Any Symbol Must
Be Given Its Meaning
Randy Cassingham
From: "Randy Cassingham"
To: "Positive Atheism Magazine" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Re: lapel pins, one-handed
Date: January 26, 2002 9:58 AM
I agree that "anti" symbols don't represent atheism (but rather anti-Christianity).
And I agree that you can't "conceptualize atheism" with a single shape that people will understand when they first see it.
But then, that's always the problem. Icons must be given meaning.
What is a cross but two sticks -- until they are given meaning?
What is the ichthys fish but just a fish -- until it is endowed with meaning?
Thus any icon that you come up with can serve, and it should be something unique (read trademarked, to keep control over it). And then you simply proclaim that it represents atheism.
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I am not an artist (as you'll see), but here's my top-of-the-head concept: it denotes open thought (by proclamation, of course!). It would have to be reworked a tad, but you get the idea.
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