Atheist-themed scroll saw patterns

[EarltheScroller]

Speaking from a Christian perspective, I think the main reason for the abundance of Christian themed patterns is that Christians are specifically called to witness and spread the Gospel.  It's a major tenant of our faith.  Not everyone appreciates some of the more aggressive methods used, but by creating and cutting Christian themed patterns, believers are simply living out their faith and expressing & sharing it, as we are instructed to do in the Bible.

 

I can't speak to the lack of alternative patterns.  I suspect that the absence of a real market may be a big factor.  If there was profit to be made in such a market, I believe that it would be exploited.  Perhaps it's a hidden market, just waiting for an enterprising pattern designer to wade in.  While I wouldn't support it, I wouldn't feel that my faith is threatened by it either.

I think you have put it best and most clearly. While there are a few aggressive and evangelistic atheists or agnostics that really try to convert the religious to non-religious most of us non-believers feel no need to convert others. I simply have no interest in cutting or scrolling anti-religious themes. However, now you are piquing my interest in doing some positive Humanistic saying. 

[Frank Pellow]

Bill, I had forgotten that as you say "Christians are specifically called to witness and spread the Gospel. It's a major tenant of our faith. " is true for many Christian sects.

 

I guess that explains the large number of Christian-oriented scroll saw patterns that are available. 

 

I do hope that this thread encourages some people to produce alternative patterns.

[Travis]

Just for the record, all religions and beliefs are allowed here, including atheism and skepticism.  You're more than welcome to post patterns and cuttings that reflect your own beliefs.  It only becomes a problem when a conversation turns into a religious debate.  Just like politics, religious debates can quickly ruin friendships. 

 

I'd love to find more diversity in the patterns we offer.  So here's my challenge to everybody at SSV.  Design a pattern that represents either your belief or an underrepresented belief and post it to the Pattern Library.

Please be respectful in your designs and comments.

 

I look forward to seeing what y'all come up with.

[orangeman]

Good idea Travis.

 

At a show I did in March I took some Menorah puzzles not knowing whether they would sell. Also took some cross puzzles. The cross puzzles did not sell well and I was surprised.

 

I sold all the Menorah puzzles I took and got compliments on them. One lady said she was delighted to  see something for Jewish folks and thanked me. She said it was rare to see Jewish themed anythings at shows. She asked me to make some "Star of David" puzzles in color for next year. A good winter project and I'll post when I finish the design. Shouldn't be too hard to do.

[kywoodmaster]

I have stayed out of this conversation till now. I too would like to see a more diverse selection of religious patterns available. If you are doing shows you never know what will be a seller. I personally am not threatened by other beliefs and feel that everyone should have the right to practice what the feel as long as it is peaceful and respects others.

[EarltheScroller]

Good idea, Travis. I'll have to put some thought into that.

[Frank Pellow]

Travis, what category should I place my Atheist-oriented pattern(s) into?  'Religious' seems wrong.  Perhaps 'Cultural'.

[crupiea]

Cant resist wondering what an atheist themed pattern would be.  i understand the darwin fish thing but do we have to go to the point of crosses with an x through them and the like?

 

wouldnt things that are not religious be considered atheist or non religious?  i mean, wouldnt a picture of a duck qualify?  its not religious.  Not trying to be a wise guy, just trying to grasp this.

[LarryEA]

Cant resist wondering what an atheist themed pattern would be.  i understand the darwin fish thing but do we have to go to the point of crosses with an x through them and the like?

 

wouldnt things that are not religious be considered atheist or non religious?  i mean, wouldnt a picture of a duck qualify?  its not religious.  Not trying to be a wise guy, just trying to grasp this.

Tony, a great question you have posed, I also will wait for an answer....

[Debi Shipman]

Cant resist wondering what an atheist themed pattern would be.  i understand the darwin fish thing but do we have to go to the point of crosses with an x through them and the like?

 

wouldnt things that are not religious be considered atheist or non religious?  i mean, wouldnt a picture of a duck qualify?  its not religious.  Not trying to be a wise guy, just trying to grasp this.

 I'm curios too as to what people may come up with to represent their beliefs.   

Edited August 27, 2016 by debinoz

[Travis]

Travis, what category should I place my Atheist-oriented pattern(s) into?  'Religious' seems wrong.  Perhaps 'Cultural'.

 

 

Just post them in the New Patterns section of the Pattern Library (you can't upload them to anywhere else).  I'll move them later, probably to (ironically) the religious section.  I may change the name to Religious & Beliefs at a later time.

[Frank Pellow]

OK, I decided to meet the challenge and design from scratch an atheist themed pattern. 
 
I used Microsoft Word as my design tool.  The process was very simple:

• First, I came up with a few (3) words that, to me, sums up the difference between Atheist and Religious beliefs. 
• Next, I found and installed  a scroll saw friendly font, this is 'Scroll Beach Italic'.
• I typed the 3 words on 3 lines  leaving space between for symbols.
• I located simple symbols on the internet for Science and for 3 popular religions (Moslem, Christian, Hindu)
• I inserted the symbols in appropriate locations on the page.
• I printed the page.

The whole process took only about 15 minutes.
 
I cut the foreground out of 3 millimetre thick Baltic birch plywood and intend to glue that to a piece of 5 millimetre thick solid walnut.

 

I'm attaching two work-in-progress photos.  Eventually I will post a photo of the finished work here and place a pattern into the pattern library.

