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Atheists Among the Believers

The "Darwin fish" was created by two atheists in Southern California in the 1980s.

  Most Americans – 71 percent – say they believe in God with absolute certainty. Here in Utah, the percentage of firm believers climbs up to 80 percent. Even so, more and more Americans, and even some Utahns, are coming out and expressing their disbelief in a god, often to the great dismay of their religious friends and family. So what does it mean to be a nonbeliever in a world of belief? Wednesday we’re joined by a panel of guests to ask who atheists are and to explore how they interact with the faithful majority.

American Atheists were rebuffed by billboard companies when the group recently attempted to post their billboards in Salt Lake City. Follow this linkto see images of the proposed and rejected billboards.

GUESTS

  • Dan Ellis is the president of the group Atheists of Utah.
  • Dave Muscato is public relations director for American Atheists.
  • David A. Williamson is a professor of sociology at the University of North Texas. He's co-author, alongside George Yancey of the book There Is No God: Atheists in America [Amazon].
Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.