community seek to provide for our fellows the same sort of community that religious people find in their places of worship, but without any of the superstitious baggage. Currently, we organize social events like Sunday brunches and pub nights where our members can come together and enjoy one another's company. We also record a semimonthly podcast and strive to provide a focus for our members' political presence in our community. In the future, we plan to greatly expand our range of activities and strengthen our community cohesiveness.

Getting Involved

If you live in the Boston area and would like to get involved in our group (or are simply curious) you are welcome and encouraged to join us! We use our Meetup.com calendar to provide a list of recent and upcoming events. Creating a Meetup.com account is free and allows you to RSVP to an event to let us know how many people are planning on coming.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions.