Atheists: America's most hated minority

[trotsky]

The next time a Christian gets in your face about how persecuted and hated they are in today's society, steer them towards the results from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=19114

Nearly four-in-ten (38 percent) say they would not vote for a well-qualified Muslim for president, and 17 percent would not vote for a well-qualified evangelical Christian. Fully 52 percent say they would not vote for a well-qualified atheist.

It's worth noting that in a recent Gallup poll, "only" 41 percent wouldn't vote for a homosexual candidate - meaning roughly ten percent of the population is OK with gays but not with those damn atheists.

I am incredibly grateful to live in a time & place where I can be reasonably assured I won't be burned at the stake for my non-beliefs, but the numbers show that most people still harbor significant prejudice against us non-believers.

[displacedtexan]

1. People love their superstitions, don't they?

Wouldn't you love to hook all of them up to a lie detector?

[PassingFair]

2. "Time and a place where I can be reasonably assured"...

This is MY SALES TERRITORY this canvass. How comfortable am I discussing "the lord" with these folks.....

http://stupidevilbastard.com/index/weblog/comments/true_believer_blows_away_atheist_to_prove_there_is_a_god/

[Jokerman]

3. Once you drink the Kool-Aid...

you become incredibly suspicious of anyone who refuses to take a drink.

I see this with religious people and pro-war people. They feel threatened by anyone who refuses to swallow the same story have.

[devinsgram]

5. That's what 2000 years of lies will do.

Was it here at DU where I read that after telling a lie long enough it becomes the truth?

[fshrink]

4. Actually,

I'm a little surprised by these results. I expected something more "united", like in the 80 to 90 %. In fact, that 48% of Ls would actually vote for an atheist, seems very promising. Hey, that's the idiot's rate of approval as we speak!!!!

[progressoid]

6. Wow, what a coincidence. I was about to ask a related question

I recently had a 'discussion' with someone about which group feels more prejudice: gays/lesbians or atheists/agnostics? Or perhaps it's not prejudice but just plain ole hostility.
Anyway, I thought that it was more acceptable to come out of the sexual closet than to come out of the religious closet in today's world.

In this election, homophobia was a great cause to help circle the conservative's wagons. I think it would have been even worse if, say, Dr Newdow had won his Pledge lawsuit. I'm sure that a lot of Dems wouldn't even vote for an openly atheist candidate - even for a lower office.

[BeeBee]

7. Wow...

I'm gay and atheist. They must really hate me.

[PassingFair]

8. Wow! Now tell me that you're Arabic....

and you've won the TRIFECTA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[progressoid]

9. Oh yeah, There is a special hell just for you!

Sorry, I hope I didn't sound dismissive in my post. Not my intention. There's plenty of prejudice to go around for everyone (and you get a double dose - congratulations).

I know that my family would be more accepting of me as gay than as an atheist. They are pretty liberal and open about most issues, but there is a religious threshold that they think we just shouldn't cross. However, I know a few of them wouldn't even speak to me if I were both.

[trotsky]

10. Probably a combination of both.

Prejudice and hostility.

I have found that many people hate atheists simply because they believe that without that belief in a "higher power" a person would have nothing, absolutely nothing, with which to regulate their behavior. They truly cannot understand how one can be a moral atheist, and that scares them.

[Tafiti]

11. One of my good friends freaked out when I told him I was...

...an atheist. I used to be really religious in my teen years, and he was always VERY critical of my, or any, religious beliefs, he's never gone to church in his life, etc. One night, after many drinks, the subject of God came up (as tends to happen when drinking, for some reason), and I told him I was an atheist. He was so upset, and wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the night. His reaction just blew me away.

There's no way I could "come out" to my family - full of current and former fundie pastors. Yikes! I'll keep that one to myself, lest I am forced to endure a "laying-on of hands" in prayer to cast out my evil spirits!

[progressoid]

12. I agree.

In fact this morality issue has come up between my wife and I a few dozen times. She insists that church is helping our kids become good moral citizens. If I haven't had an aneurysm from this statement, I usually counter with something from the huge list of negatives that religion brings with it. Which is easily seen through all of the people that voted for the pretzeldent because of their (and his) religious morality. Or perhaps I'll list a few decent, moral non-theists (including myself). Soon I start to feel veins popping out of my forehead and then I pour myself a huge gin gimlet.