[hotshot]

To each their own, but my own disposition and reaction to these do not invoke happy thoughts.  Feels more like a religious assault, than a atheist affirmation.

 

 

 

-------Randy 

Edited September 1, 2016 by hotshot

[Frank Pellow]

Randy, I'm sorry that you feel that way.  I certainly do not intend it to be any kind of assault.  Rather, I think that it is a simple statement of the application of the scientific method as the basis of belief for atheists.   

[Casey Jourdan]

Glad you asked this, I've been wondering the same thing myself lately! I am just getting into pattern making (and building a website to share them from) and I am planning on doing many of those less seen ideas. I want to have a "religion" section that includes atheist/Humanist, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, and whatever else I find fascinating and fun (it needs a different name still working on that - maybe the suggestion of "Cultural"?).

 

There is a couple artist out there with beautiful multi section plaques with bible verses on them. I love the look but, well... bible verses just don't fit in my house... I want to do a similar idea with verses from other religions or quotes from Carl Sagan and the likes. 

 

Along the same lines I also have several F*** Cancer type items in both censored and uncensored versions. I rarely see anything uncensored language wise and sometimes I want it that way (and have customers that do too).

 

Anyhoo, I hear ya and I'm working on it!

 

And great job on the Darwin fish, I love it!

[EarltheScroller]

OK, I decided to meet the challenge and design from scratch an atheist themed pattern. 

 

I used Microsoft Word as my design tool.  The process was very simple:

• First, I came up with a few (3) words that, to me, sums up the difference between Atheist and Religious beliefs. 
• Next, I found and installed  a scroll saw friendly font, this is 'Scroll Beach Italic'.
• I typed the 3 words on 3 lines  leaving space between for symbols.
• I located simple symbols on the internet for Science and for 3 popular religions (Moslem, Christian, Hindu)
• I inserted the symbols in appropriate locations on the page.
• I printed the page.

The whole process took only about 15 minutes.

 

I cut the foreground out of 3 millimetre thick Baltic birch plywood and intend to glue that to a piece of 5 millimetre thick solid walnut.

 

I'm attaching two work-in-progress photos.  Eventually I will post a photo of the finished work here and place a pattern into the pattern library.

I like it!

[Frank Pellow]

I've now completed the work.  A photo is attached.  I also placed the pattern in the pattern library.

[Frank Pellow]

I finally got around to applying the final coat of Tung oil to the Darwin Walking fish that was the trigger for me starting this thread in the first place.  A photo is attached.
 
One thing that I did not mention when starting this thread was that, having used a #9 blade on think hard maple, the cuts were not smooth and required a lot of tedious, patient, time consuming cleanup. I find that this type of work goes well with a pot of tea and someone to chat with. So, I'm also attaching a couple of photos that feature the tools used in the cleanup, that is some fine files, a set of rifflers, some foam-backed sandpaper (and, of course some tea).

Edited September 14, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[meflick]

Thanks Frank for sharing the tools for the tedious, patient time-consuming cleanup work.  I have been wondering how some of you all get into those small tiny places to clean it up.  The most important tool in that picture seems to be the comfy looking chair.   

[125 CSL]

Interesting this has made it to 3 pages. The atheist I have meet through the years are very self centered and cheap.

I would not make any of the items for the simple reason people see these and that is it, welcome to lost sales.

[Debi Shipman]

125 CSL:  There are cheap, self centered people in every walk of life, not just in Atheistism.

 

Looks nice, Frank.  That is a good looking piece of wood.  Sanding is not my favorite part of woodworking.

[hawkeye10]

I am surprised that the moderators are letting this post go on but since they have I will voice my opinion. Atheistism and people getting from God and country is what is wrong with this country (USA) today. Today it seems any thing goes. I truly believe that if there was a small group of people that wanted to marry their pets it would okay ""if"" there is that word. If it would get votes. If we don't wake up the Atheist and Isis will take over this country. I don't see why anyone would want to make anything related to Atheist or Isis. 

 

This is my opinion and I am sticking to it.   

[Frank Pellow]

Hawkeye10, I assume that this thread is allowed to go on because, for the most part, the posts have been civil and have not been about religion or lack of it. 

 

Rather, most of the posts are about scroll sawing and about a place for scroll-sawn patterns and objects that differ from the religious (predominantly Christian) patterns and objects that are very prominent on the internet.

 

For instance, I have never taken a religious position and have not even stated whether or not I am an atheist.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[hawkeye10]

Hawkeye10, I assume that this thread is allowed to go on because, for the most part, the posts have not been civil and have not been about religion or lack of it. 

 

Rather, most of the posts are about scroll sawing and about a place for scroll-sawn patterns and objects that differ from the religious (predominantly Christian) patterns and objects that are very prominent on the internet.

 

For instance, I have never taken a religious position and have not even stated whether or not I am an atheist.

Frank I will not argue about it but I will tell anyone I believe in God and country. I truly hope you believe in God and your country.

[vykus]

I did a little research, because that's what I do. I wanted to see if their was a symbol for atheism that was widely accepted. I think I found it. The Letter A with a circle around it, or sometimes an atom behind it. I included the tattoo of the DNA strand just because I thought It was super cool I also added the old standby for non believers "The Flying Spaghetti Monster"  We have a few Pastafarians in my Universal Unitarian congregation. We'll take anyone.