Thousands of non-believers will travel to the nation's capital Saturday for the Reason Rally. It's being billed as the biggest gathering of atheists in history. Organizers expect up to 30,000 people to attend the Washington, DC rally.
According to a web site for the Myrtle Beach Humanists and Free Thinkers, there will be some Grand Strand people attending the rally.
Others in the group who won't attend the rally but agree with the its philosophy, think their message of non-belief is gaining acceptance.
In Lewis Breland's Garden City home, you'll see family pictures and reminders of his five years of service in the U.S. Navy. But you won't find Christian crosses, Stars of David or other religious symbols.
Breland is an atheist and says that can create problems living in the Bible Belt.
"You become something of a stereotype immediately," Breland said. "They think you're angry, they think you're a Satan worshiper or something absolutely peculiar like that."
Though Breland won't be attending the reason rally this weekend in Washington, he thinks events like that, plus best-selling books and documentaries about atheism, are signs that things are changing.
"People are having access to these ideas and they're increasingly becoming fed up and not convinced with the supernatural, metaphysical claims of religion."
When it comes to the Reason Rally, Jerri Alley of Socastee will settle for watching news coverage of it. She doesn't like the crowds.
But she does like the message of tolerance and a focus that's more about what she does believe, than what she doesn't.
"Just saying that you believe in love and human beings and making kindness, that's pretty much what it is. It's not what we don't believe in," Alley said. "You don't what I don't believe in? Hate. I just can't tolerate it."
Alley said she used to be very religious, but went through a spiritual journey that led her to non-belief. She said doesn't seek out debate about religion, or concentrate on the challenge of living in a highly religious community.
"When someone says bless you or I'll pray for you, I don't take offense. It's like, that's sweet. It's like me saying I'm going to think positive human thoughts about you."
Alley said she knows she can't tell anyone else what to know or not know. "I just feel that there should be more love and kindness than not. That's the bottom line."
