frequently asked questions

WHAT IS AN ATHEIST?
An atheist is a person who lacks a belief in god(s).

WHY DO YOU HOST EVENTS AT A CHURCH COFFEE HOUSE?
The Well is a non-profit coffee house ran by River Park Grace Church where we host one of our monthly social gatherings. They sell locally-roasted Direct Trade coffee and specialty teas at fair prices and the atmosphere is open and welcoming. The Well supports the community by supporting organizations who are making positive change in their neighborhood, city, and region. NIA will work with any religious organization if our end goals are the same and they have a rock-solid nondiscrimination policy. The Well has their nondiscrimination policy front and center on their website. It states in part that "River Park Grace Church and The Well does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations." They also host family-friendly drag shows that NIA has defended and will defend again in the future. People are more important than beliefs, and we do the most good when we work together.

ARE YOU A SATANIC ORGANIZATION?
No. We're an atheist organization. We will work with any religious group if our end goals are the same and they have a rock-solid nondiscrimination policy. We've worked with a Catholic church; that doesn't make us a Catholic organization. We've worked with a Protestant church; that doesn't make us a Protestant organization. And we've worked with the Satanic Temple; that doesn't make us a Satanic organization. We work together in the community to better the world we live in. On a lot of social issues, NIA cares less about individual identity and more about our shared humanity.

WHY DO YOU HATE CHRISTIANS?
We love Christians. We love Muslims. We love Satanists. We love people of many other religious affiliations. NIA has several religious members because they value state/church separation, the work we do in the community, and the services we provide. NIA works with several religious organizations on an ongoing basis to better the world we live in.

WHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION CAN I FIND “SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE”?
The exact words “separation of church and state” do not appear in the Constitution; neither do “separation of powers,” “interstate commerce,” “right to privacy,” and other phrases describing well-established constitutional principles.

The First Amendment's Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another and religion over nonreligion.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING NIA?
The benefits of joining depend on what you want to do with your membership. Joining on our website at any Membership level will put you on our mailing list so you can stay up-to-date on our activities and campaigns. All members also get official NIA Membership Cards. Some membership levels give you discounted pricing in our online store. If you want your membership to be even more rewarding, consider joining us at our monthly social events, one of our community project events, or contributing to the mission of NIA in other ways.

ARE THERE AGE RESTRICTIONS FOR MEMBERS?
No.

HOW IS MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION USED?
We value the privacy of our members and do not share membership information with anyone. Only NIA Board Members who need to have access are permitted access to the membership database and it is used exclusively by NIA for outreach and communication. NIA will never disclose the names of any of our members without their explicit permission. The release of anyone's name without their consent would undermine our members' trust in the organization.