Summer camp for atheists.

Rich Leonardi points to "Atheist and Agnostic Youth Camp."

This week, 31 atheist and agnostic youths from Ohio, Kentucky, New York and other states have gathered in Butler County for Camp Quest, one of a handful of summer camps nationwide where children are taught there is no God.

Wow, doesn't that sound fun?  I have to wonder, though, isn't it a bit troubling for the "agnostic" youths to have, you know, the there-is-no-God doctrine foisted on them like that?

Children and teens learn about the canons of rational thought, critical thinking and scientific inquiry.

Apparently this includes the "invisible unicorn" game, in which "campers must try to prove that imaginary unicorns --- as a metaphor for God --- don't exist." 

Great metaphor.  The board president explains, "A lot of times in these kids' lives they are asked to prove there is no evidence of God. We teach them the burden of proof lies with the person making the claim." 

Well, sure.  So, it depends on who's claiming what to whom.  Atheists don't get a get-out-of-burden-of-proof-free card just because they're atheists.

Obviously there's nothing inherently wrong with building a summer camp around philosophical beliefs.  I just wonder whether it might not be more productive to send kids to, oh, archery camp or something. 

One thing that bothers me about the article is its repeated reference to the camp as a "secular" camp, perhaps contrasting it to the other camps run by the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association), which owns the campground.  Interesting.  I think of "secular" as being, well, religion-neutral, "not overtly religious," as m-w.com puts it.  Yet the statement "There is no God" is no less faith-based than its converse.  And really, most YMCA activities are secular.  We've been involved with the Y for years, for swimming lessons, gym memberships, and the like.   There is nothing overtly religious in the local Y.  (It's subversive!  They teach respect and responsibility!)  Maybe the writer thinks that because it's a Christian organization, nothing it does can be secular.