Atheist shoes go missing in God-fearing US

[doggie]

on in the USA***

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20130503 ... YPuOIJ5TB8

 

We’re lucky to live in Berlin, a city where roughly two thirds of the population are atheists," write the makers of Bauhaus-style Atheist shoes on their website. "But we're conscious there are still places where it’s difficult to be godless."

 

One such place, Dublin-born company founder David Bonney told The Local, was the United States - where the belief in what the shoemaker jokingly refers to on his website as the "magical sky-daddy" is much more widespread.

 

But now it seems as if the believers are hitting back at the Atheist shoes. It all began when Bonney noticed a large number of shipments of his handmade shoes - which proclaim "I'm an atheist" or "Darwin Loves" on the sole - were failing to reach customers in the US.

 

"About half our shipments to the US have seen lengthy delays," 34-year-old Bonney told The Local, adding that he was pretty certain it was the word "Atheist" on the outside of the boxes that was putting the wind up God-fearing American posties.

 

"We accept that the odd delay and even the occasional disappearance are bound to happen," he said. "But the problem did get significantly worse for us last autumn, which happened to be when we started using ATHEIST-branded tape."

 

At around the same time, said Bonney, he started getting requests from American customers not to put the word on the boxes.

 

"Some of our customers saw pictures of our atheist-branded packages on our Facebook page and wrote to us, asking that we not use the tape on their shipments because they feared their local postman would judge them or that their package might disappear en route," he said.

 

And a recent test seemed to confirm that theory. Atheist sent 89 customers in the US two separate packets, one with and one without the tape. Although they were shipped on the same day with the same priority, the branded Atheist box took an average of three days longer to arrive.

 

"We lost ten shipments during our experiment and, overall, since we began sending packages to the US, it could be as many as 25 packages that have completely disappeared," said Bonney.

 

So what happens to them?

 

"God knows," Bonney told The Local. "Maybe it truly is divine intervention and they all get magically sucked up to heaven or some similar made-up place."

 

Seriously though, Bonney suspects "a handful of the packages have been deliberately selected for lengthy special processing, or even found their way into litter bins. But we can only speculate."

[louisa05]

Who wants these? Seriously. And I say that with no animosity whatsoever toward the message or atheism. My animosity is toward the tackiness of needing to proclaim your world view (spiritual or otherwise) on the soles of your shoes.

I'm Catholic. And I have no desire to have shoes that proclaim my religion on the sole. I would find it stupid and tacky. Nor would I want shoes to proclaim my political ideology or any other viewpoint.

I spent six years of my life in fundy-lite world working in an interdenominational Christian school and for all the tacky Jesus crap they all loved, I can't even see the majority of the adults there wanting shoes that proclaimed religious beliefs on the sole. Some of the students might have gone for it; but they were overzealous teenagers (many of whom have walked away from the whole thing as adults).

[So Says I]

I do enjoy the atheist shoe rapture theory. Is there anything in the Bible about the footwear of the nonbelievers ascending into heaven? :lol:

Seriously, though, I'm Episcopalian, but I don't think I'd advertise it on my shoes. I guess I could have Number 1 Chalicist on one sole and I heart the BCP 1979 on the other.

[happy atheist]

I'm Catholic. And I have no desire to have shoes that proclaim my religion on the sole. I would find it stupid and tacky. Nor would I want shoes to proclaim my political ideology or any other viewpoint.

Seriously, though, I'm Episcopalian, but I don't think I'd advertise it on my shoes. I guess I could have Number 1 Chalicist on one sole and I heart the BCP 1979 on the other.

So, you guys never wear a cross or a crucifix? I'd say those things proclaim one's religion a lot more openly and obviously than something on the sole of your shoe.

[mlady]

I used to buy/sell items on ebay and shipping to and from Germany is always a PITA. I doubt religion has anything to do with this.

[itaintmebabe]

I'm Catholic. And I have no desire to have shoes that proclaim my religion on the sole. I would find it stupid and tacky. Nor would I want shoes to proclaim my political ideology or any other viewpoint.

