1. For decades religions have been combatted to enable progress in society, so why should atheists now organize as a religious community?
Whoever searches for equality will find it only under quite concrete conditions. In Austria, the rights and duties of religious communities are quite substantially co-determined by state laws on religion. The question, what religion is and what it can be, forms a central point of junction on which much depends. Since we are dealing as ‘Atheist Religious Society’ with religious questions and also understand ourselves as a religious denominational community, it seems likely to us to organize ourselves also in legal terms as a religious community and to strive for full and equal rights and recognition as a religious society in Austria.
We want to practice religion (despite all the misuse/abuse of religion in world history) in a way in which, in our opinion, it could be practiced quite specifically: as a practical help in life. We have some ideas for it, and we are very open and thankful for constructive suggestions und clues.
2. What motivates you to the effort of founding an atheist religion?
Well, that’s not the same with all of us. Some become involved because of the bad experiences they have made with other religions, and want to contribute to the cause of making it possible for everybody to find a religion in which he/she feels comfortable. Others, in the very first instance of their commitment, are fascinated by developing and contributing to a religion for atheists and think of this as an in many respects exciting challenge. Together, we all want to achieve equal rights, visibility and an opening of new areas of cultural participation.
3. Isn’t there a contradiction between “atheism” and “religion”?
Not necessarily. A contradiction does exists, without any doubt, between “atheism” and “theism”, since “atheism”, taken literally, is a negation of “theism”. However, this contradiction does not exist between “atheism” and “religion”, because religion does not necessarily equate with theism.
At this point we face the problem that there is no generally accepted definition of the term “religion”. We view religion as a very multi-faceted phenomenon of human culture, of which the reference to deities traditionally was an important (but not the only) sub-aspect. Regarding this matter we see the possibility (and put it up to debate) that also our atheistic reference to god(s)/deities copes with this sub-aspect of “religion”. We would like to point out here that, in contrast to many other atheists, we do not view “religion” as a fundamentally negative term.
If something in Austria is recognized by the Office for Religious Affairs as a “religion” or not is, among other things, also a legal question. A clue to European Union law may serve as a little impulse for further thoughts. The European Union Council Directive 2004/83/EC declares in article 10 paragraph 1 subparagraph b: “the concept of religion shall in particular include the holding of theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, the participation in, or abstention from, formal worship in private or in public, either alone or in community with others, other religious acts or expressions of view, or forms of personal or communal conduct based on or mandated by any religious belief; […].”
Generally claiming that no “atheism” could ever be a “religion” seems very questionable to us. In contrast to this we invite you to perceive our “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” very carefully. With our initiative we take part in the societal process of negotiating what is nowadays perceived and accepted as “religion” in Austria.
“Contradiction” is certainly present where someone contradicts. As “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” we contradict, when asked in what way deities exist, quite many established religions. We take joy in shaping this contradiction interestingly and fruitfully.
4. Do you claim that every atheism is (a) religion?
No, we do not claim that. But we assume that religion can principally also be atheist, and we wish to elaborate this idea theoretically and to implement it into practice. As a consequence, we claim for ourselves to be, as “Atheist Religious Society in Austria”, a religious denominational community, and speak for our own view.
5. Why do you invite atheists in Austria to join just a “religious denominational community” or “religious society”, respectively?
Some goals one can´t – already for legal reason alone! –, not even with the best of will, achieve as an individual, but only by acting together. The aims of our “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” are presented in § 3 section 1 of our Statutes: “As religious denominational community “Atheistic Religious Society in Austria”, we are pursuing the long-term goal of full equality und recognition as a religious society in Austria. We thereby want to open new spaces of cultural participation and to make visible a societal process of change, regarding what is viewed and accepted as religion and how religion is lived.”
An official recognition by the state as a religious denominational community or religious society, respectively, is – under the current legislation – the safest way of achieving full equality by and through the state. According to the law an organized association of several individuals is necessary to make this happen. The Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version), in its § 3 section 3, requires 300 members for a state-registered religious denominational community and, in its § 11 paragraph 1 subparagraph d, for a legally recognized religious society About 17.000 members (2 per mill of the resident population in Austria). What we are doing right now, we are also doing– entirely in the sense of a friendly way to sustainable equality – for the future. Every single membership supports us effectively!
6. I sympathize with atheism. What can the Atheistic Religious Society offer me?
Some are surprised how many good arguments there are for our religious view and how much they become free internally, how much this view, ultimately, makes life easier for them.
(And the transfer of such basic knowledge we want to offer always free of charge and independently of membership.)
