The godless code allows for the compact and precise representation of your disbelief attributes and history. This can be used as an email signature, a blog profile feature or as your tattoo in the non-believer camps when we are rounded up.
As an example, my code:
P++->(18)A++->A->A+ : TR(B,T,FSM) : r(B%33) : RI(p5,u4) : ex(Fam(.5),Wk(.5),Fr(1.0)) : SO(A) : FB(RD,SH,DD+,BF,SB,RC,JS) : M(blg) : GCD+ : [gc-0.1]
decodes to:
P++->(18)A++->A->A+ : path to disbelief:
I was raised a hardcore protestant. At age 18 I become a hardcore angry atheist. Then I was just a mellow atheist. Now I'm an atheist who is active but not necessarily consumed.
TR(B,T,FSM) : religions I find tolerable
Buddhism, Taoism, and Pastafarianism.
r(B%30) : how much of the Bible (or Koran, etc) have you read?
I've read 30% of the bible (this feels low, since I've read more than most but there is a lot I've gotten only second hand.
RI(p5,u4) : religious instruction
p5 : 5 years of primary school
u4 : 4 years of religious based university (Jesuit).
ex(Fam(.5),Wk(.5),Fr(1.0)) : "exposure" - how many know your non-believer status?
50% of my family
50% of my co-workers
100% of my friends
SO(A) : religious affiliation of significant other
wife is an atheist
FB(RD,SH,DD+,BF,SB,RC,JS) : fanboy (which celeb. atheists inspire me)
I'm a fanboy for Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett (extra for him), Brian Flemming, Susan Blackmore, Richard Carrier, Julia Sweeney
M(Blg) : how do you get the message out
I blog
GCD+ : created (or added to) the godless code
Just me for now :)
[gc-0.1] : what version of the godless code to use for decoding
Use version 0.1 for decoding this
REFERENCE: (godless code 0.1)
The first entry of the godless code is always your disbelief path, the rest of the items are optional and may appear in any order. ":" is used as a delimiter between terms.
Belief path: each step of your disbelief journey, separated by "->". You may prefix a node with a number in parentheses to indicate at which age a transition occurred.
Protestant
------------
P++ : The bible is 100% true and I spend much of my life studying/evangelizing
P+ : I really believe, but I could be more involved
P : I call myself a Christian but I'm not on fire for it.
P- : I attend church but some of the ideas don't really hang together
Catholic
-----------
C
[use +/- as above]
Atheist
-----------
A++ : I'm very convinced, very vocal. I am defined by disbelief
A+ : I'm convinced and and active but it's not everything to me.
A : I don't believe, but I don't really think about it too much.
A- : I don't believe but I'm still pretty uncomfortable with disbelief
agnostic
--------------
a+ : I really don't think you can know either way. Also, there might be a tea pot out there. Who can know for sure?
a : The word atheist make people uncomfortable and we don't want anyone to be uncomfortable.
and so on:
B : Buddhist
H : Hindu
I : Islam
M : Mormon
7 : SeventhDay
W : Jehovah's Witness
J : Jew
Religions I find tolerable:
TR(x,y,...)
A tuple of religion codes from the religion path section. The tuple
may be the empty set, e.g. TR().
Holy Books read:
r({B|K|BoM}%XX[, ...]) # one or more holy books you've read and how much
B : Bible
K : Koran
BoM : Book of Mormon
eg. r(B%20,K%10)
Religious instruction: How much religious instruction have you received
in your life?
RI(pX,sY,uZ)
pX : years of primary school
sY : years of secondary school
uZ : years of university
Exposure: How many people know you are a non-believer?
ex(XYZ(x)[, ...])
Fam - Family
Wk - Co-workers
Fr - Friends
values can range from 0.0 (no one knows) to 1.0 (everyone knows)
e.g. ex(Fam(.54),Wk(.5),Fr(1.0))
Religious affiliation of significant other:
SO(X)
Where X is one of the religion codes from above
Fanboy (or girl): What non-believers inspire you? And how much?
FB(X[,...])
Currently available non-believer codes:
RD : Richard Dawkins
SH : Sam Harris
DD : Daniel Dennett
SB : Susan Blackmore
BF : Brian Flemming
RC : Richard Carrier
MS : Michael Shermer
JS : Julia Sweeney
You may include as many as you want to. You may also add a "+" (e.g. DD+) to show special approval of or "-" if you don't really like them (opposite of fanboy appreciation)
Getting the message out:
What do you do to share the news and/or stir up conversation?
M(X[,...])
Blg : blogging
Auth : writing books
D2D : door to door evangelization
Development of the godless code:
GCD : godless code deity - they who develop the code and/or have
suggestions incorporated
optional "+" if it was your idea in the first place. :)
Version: As the code evolves need to know what version to use for decoding.
[gc-0.1] = Use version 0.1 for decoding this
This coding system is new so if you have suggestions for additions,
clarifications, etc please let me know and I'll try to address for
gc-0.2
Inspired by
The Geek CodeLabels: godless_code