[arwalden]

13. Even Star Jones Gets In On The Act...

I haven't read all the posts in this thread, so someone might have mentioned this already...

http://www.ethicalatheist.com/docs/star_jones.html

Star Jones is a lawyer and former prosecutor who is currently a co-host of ABC's show "The View". Her web site is http://www.starjones.com/. She mocked Atheists who were concerned about her bigoted views. Jones intimated that Atheists are unpatriotic, while falsely claiming that the secular complaint had been in response to patriotic remarks she made on September 12, 2001. On February 13, 2002, Jones said that, in her opinion, Atheists are unqualified to hold the office of President of the United States.

As you will see in the quotes below, Jones feels that a 'responsibility' to a higher power is required to hold this office. She believes that a 'responsibility' to man is just not enough. Contrary to Jones, we believe a responsibility to man is precisely what is required to hold this office. See states that has their 'finger on the button' should feel like there are long term, everlasting ramifications'. Our strong opinion is that we don't want someone with an unstable religious mind having their 'finger on the button'! Who's to say that one day this person won't 'press the button' to get rid of another society of people that don't believe in their particular version of God??

On Jan 22, 2002 she stated,

"But everyone was mad when I said on the television that I wouldn't vote for an Atheist, but it's interesting that the Oath of office of the President is with 'so help me God.' So who would the Atheists be talking to if they weren't given the Oath? I mean you gotta have someone. I think it is absolutely important for you to be led by a higher power so you feel as if you have some responsibility -- not just to man. I would never even consider it. Anybody got a problem with it, is your problem. I didn't say you weren't a good person, just you wouldn't get my vote. I mean you could be a nice person -- you could baby-sit my kids -- possibly -- but that doesn't mean you would get my vote because you got your finger on the button. I want you to feel like there are long term, everlasting ramifications. " (Star Jones, Transcript from The View, Jan 22, 2001)

On Feb 13, 2002, she stated,

"And I said that I would never be comfortable voting... for an Atheist for President." (Star Jones, Transcript from The View, Feb 13, 2002). She continues, "Well, they were very up in arms and, as I explained to them; I respect your opinion, I respect what your position is, but God died for me and I’m standing for him and you’ve got a problem, it’s your problem.".

"Had Jones made the same remarks about the Jewish community, the Anti-Defamation League would have demanded and received a public apology. Atheists must demand and receive the same type of respect." -

Please take a minute to let her know what you think about her attacking atheists! http://www.godlessgeeks.com/ACTIVISM/campaign.html

[jmm]

14. I'd prefer an atheist with their "finger on the button"

and I don't even consider myself atheist. Let's pretend GWB is the God fearing good Christian he pretends to be. If him "pushing the button" results in the death of thousands or millions of people then wouldn't he believe God would stand in judgment and sort them out according to the lives they lived? When he dies he ought to believe he is going on to a better place. I'd rather have an atheist in office because they maybe they'd give more thought to pushing that button believing there is nothing for them or any of the other people who would lose their lives as a result.

[arwalden]

15. I'm Not Bothered By His Belief In A Mythical Eternal Reward At Death...

... but I do see your point.

I'm more concerned about his belief that Armageddon is inevitable. Because he believes that it's been prophesied and because he believes that it "will" happen... then he's also likely to believe that he's the "chosen" one to make certain that it happens.

Rather than making wise choices that could avoid global catastrophe, Bush would do nothing as we drifted to global annihilation, or worse yet, he would intentionally GUIDE us to that "inevitability" that he believes in.

-- Allen

P.S. It's also not very comforting knowing that a white-knuckle dry-drunk with DT's has his finger near the button.

[GOPFighter]

16. It's kind of a moot point

No "well-qualified" politician would ever admit to being an atheist. One of the problems facing atheists is that so few of us talk about it much. While I'm not shy about admitting I'm an atheist, not many of my friends know because religion/God rarely come up in our conversations - plus I'm not particularly antagonistic toward those who are religious (my wife is a staunch Catholic).

If the current push to make America a "Christian" nation starts gaining real traction, many of us are going to have to become more outspoken about our rights.