Beyond that we are considering to offer, upon request (i.e., when there are enough people who want it), more “intensive” accesses, such as events (round-table discussions, seminars, …) in which the world can be thought and opened up from an atheist perspective, or activities that meet emotional needs (in everyday life or throughout the year, or with regard to specific situations in life like birth, growing up, civil or military service, the beginning or ending of a partnership, illness, death) or adequate support services (listening, encouragement, rituals). Regarding this we currently have yet still rather vague plans.
7. Wouldn´t your atheism, after official recognition, be just one recognized faith among others?
Not only, but also. The registration/recognition by the state would not change anything regarding the correctness of the content or the relation to reality of our atheism. But it would change a lot regarding the state’s attitude towards atheism (in our understanding and, probably, also in general), because then (our) atheism would be on an equal footing, in legal terms, with other religions and (religious) denominational communities, respectively. This certainly would also set corresponding societal impulses and probably would also receive international attention.
If one considers atheism as a faith, then it is faith in such a way, with or without recognition as a religion.
8. Do you demand all atheists in Austria to share your “religious teachings”?
No, of course we do not demand that. We do, however, as “Atheist Religious Society in Austria”, allow ourselves to represent, in § 2 of our States, our own “religious doctrine” – as the Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version), in its § 4 section 1 subsection 2, requires it.
9. I am an atheist, and also religious, but I don´t agree with your religious doctrine / values. What chances do I have to establish my views with you?
We are basically always open to new suggestions and constructive criticism. You can (and, from our point of view, also should) present your views and arguments to the Presidium and to our members. If they are well founded the chances are quite good that your views will find favor with us. In any case, we see a possibility that, in doing so, a very fruitful dialogue can come about, which could advance both sides.
If you don´t want to go this way, you are free according to the Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities to found your own religious community. As already mentioned, we do not represent all atheists in Austria, but only those who identify with our religious doctrine and our values, in other words, our members.
10. Do you, with your name, involve all atheists?
No, we do not. Our name “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” just points very clearly to the atheism according to our understanding of atheism. The Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version), in its § 4 section 1 subsection 1, requires that the name of the religious denominational community “has to be of such a kind that it can be brought into connection with the religious doctrine and that it excludes mix-ups with (already) existing state-registered religious denominational communities and legally recognized churches and religious societies.”
11. In case of your official registration/recognition as a religious community through the Office for Religious Affairs, would all atheists be recognized (by force) as members of a religious community?
No, a registration/recognition of the “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” as a religious community through the Office for Religious Affairs would exclusively change our own legal status regarding state laws on religion. For atheists who are not members of the ARG there would be no change in their legal status.
12. Do you claim to represent all atheists in Austria?
No, we do not make this claim. We claim to represent our atheistic worldview, and we invite everybody to deal with it. Furthermore, we make a high demand towards ourselves to meet our members, who profess to that atheism, at eye level, to assist them as good as possible, and to deepen and develop our worldview collectively.
13. Is the Atheist Religious Society in Austria an association?
No, the Atheist Religious Society in Austria is not an association (in the sense of the Act on Associations 2002, BGBl. I 2002/66 as amended in the currently effective version). However, there exists an association “Atheistische Religionsgesellschaft in Österreich (ARG)” (ZVR*-number: 1412422778), for providing the Atheist Religious Society in Austria with a legal personality and for helping the Atheist Religious Society in Austria when she tries to acquire the legal personality of a state-registered religious denominational community.
14. Would the Office for Religious Affairs, in case of your registration/recognition, have to dissolve all atheist associations?
No, we assume this wouldn’t be the case – the Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version), in its § 2 section 4, only requires that, “With the assessment decision in accordance with section 3 the Federal Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs has to combine the dissolution of those associations, whose purpose consists in the dissemination of the religious doctrine of the respective religious denominational community.” Associations, whose purpose, as defined in the association’s statutes, is not specifically the dissemination of the religious teachings of our “Atheist Religious Society in Austria” (presented in § 2 of our Statutes), we assume, would not be affected by this legal provision. Especially, so we assume, no associations would be affected whose purposes do not at all consist in the diffusion of any religious doctrine whatsoever. For the sake of safety the law explicitly determines in § 3 section 4: “Associations that exist in the federal territory and whose purpose consists in the dissemination of the religious doctrine of the religious denominational community, have party status in the procedure; they have to be named with the application.” We assume that through this provision every association which, in the case of an assessment decision that is favorable for us, would have to be dissolved by the Office for Religious Affairs, receives party status in the proceeding.
15. Did you already file an application for a declaration of the acquisition of a legal personality to the Office for Religious Affairs?
No, we have not yet filed an application for a declaration of the acquisition of a legal personality in accordance with § 3 of the Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version).
16. Have you ever been dismissed by the Office for Religious Affairs?
No, we have never been dismissed by the Office for Religious Affairs, and never has an application of us been rejected by the Office for Religious Affairs. The application for a declaration of the acquisition of a legal personality that was filed 11 June 2014 and was dismissed 5 June 2015 by the Office for Religious Affairs was not filed by us, but by the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” (KdFSM). We are not the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster”.
