Information in English, especially for asylum seekers.
What is the Atheistic Society?
The "Atheïstisch Verbond", the Atheistic Society (Alliance) of the Netherlands, is an interest group with the aim of making an atheistic voice heard in the Netherlands. We support apostates, offer help to asylum seekers, act as a point of contact for interested people, provide guest speakers and information to schools and provide a platform for opinions, discussion and debate. Every year the Atheistic Society organises the Atheism Day.
The society for atheists
There are many atheists in the Netherlands, more than half of the population does not believe in a "higher power". That is why the Atheistic Society exists. Not every unbeliever wants to become a member, not everyone agrees with our goals. After all, atheists are a diverse group of people. Many of them don't even feel like an atheist, but there are enough Dutch people who do want to hear an atheistic voice, want to support or meet fellow believers, want to engage in discussions with religious persons and make a mark.
There is still enough to do in the Netherlands in the field of acceptance of non-believers. Unfortunately it still can happen that atheists are ignored. The word "atheism" still has a negative undertone, while this there's no need for this at all.
Our goals
The aim of the Atheistic Society is to make an atheistic voice heard in the public discours and, in a broad sense, to stand up for humanistic ideas.
It tries to achieve this goal by:
a. to unite all those who agree with the principle of atheistic thought;
b. being a focal point for deepening, spreading and defending atheistic humanistic beliefs;
c. providing a platform for initiatives to be taken in an organized context;
d. to initiate social discussion about freedom to live and die as one would wish;
e. to develop activities or to participate in activities of others, which contribute to a society of people who are aware of their responsibility for themselves, their neighbours, the nature and the human society.
f. the establishment of a secular state/government (strict separation of state and church);
g. arguing that the constitution and the laws are free of articles that attribute a special position to religions;
h. to advocate only public education;
i. to be an information source for third parties and to explain atheistic ideas to them;
j. to support those who are struggling with doubt of faith;
k. to go public, both solicited and unsolicited, in order to make atheistic ideas known;
l. to collect and make available resources in order to finance the propagation of the atheistic ideology and furthermore to develop initiatives of various social and societal nature.
Refugees/asylum seekers
The Atheistic Society conducts conversations with atheistic asylum seekers about their situation and how and why they became disbelievers. We will make a report of the conversation, which can be a testimony of atheism. We will send it to the organisation Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland and/or the asylum seeker's lawyer. other than this we don't participate in the asylum procedure.
An interview can be requested by e-mail at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.; this is also the address for other questions.
Asylum seekers who are atheists can become a member of the Atheist Society. They do not have to pay a membership fee. They can apply by sending an e-mail to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. stating their first name, surname and the AZC or other residential address.
The Atheist Society has no office.
The mailing address is:
Victoria Regiadreef 72-k
3563 GK Utrecht.
Telephone number for urgent matters: 06 - 521 040 99.