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a sense of gradual illumination. The intentional ambiguity of the avatar is meant to symbolically reflect an important question: Is the future of humankind becoming luminous or more dim? The
Brights aspire "to take the promising route, whereby the imagery brings to mind a gradually increasing illumination for this earth of ours, an escalation of enlightenment". This optimistic interpretation of the Brights' symbol is summarized by the
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Gay is succinct, uplifting, positive: an "up" word, where homosexual is a down word, and queer, faggot and pooftah are insults. Those of us who subscribe to no religion; those of us whose view of the universe is natural rather than supernatural; those of us who rejoice in the real and scorn the false
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The
Brights' avatar represents a celestial body viewed from space. As there is no up or down or right or left in outer space, the arrangement of planet and darkness and starlight is changeable. Although the symbol is open to the viewer's interpretation, it is generally meant to invoke transition and
451:
that if non-naturalists are concerned with connotations of the word bright, then they should invent an equally positive sounding word for themselves, like supers (i.e. one whose world view contains supernaturalism). He also suggested this during his presentation at the
Atheist Alliance International
350:
However, "the broader intent is inclusive of the many-varied persons whose worldview is naturalistic", but are in the "general population" as opposed to associating solely with the "community of reason". Thus, persons who can declare their naturalistic worldview using the term bright extend beyond
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in 2002, Geisert disliked the label "godless" because he thought it would alienate the general public to whom that term was synonymous with "evil". He sought a new, positive word that might be well accepted and improve the image of those who did not believe in the supernatural. A few weeks later,
518:" in which he stated that although he agreed with the movement, Richard Dawkins's and Daniel Dennett's "campaign to rename religious unbelievers 'brights' could use some rethinking" because of the possibility that the term would be misinterpreted. The journalist and noted atheist
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comfort of the unreal, we need a word of our own, a word like "gay" a noun hijacked from an adjective, with its original meaning changed but not too much. Like gay, it should be catchy: a potentially prolific meme. Like gay, it should be positive, warm, cheerful, bright.
45:
537:, which seemed to imply that others were dim or stupid. But the term, modeled on the highly successful hijacking of the ordinary word "gay" by homosexuals, does not have to have that implication. Those who are not gays are not necessarily glum; they're
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The movement has been criticised by some (both religious and non-religious) who have objected to the adoption of the title "bright" because they believe it suggests that the individuals with a naturalistic
347:. Even so, the "movement is not associated with any defined beliefs". The website Brights' Net says its goal is to include the umbrella term bright in the vocabulary of this existing "community of reason".
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Paul
Geisert, who coined the term bright and co-founded the bright movement is a one-time Chicago biology teacher, professor, entrepreneur and writer of learning materials. In deciding to attend the
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Geisert came up with the noun "bright" after brainstorming many ideas. He then ran into another room and told his wife: "I've got the word, and this is going to be big!".
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460:, an era which celebrated the possibilities of science and a certain amount of free inquiry. They have endorsed the use of super as the antonym to bright.
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the familiar secularist categories as long as they do not hold theistic worldviews. Registrations even include some members of the clergy, such as
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232:. They launched the Brights' Net website on June 4, 2003. The movement gained early publicity through articles by Richard Dawkins in
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Most
Brights believe that public policies should be based on science (a body of knowledge obtained and tested by use of the
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article, Dawkins stated: "Whether there is a statistical tendency for brights to be bright is a matter for research".
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likewise found it a "cringe-making proposal that atheists should conceitedly nominate themselves to be called 'brights
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Despite the explicit difference between the noun and adjective, there have been comments on the comparison. In his
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Notable people who have self-identified as brights at one time or another include: biologists
Richard Dawkins and
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Geisert and
Futrell made their proposal in Spring 2003 at an atheist conference in Florida which was attended by
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After coming up with the term they pitched their idea to friends and decided to unveil their idea at an
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The movement continued to grow and experienced accelerated registrations following media debate around
291:. The movement has grown to be a constituency of over 78,000 Brights in 204 nations and territories.
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bright (noun): someone whose worldview is naturalistic (no supernatural and mystical elements)
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There was also a negative response, largely objecting to the term that had been chosen :
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582:"A Glimpse Inside: The Brights' Network - Describing the Brights' Net (Paul Geisert)"
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210:. Futrell remains director of the organization. Paul Geisert died November 17, 2020.
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Bright: a bright who has registered on the Bright website as a member of the movement
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super (noun): someone whose worldview includes supernatural and/or mystical elements
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1080:"Religion Poisons Everything (Exclusive Excerpts from Christopher Hitchens'
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734:"A Civic Umbrella for a Wide-Ranging Diversity: The Brights and Tradition"
163:). Brights are likely to oppose the practice of basing public policies on
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whose members since 2003 refer to themselves as
Brights and have a
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are more intelligent ("brighter") than non-naturalists, such as
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Teaching About
Religion in Public Schools: Worldview Education
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355:
ministers and a Church
History Professor and ordained priest.
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prompted by a series of book releases in late 2006 including
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The Bright movement has proposed the following terminology:
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Dawkins compares the coining of bright to the "triumph of
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452:'07 convention. Geisert and Futrell maintain that the
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655:
653:
579:
541:. Those who are not brights are not necessarily dim.
448:
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
1115:. The originating hub of the Brights' constituency.