17. Is it really a good idea to strive for equal rights? Wouldn’t it be better to completely abolish the current special/privileged legal status of (officially registered/recognized) religious communities?
Yes, we find that it really is a good idea to strive for equal rights. Equal rights end legal preferential treatments and strengthen the societal equality of opportunities for all significantly.
Equal rights and abolishment of the special/privileged legal status do not exclude each other. We assume, however, that a reduction of the special/privileged legal status of (officially registered/recognized) religious communities will also in the near future rather not be triggered by political decisions, and that equal rights can be achieved much earlier. Some of us support personally a very far-reaching separation of religion and state. At the same time we want a general equality of our Atheist Religious Society in Austria with the established (officially registered/recognized) religious communities. Whether this equality can be achieved with or without the current special/privileged position of religious communities is in our eyes a political question that is also decided politically.
18. Can it be ruled out that your (desired) registration as a state-registered religious denominational community will provide an impetus to a transformation of the Austrian state laws on religion towards a reduction of the special legal position of religious communities?
No, that cannot be ruled out. It cannot be ruled out that our (desired) equality with the currently state-registered religious denominational communities (and then with the currently legally recognized churches and religious societies) could be so unpleasant for some politically influential people that they rather would initiate a reduction of the special/privileged legal status of state-registered religious denominational communities (and after that with the currently legally recognized churches and religious societies) than having to endure that we as the Atheist Religious Society in Austria also enjoy this special/privileged legal status undiminished.
19. Has all been in vain if you will not be recognized as a religious community?
No. If we will not be accepted by the Office for Religious Affairs as a religious community but fulfill all other conditions, then, according to leading Austrian experts on state laws on religion, we have the best chances (for example, before the Austrian Constitutional Court or an appealable European instance) to obtain equal rights anyway.
20. Can I become a member of you and, at the same time, be in favor of the separation of religion and state and of the abolishment of the special/privileged legal status of religious communities without contradicting myself?
Yes, in our view this is possible. Our long-term goal of achieving full equality and recognition as a religious society in Austria is – on closer inspection – well compatible with a separation of religion and state and with the abolishment of the special/privileged legal status of (officially registered/recognized) religious communities. Equality presupposes equal rights, it does not presuppose a special/privileged legal status. Recognized religious societies can also be recognized religious societies without special/privileged legal status.
An advertisement of the initiative “Religion ist Privatsache” (“Religion is a Private Matter”) in the Austrian newspaper “Der Standard” (12 December 2010, page 6; supported by name, for instance, by Wilfried Apfalter, member of the Presidium of the Atheist Religious Society in Austria) can be downloaded here.
21. Do I really have to leave my current officially registered/recognized religious community (that is, legally recognized church or religious society, or state-registered religious denominational community, respectively), if I want to become a member of the ARG?
Yes, according to § 5 section 1 of the Statutes joining is only open to those who are neither members of a state-registered religious denominational community nor of a legally recognized church or religious society. This restriction is necessary because the Federal Law on the Legal Status of Religious Denominational Communities (BGBl. I 1998/19 as amended in the currently effective version), in its § 3 section 3, requires it.
We do understand that there can be reasons for continuing being a member of an officially registered/recognized religious community, even if the inner attitude or the faith, respectively, has changed. We regret that in this case a membership with us is not possible. But of course we would be happy to see you supporting the Atheist Religious Society even as a non-member.
22. Can I become a member of the Atheistic Religious Society if I am younger than 14 years?
No, joining us is only possible for those aged 14 or above. We have deliberately decided to accept only persons that have already reached the legal age of full religious maturity. This is the case, under the current legal situation (§ 5 of the “Federal Law on the Religious Upbringing of Children”, BGBl. 1985/155 as amended in the currently effective version), with the completion of the 14th year of life. It is a special concern to us to set here a good example: On the one hand, we want to ensure that every member has indeed the legal possibility to leave, and on the other hand, we want to prevent that young people who are not yet fully religiously mature, after joining us, suffer under negative reactions of their social environment. But we are very happy if you remain favorably disposed towards us!
23. Would it be a problem if I simultaneously support both you and, for example, the Austrian “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” (KdFSM) by a membership?
Simultaneously being a member of the Atheist Religious Society in Austria and of another religious registration/recognition initiative would, according to state laws on religion, be unproblematic as long as neither of the two initiatives has filed an application for a declaration of the acquisition of a legal personality at the Office for Religious Affairs. With the filed application, however, the membership would, for the duration of the procedure, de facto be reserved for the (first) filing initiative until the decision of the Office for Religious Affairs. Therefore, we hope that as many as possible of our members are only members of our own registration/recognition initiative.
