Ateistene (English: The Atheists) is a non-partisan irreligious society based in Norway. It was established in 1974 under the name Det norske Hedningsamfunn (The Norwegian Heathen Society) and changed its name to Ateistene in 2017.
Overview
The organization's primary focus is counteracting the influence of the Church of Norway and Christianity in Norwegian society. It describes itself as a humanist, antireligious liberation movement. Ateistene advocates for freedom of religion and, where necessary, freedom from religion, and it opposes both Christian and Muslim influence in public life.
History and Notable Actions
- Blasphemy Law Challenge: Until the Norwegian Penal Code was replaced in 2015, Ateistene repeatedly challenged Section 142, the so-called "blasphemy paragraph," which criminalized publicly insulting or showing contempt for any religious creed or community lawfully existing in Norway.
- Jesus Christ & Co. (1982): The organization produced a cartoon titled Jesus Kristus & Co. depicting Jesus, which sparked considerable public controversy. Charges were filed by the women's branch of the Christian Democratic Party but were later dropped.
- Rooftop Protests: After Oslo City Council granted a mosque the right to broadcast the Adhan (Islamic call to prayer), Ateistene successfully demanded the right to proclaim "God does not exist" from rooftops in response.
- Church–State Separation: The society has consistently supported the separation of church and state in Norway.
Name Change
In 2017, the organization changed its name from Hedningsamfunnet (The Heathen Society) to Ateistene (The Atheists).
Purpose Statement
According to the organization's own description, Ateistene advocates for humanity as an end in itself and human togetherness as the means of society. It promotes liberation from authoritarian religions and faiths that it views as belittling or dividing people, and it opposes discrimination based on confession. It specifically opposes the Church of Norway and other religious institutions.
See Also
- The Norwegian Humanist Association (Human-Etisk Forbund)
- Secularism in Norway
External Links
- Official website: ateistene.no (in Norwegian)