1136:Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners
608:"The Brights' Net - Enthusiastic Brights (Page 3)"
650:
167:doctrines. Brights may therefore be described as
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529:In response to this, Daniel Dennett has stated:
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27:"Brights" redirects here. For other uses, see
1144:"The future is oh-so non-adjectivally bright"
1004:
984:
982:
958:
299:Many, but not all, brights also identify as
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810:
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1121:, for which Geisert provided consultation.
922:"What is the Purpose of the Brights' Net?"
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559:"The Brights' Net - Who are The Brights?"
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900:"Bright (n.)--What is the definition?"
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200:Godless Americans March on Washington
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445:Daniel Dennett suggests in his book
206:It was also co-founded by his wife,
629:Leibrock, Rachel (12 August 2010).
476:
34:International intellectual movement
24:
732:The Brights' Net (8 August 2012).
580:The Brights' Net (8 August 2012).
25:
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1191:Organizations established in 2003
1142:Wajnryb, Ruth (31 January 2004).
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781:"The Church of the Non-Believers"
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1055:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
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936:
914:
870:
588:from the original on 2021-12-12
508:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
1171:Science advocacy organizations
975:. London: Penguin. p. 21.
756:"Who directs The-Brights.Net?"
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456:has always had a kinship with
215:Atheist Alliance International
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120:Paul Geisert and Mynga Futrell
13:
1:
1152:. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
944:"Theistic Brights? – Not So!"
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636:Colorado Springs Independent
288:Letter to a Christian Nation
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1051:"Brights: Not Too 'Bright'"
57:; 21 years ago
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820:"The future looks bright"
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878:"Supporting the Brights"
510:published an article by
154:philosophical naturalism
1021:The Wall Street Journal
514:titled "Not Too 'Bright
473:"Embrightenment Now!".
29:Bright (disambiguation)
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488:philosophical skeptics
441:Contrasted with supers
394:; stage magicians and
382:; cognitive scientist
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345:naturalistic pantheist
1196:Atheist organizations
1186:Scientific skepticism
1181:Humanist associations
1149:Sydney Morning Herald
1076:Hitchens, Christopher
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500:philosophical theists
427:Piergiorgio Odifreddi
364:
362:" from the term gay:
360:consciousness-raising
1211:Naming controversies
1206:Religious naturalism
701:St. Petersburg Times
661:"Religion Be Damned"
520:Christopher Hitchens
1049:(15 October 2003).
1014:(12 October 2003).
990:"Brights Symbology"
506:. For example, the
494:, believers in the
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973:Breaking the Spell
969:Dennett, Daniel C.
946:. The Brights' Net
924:. The Brights' Net
902:. The Brights' Net
880:. The Brights' Net
856:The New York Times
851:"The Bright Stuff"
847:Dennett, Daniel C.
793:. 14 November 2006
758:. The Brights' Net
610:. The Brights' Net
561:. The Brights' Net
380:Richard J. Roberts
270:Breaking the Spell
251:The New York Times
106:Official language
37:
1078:(25 April 2007).
1016:"Not So 'Bright'"
992:. The Brights Net
631:"The Bright side"
458:the Enlightenment
431:Air America Radio
403:Penn & Teller
392:Massimo Pigliucci
161:scientific method
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16:(Redirected from
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1201:2000s neologisms
1176:Secular humanism
1166:Atheism activism
1113:The Brights' Net
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829:. Retrieved
825:The Guardian
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795:. Retrieved
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760:. Retrieved
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738:. Retrieved
724:Ghostarchive
722:Archived at
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640:. Retrieved
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512:Chris Mooney
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116:Co-directors
89:bright label
1095:14 November
1060:14 November
1031:14 November
996:14 November
950:14 November
884:14 November
862:14 November
831:14 November
797:14 November
762:14 November
740:14 November
677:14 November
642:14 November
614:14 November
592:14 November
584:. YouTube.
565:14 November
419:Edwin Kagin
399:James Randi
333:physicalist
329:materialist
317:freethinker
259:New Atheism
175:Terminology
169:secularists
130:the-brights
1160:Categories
928:4 November
906:4 November
791:Condé Nast
671:Condé Nast
546:References
496:paranormal
423:Mel Lipman
343:, or even
325:naturalist
305:antitheist
85:naturalism
74:Non-profit
1127:. YouTube
1026:Dow Jones
736:. YouTube
504:religious
502:, or the
492:idealists
484:worldview
454:neologism
407:Amy Alkon
396:debunkers
244:; and by
150:worldview
100:Worldwide
52:Formation
971:(2006).
726:and the
586:Archived
539:straight
337:agnostic
309:humanist
87:and the
708:20 July
341:skeptic
301:atheist
295:Brights
223:Florida
194:History
125:Website
110:English
80:Purpose
60: (
18:Brights
1131:Bright
535:bright
464:Symbol
435:Lionel
429:; and
1089:Slate
786:Wired
666:Wired
471:motto
390:and
373:Wired
241:Wired
219:Tampa
144:is a
1097:2018
1062:2018
1033:2018
998:2018
952:2018
930:2006
908:2006
886:2018
864:2018
833:2018
799:2006
764:2018
742:2018
710:2003
679:2018
644:2018
616:2018
594:2018
567:2018
401:and
285:and
248:in
238:and
140:The
132:.net
70:Type
62:2003
55:2003
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