Religion on Facebook

I’m not the biggest fan of Facebook, but I have an account because it’s an effective way to get and keep in touch with people. Like most people I know, I don’t have every field of personal info filled out. Most of those omissions are things like “Favorite TV Shows,” stuff that doesn’t really pertain to me or which would make me feel silly to have taken the time to enter. There is one field which I have a real purpose in leaving blank, though, and that is “Religious Views.”

Facebook thinks that my religious views fall in the category of “Basic Information” about myself. I guess for most people, religion is a very prominent part of their identity. And, I’ll be honest, not being religious is an important part of mine, though I don’t think it’s important in the same way. I like to write about atheist issues on this blog because I don’t think they get enough press, and this feels like my own small contribution to the cause. But I don’t talk about atheism all the time. I don’t wear clothing or jewelry that proclaims my atheism, I’m not a member of atheist clubs or activist groups, I don’t go up to people on the street and ask them if they’ve heard the Good News about atheism.

There was a push a while back for people to list “atheist” as their religious views, as part of a sort of atheist coming-out day. I just feel like that’d be listing “teetotaler” in the “Favorite Alcoholic Beverage” field. That is to say, missing the point.

For me at least, being an atheist isn’t an active thing. It’s a lack of being anything else. Because of that, I don’t feel a need to proclaim it, any more than you feel the need to announce that you haven’t shaved your head. Having a shaved head isn’t a fundamental part of being human, and no one (assuming they couldn’t see you) would assume that your head was shaved. Similarly, I don’t think being religious is something “basic” about all people, and I don’t think religiosity should be presumed. By not filling out the “Religious Views” field, I cause the line not to show up on my profile. That’s a much more accurate description of my religious beliefs than a label could ever be.

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April 22, 2009 · Written by
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Comments

5 Responses to “Religion on Facebook”

  1. Mike at The Big Stick Identicon Icon Mike at The Big Stick on April 23rd, 2009 11:32 am

    I guess I feel the same way about people with rainbow flags on their car. It’s very hard for me to identify with the need to proclaim your sexual preferences on your bumper. But my Facebook also lists my religion AND where I went to high school, college and what my degrees are. All things I am proud of and feel like they help define me. I DON’T list my favorite books and CDs because they don’t define me.

    I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

  2. badrescher Identicon Icon badrescher on April 29th, 2009 4:01 pm

    Under “religious views” on my facebook profile, I put “no, thanks”. I think that says it all without labeling myself as part of a group to which I do not belong.

  3. Hishaam Identicon Icon Hishaam on July 8th, 2009 11:13 pm

    I believe the reason that religion has a spot under basic information is because an overwhelming majority of the worlds populations actually have a religion.

    And since atheism is the lack of a religious belief rather than a belief (if I’m making sense) I can see why they wouldn’t list Atheism in there.

  4. Z Identicon Icon Z on July 9th, 2009 10:53 am

    Hishaam: Thanks for your comment. You’re right, most people do consider their religion to be a basic piece of information about themselves. The point I was making is that my lack-of-religion isn’t really a basic fact about me, any more than my lack of a third arm. I feel like it’s more appropriate for me to not list a religion, than to list “atheism” as my religion … especially, come to think of it, given all the people who criticize atheists for being so “religious” about their lack of belief. (Strange criticism, but it happens.)

    I think Facebook used to have a pull-down menu for religious views (political views too), but it’s just a text box now where you can write whatever you want. This isn’t about whether Facebook pre-loaded this field with atheism as an option… it’s about what I’d choose to fill in myself.

  5. Jairo Mejia Identicon Icon Jairo Mejia on July 29th, 2009 3:40 pm

    Atheists and Gnostics are right in most of their thinking

    It has been common among religious believers to look with misgiving to atheists and Gnostics, and to think that they are mistaken; however, in many instances the opposite is the truth; some religious beliefs are not just irrelevant, but baseless. The “God” of main line traditions simply does not exist. I accepted the challenge of finding the One who may be recognized even by Gnostics and atheists: the Existence itself, “All-That-Is.” If something is there, that is God. Look at the book “Christianity Reformed From ist Roots – A life centered in God” (Amazon.com). I am confident that some of your friends will be relieved of the illusion, as I did myself.

    Jairo Mejia, M. Psych., Santa Clara University
    Retired Episcopal Priest
    Carmel Valley, California

    http://www.mbay.net/~jmejia/Grudzen.htm
    http://www.mbay.net/~jmejia/Churcher.htm

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