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Today our guest is Mandisa L. Thomas, the President of Black NonBelievers Inc.\xa0 This is the first in a series of interviews I conducted at the American Atheist convention in Memphis, Easter weekend.\xa0 I sat down with Mandisa as she was manning the Black Nonbelievers table at the Conference.\xa0 The background noise is constant so put on your loud barroom conversation ears and you\u2019ll hear every word.\xa0\xa0

As a description of the function Black Nonbelievers, she writes on the website, \u201cThose of us that do not believe in God are all around you.\xa0 We\u2019re everyday people, just trying to live normal lives like everyone else.\xa0 We\u2019re your neighbors, students, employees, employers and entrepreneurs. A good many of us are also sitting next to you in religious institutions \u2013 either in doubt about their faith, or have given it up altogether. But because serious consequences could occur as a result of going public with their nonbelief \u2013 including being shunned by friends and family \u2013 they sit in silence and pretend to agree with something they no longer believe is true. And that\u2019s where we come in. We exist not as an alternative, but as a primary support system. Whether you are fully out as a nonbeliever, still questioning your faith, or even if you have to pretend to go with the flow, but need a safe place to vent \u2013 we are here for you.\u201d

This was an intense interview for me because of how ignorant I feel as a white, privileged male.\xa0 I know you\u2019re going to notice my inherent racism in this conversation. Mandisa was very graceful to my blind-spots and I absolutely loved talking to her. I think there\u2019s a lot here for everyone.\xa0 My talk with Mandisa is 44 minutes, followed by commentary with Bob for 27 minutes. --Cass Midgley

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https://blacknonbelievers.wordpress.com/

Credits:\xa0"Towering Mountain of Ignorance" intro by Hank Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3v3S82TuxU /\xa0Intro bumper "Never Know" by Jack Johnson /\xa0All other music by Cass Midgley

www.everyonesagnostic.com hosts: Cass Midgley & Dr. Bob Pondillo\xa0