When the internet was first invented by the military to handle top-secret CIA missions, nobody could have predicted that the internet would be dominated by so-called “meme culture.” There are memes on just about everything, including atheist memes!
So, why do people make atheists memes, and what’s the point of it all?
Making and posting an atheist meme is really just a way of expressing one’s beliefs, ideas, humor, or personal opinion on atheism. Atheist memes could be supporting or criticizing atheism. Some may be funny and some may be serious. However, it all comes back to one thing- freedom of expression.
For those who aren’t quite as fluent in today’s rapidly evolving meme culture, I decided that I would break down atheist memes a bit to help the folks in the back better understand the point of it all. So, in today’s post, I’ll be explaining what the point of atheist memes is, whether or not they’re disrespectful, and I’ll even show you where to find the best ones! Let’s take a look.
What Is The Point Of Atheist Memes?
I was inspired to make this post after having a conversation with an older family member the other week. I was browsing through my Instagram feed, found a hilarious meme about atheism, and showed my phone screen to my uncle. I expected a short laugh, but instead, he just looked confused. So, I had to take a minute to explain what exactly memes are and what the point is.
Memes are the modern-day version of the political and social cartoons that you used to see in old newspapers. If you go on your favorite social media platform and search for #AtheistMemes, you’re guaranteed to find thousands of them.
“Okay, but what’s the point of it all?” you may be wondering…
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, memes are really just a form of self-expression. When people believe in something, they want their opinions and ideas to be heard. In days past, people wrote manifestos; today, they just make a meme.
That being said, here are some of the main motives behind an atheist meme.
1) To Be Cynical
It should come as no surprise that atheists tend to be quite cynical. Once you remove the idea of God, religion, and “higher purpose” from the equation of life, the human experience tends to be more cynical and comical. The fact that over half of the world strongly believes in some greater destiny while we atheists are just “existing” presents a great opportunity for cynicism.
Most of these memes typically involve a common atheist quote or idea paired with some culturally relevant image to give the whole thing context.
2) To Spread Awareness
Memes don’t always have to be cynical in nature. In fact, some of the most popular memes are actually informative facts. From personal experience, I’ve learned tons of interesting facts from memes that pop up in my feed.
One of the most common atheist meme formats that I’ve come across is just an argument for atheism. Since people tend to be more visual, the text-over-picture format is a great way to share and absorb small nuggets of information or ideas.
3) To Make Fun Of The Opposition
If you’re looking for a good laugh, critical memes are another great way to gain attention. Whether the memes are made by atheists making fun of Christians about their beliefs, or vice versa, it’s funny to see the neverending internet battle rage on between the two sides.
Are Atheist Memes Disrespectful?
A lot of religions tend to have a negative connotation towards memes. For example, one of Christianity/Judaism’s “Ten Commandments” states that:
“Thou shalt not make any graven image unto me.”
Some religious teachers interpret this to mean that pictures and images of “holy” topics are wrong. Using this logic, it also follows that comical memes about said religion could also be considered to be disrespectful.
However, since atheists do not answer to God or any other higher power, they don’t share the same obligations or restrictions. So, in my opinion – keep on posting! It helps to spread information and gives me something great to laugh at.
Where Is The Best Place To Find Atheist Memes?
My favorite platform for finding and sharing atheist memes is probably Reddit. I also tend to share a lot of the memes I find on Reddit with my Facebook atheism groups. The other day, I used a meme to attract people to take my Atheism Quiz, and it brought me tons of traffic!
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, memes are a great way to share ideas, comical thoughts, or even criticism of atheism and atheist followers. Even if you don’t know how to create your own memes, you’ll definitely get a kick out of viewing others’!