But the shoes aren't proclaiming religion. They're atheist shoes. :lol:

[So Says I]

Happy Atheist - I was just being silly, but honestly I don't wear any jewelry or clothing with religious symbols involved. I also don't do religious or political bumper stickers. It's just not my bag. I have no issue with others expressing their beliefs/identities that way, though. I think the Atheist shoes are totally cool, if that's your thing. Mean right wing bumper stickers do kinda piss me off in traffic, I will admit.

[happy atheist]

The shoes are 150 Euros. That's currently about $197 US, but at least it includes shipping.

They come in the charmingly named "kitten testicle grey" if anyone is interested.

[debrand]

I have no idea why anyone would want the word, Atheist on their soles either but the article did say that delivery was better when they left off the package tape that had the word, Atheist on it. So, maybe they have a case? If I am going to wear a symbol to announce my atheism(maybe a flying spaghetti monster pendant) it will be where it can be seen.

Perhaps the purchase of the shoes goes toward some sort of cause supported by that particular atheist group.

[happy atheist]

Perhaps the purchase of the shoes goes toward some sort of cause supported by that particular atheist group.

From the [link=http://www.atheistberlin.com/good]site[/link]:

We want to challenge the lowest-common-denominator view of atheism, to demonstrate that you don’t need god to be good. And we'll do this by donating 10% of any money we make to secular charities - in particular, those cleaning up the mess made by religion.

Some of you will have more experience than us in dealing with charities - so we’re grateful for any help nominating worthy causes to support. We’ll post here about the projects we like and you can tell us what you think.

But our first thoughts are to support Medecins Sans Frontieres and the fight to eliminate female genital mutilation - a particularly disgusting practice, oft enshrined in religious tradition and seeking to deprive young women of the capacity to enjoy sex… a horribly beastly thing, by any measure.

[louisa05]

So, you guys never wear a cross or a crucifix? I'd say those things proclaim one's religion a lot more openly and obviously than something on the sole of your shoe.

I own one very small crucifix pendant that was given to me by my sponsor for my baptism (I am a convert and was baptized as an adult). I rarely wear it and when I do it is usually under my shirt and not easily seen. Wearing it is normally for myself and not the benefit of others. I was wearing it when baptized so it has meaning to me--I have worn it when visiting family at the hospital, taking my father for medical tests, etc...for myself. Not so people can see it. If I want to wear a necklace that compliments my wardrobe and is meant to be seen, I have gemstones and statement necklaces. So the short answer is--no, not really.

After working in the Christian school for six years and being beat over the head with the idea that I must proclaim my religious beliefs on t-shirts, bumper stickers, by wearing huge crosses, bracelets and other overly obvious jewelry, and telling everyone constantly that I do or don't do something :because I'm a Christian"--the idea of shoving my belief system--spiritual, political or otherwise-- on others in any way makes my skin crawl and that includes wearing it or putting it on my bumper.

[mockingbird]

I love "atheist shoe rapture", So Says I. haha

I wear a necklace with a Celtic knot which can stand for the Trinity in Catholicism. I grew up Catholic and I guess I'm still sort-of Catholic. I don't wear it for the religious meaning though, I wear it because my mentor has matching earrings that she wears a lot, and it reminds me of her. I'm also Irish, so I like that it ties into all of those things. Most people who see it think it's from Charmed, haha.

All I can think about now are the WWJD bracelets. There has to be a company that makes "WWTFSMD?" bracelets right?

[PennySycamore]

Dr Franz Metcalf wrote "What Would Buddha Do" with citations from then sutras/suttas about the Buddha's views on some real life practical problems. He also had bracelets with "WWBD?" on them available for $3.

I'd buy the shoes if I had the money to waste. I think it would be fun to stamp around in our infrequent snow in them.

[yewchapel]

I'm a Christian who doesn't wear religious jewellery. I mostly associate cross jewellery with fashion (it's very trendy right now) and would never assume that anyone wearing it was even religious. I know plenty of cafeteria Catholics who wear St Christopher pendants and some Christians who wear dove jewellery or various bracelets (WWJD, PUSH, FROG). I know far more Christians who don't wear religious jewellery, though.