Such an application by the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” for a declaration of the acquisition of a legal personality was delivered to the Office for Religious Affairs on 28 April 2014 and was dismissed by the Office for Religious Affairs 11 June 2014. Since 1 December 2015 there is also a court order of the Federal Administrative Court with which the decision of the Office for Religious Affairs was remanded to the Office for Religious Affairs. On 5 June 2015 the application was again dismissed by the Office for Religious Affairs.
We ourselves have not yet filed an application to the Office for Religious Affairs.
24. Would I be obliged, when joining the Atheist Religious Society, to join also one of the rites that are mentioned in § 2 section 3 of the Statutes?
No, such an obligation does not exist. A rite that is mentioned in § 2 section 11 of the Statutes becomes/is binding only for those members who have personally decided for a life according to that rite; the obligation exists until the point of time when the respective member withdraws its decision (see § 4 section 4 of the Statutes).
25. Do I have to leave if I don´t any more have a legal residence in Austria?
No, leaving is not necessary. However, we kindly ask you for a respective information for us.
26. Do you handle my membership confidentially?
Yes, of course! We treat your membership as confidentially as possible (see § 8 section 3 of our Statutes). As long as you do not very explicitly and concretely allow us something else (for instance naming as a member in a testimonial), we will not do something else.
27. Are you aware that according to your Statutes not everyone has the same rights of co-determination in the Atheistic Religious Society?
Yes, we are well aware of the restriction of the formal rights of co-determination to the members of the Presidium. However, an organization with equal rights of co-determination and decision-making to all of at least 300 members is just not practicable. Our organizational structure is still under development and by no means “chiseled in Stone”. In the current situation, the existing organizational structure appears to us as the least complicated solution. If the number of members continues to grow, we will of course also adjust accordingly our organizational structure.
We would like to emphasize, that we, the Presidium, under no circumstances see ourselves as the ‘authoritarian rulers’ of the ARG, but especially as organizational leaders who always have an open ear for our members. According to § 4 section 2 of our Statutes every member has the right to make proposals and suggestions to the Presidium. In order to simplify this possibility of participation, we have established a member forum, in which our members can exchange with the Presidium and also with other members.
We hope, that these possibilities, as well as the uncomplicated modalities of joining and leaving, and the free membership, make up for the theoretically existing democracy deficit of the current organizational structure. We are of course always open and thankful for any feasible suggestions for improvements!
28. How can I support the Atheistic Religious Society?
There exist some possibilities:
1. Through a membership, free of charge. We need at least 300 members with residence in Austria in order to apply successfully for the status of a state-registered religious denominational community. And we will need approximately 17.000 members for applying with some chance of success as a legally recognized religious society. Your membership is a great help to us!!!
2. Through advertising for us. You are welcome to actively promote the Atheist Religious Society in your area. If you possess a website, you can link us there. You can also like us on Facebook (Atheistische Religionsgesellschaft in Österreich – atheistisch.at).
3. Through own ideas, projects and contributions, like, for example, journalistic reporting, reader letters (for example to regional daily newspaper), artistic work, translations (for example of the texts on our website – by translating them, for instance, into good English and/or French you can help us a lot!), suggestions for and digital realization of advertising for us on the internet, assistance with preparing and running information stands/desks, suggestions and preparations for (e.g., discussion-) events, arrangement of an official invitation of us to a (for instance, religion- or philosophy-) lesson at school, preparations for an atheist religious care (for instance, in the military, hospital or hospice – for example through considerations about activity profiles, appropriate qualifications and professional support), supportive advice, proposals for content improvements (also, for example, regarding our Statutes), constructive criticism, concrete clues (for example regarding reader letters or media reports about us, and print media, in which we can advertise for free), and everything else that is important to you.
4. Through donations to our support association “Pro ARG – Förderverein für die (geplante) Atheistische Religionsgesellschaft in Österreich (ARG)” (ZVR*-number: 357478224). Donations of any amount of € 1 or more are very welcome to the account of our support association (IBAN: AT93 6000 0104 1028 2335; BIC: BAWAATWW). Thank you in advance for your donation!
We are pleased by every kind of support!
29. Can I get actively involved with the ARG?
Yes, we would be pleased! If you have the time and interest to get actively involved with this exciting project and want to creatively co-shape it: We, the Presidium members, are already curious… and we would like to encourage you to contact us simply on occasion (e-mail-address: praesidium@atheistisch.at, or office@atheistisch.at). We can gladly come to meet with you in person to get to know you personally. In particular a stack of new membership applications brought along or a scientific text (relating for example to studies of religion or law) with amazingly strong arguments in favor of our Atheist Religious Society in Austria would impress us.