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How many members on here are openly atheists in the bible belt? And are you treated differently?

freeofgod 8 Apr 28
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3

I don't think Southern Ohio is "bible-belt" country.
In my quiet neighborhood, 5 of the seven households on our cul-de-sac attend church and are believers. I'm openly "heathen/agnostic" and we all get along just fine. The disturbing thing for me was my time spent working at the USAF base here. AF officers are apparently rabid Christians, as are the majority of DoD civil servants. While they tolerated me and I've numerous friends in this population, there was always that level of discomfort.

Southern Ohio is the Rust Belt, just like Michigan. I guess we're not considered the Bible Belt now that I look it up, but we're definitely in the center-of-the-nation religious zone as opposed to the coasts, where secular thought is the rule and religion is more the exception.

[thoughtco.com]

Do you think the highly regimented and disciplinary nature of the military attracts people who accept authority in other forms, e.g., religion?

10

If outright asked, I'll say I'm atheist, I rarely volunteer it. I used to , but it bit me too often. I enjoy being employed, not having my car keyed, and not being evangelized to.
It has been assumed that i worship satan, that I have no morals, that I've fallen or am just mad at god.
It ranges from a hassle to detrimental.

Is it just me or are you tempted to tell them to f$ck off?

10

I live in Houston. Openly atheist and don't care. Lol.

10

These local white guys don't mind so much that I'm an atheist but they have a big problem with me being a Yankee. Seriously. 😝

Not so bad for potential friends but an absolute deal breaker (for both parties) for a potential dating situation.

@MizJ

The women around here don't seem to hold that against me all that much. Being a horny widow seems to overrule their objections

@Anonbene Perhaps because of the ratio of women to men?

@MizJ

The math is in my favor, finally. 😘

9

I've lost friends for being atheist... I have to hide it at work. I can't lose clients.

I’m in the same boat. Would definitely lose a lot of customers if they knew.

9

Yes, and yes, and because I am also a liberal I am pretty much ostracized. Can't wait to move.

MizJ Level 8 Apr 28, 2019

Ditto!

Try living in Georgia, atheist, Democrat, lesbian, indepentdent opinionated Yankee woman over 50!!!

9

I am open about my atheism and it has resulted in many of my neighbors not speaking to me. It is what it is, and I don't really care what they think of me. I have two people in my neighborhood who know and still seem to like me and care about me, so there are some people who can be kind thank goodness.

what a "true" christian behavior coming from your neighbors, don't you think?

@Zoohome I think the two neighbors who are christians and accept me for who I am are displaying actual christian compassion and love. The other so called christians are simply hypocrites in my book.

8

Me, and yeah. I don’t go around advertising it but I won’t hide it if asked. I’m barred from running for any public office in Tennessee as an atheist, and definitely wouldn’t make many friends if I made it a focus. Someone solicited a donation to a ministry not long ago and I told her I didn’t have any cash on me to avoid getting into anything further with her but if someone rubbed me the wrong way and tried that I might say I’m a satanist. I’ll generally take the easy route if I think it’ll spare me some evangelizing or avoid alarming the skiddish believers. They know not what they do. But yeah most of my family and friends do treat me differently when they find out.

Say your Buddhist. They know zip about that and usually wander off.

8

Oh yeah, I've been ostracized for "not believing," and "not going to church." But not very often. Since I was self-employed after the age of 30, I had the freedom and ablity of staying away from the religious fanatics of the world. But I never voluntarily opened up about my secular attitudes. When I'm asked, I give a short, terse answer: "I don't believe in it."

Do you go to church? "No, I don't believe in it."

Do you believe in God? "No, I don't believe in it."

Do you believe you're going to hell? "No, I don't believe in it."

Do you believe in Santa Clause?

"No generally speaking, I don't "believe" in anything. I don't like to use the word "believe" at all and, over the past couple of decades, I've found ways to avoid using the word entirely.

"Do you believe in gravity?"

"No, but I accept that it works. I can observe that when a drop a hammer, it falls. If my foot in the way, it hurts. So I have OBSERVED that gravity works. And, I ACCEPT that gravity works. But we don't know how or why yet. So I don't believe in it."

My one exception is sometimes on the weekend, when I might say something like, "I believe I'll have a cold beer now."

@Expozane Yes, Mike, "believe" is a dirty word in my vocabulary.

@Expozane Great! I believe in the widest possible (tasteful) dissemination of the non-theist message. Why hell, they propagandize to no end. Of course, Florida is not as bad as some areas. Even so, I carry (licensed).

8

I live in southeast Texas. Met a guy in a bar once. He said he was catholic, so I said I was atheist. He crossed his arms at me as if to say “back demon!” He saw me again later and tried to start a debate. Even though his tone was friendly, I just rolled my eyes and walked away. I was there to drink and dance, not to argue. His initial reaction was really rude and unnecessary.

8

I'm open about it, but I don't advertise. Except for when I wear my
Agnostic.com t-shirt.

I honestly do not care if people are avoiding me because of it.
I don't like most of them anyway.

7

Missouri here and definitely treated differently if I am open and talk about it which I generally don't. Now they are talking about making us public in court if we are and naming names. Definitely discriminatory.

7

Granted I live in one of the urban centers of North Kackalacky (the Raleigh area), but I'm surprised by how many people sheepishly say "me too" when I open the door with my admission. Some people say they'll pray for me. (How's that working out for y'all?) Every so often I see someone in the rearview mirror at a stoplight shaking their head and frowning at my Darwin fish. I generally only talk about it when asked, and steer clear of zealots, but I never shy away from admitting it.

7

I have learned to be guarded on who I disclose my lack of belief to. I have had a couple of pretty bad experiences where people who I thought were my friends turned pretty nasty toward me when they learned I was an atheist. But more than anything, I cannot stand all of the proselytizing from family, friends, and even strangers when they learn I do not believe like they do.

7

I am, and I am. Not hiding my atheism once cost me a job.

Deb57 Level 8 Apr 28, 2019

That is why I keep it quiet at work. I feel that its better to not talk about religion than their looks and perhaps losing a job. It is not fair.

6

Yes. I've been abused, harassed, threatened and beat. But I've also found many friends

6

Yes and it sucks most days. But I #PERSIST and #Resist.

6

We have a pretty progressive state here in Washington so you don't get a ton a crap for admitting you don't believe, but one thing I do notice is from family, its weird, none of them are uber religious they just act like it's a given thing. So when they are confronted by my open disbelief they kind of just don't acknowledge it and treat me like it's some kind of depression and I don't really mean it, like I'm just at odds with Jesus at the moment or something. Its funny, theyre like oh yeah wait until you want something, you'll pray for it then. And I don't. Smh

I'm in Ellensburg, WA it's conservative and more god fearin'. Now that most in this senior low income complex know I am agnostic I sense there is a distancing. This of course is just fine with me.

6

Not sure N. Dakota is classified as a "bible belt" state but this is one of the darkest (most religious dominated states). Although this will soon change, we are currently the only state with blue (church) Sunday closing laws in the USA. I live within two miles of over two dozen churches and the vast majority of those I know in these parts are hard core (faith over facts) theists. ND is the #2 pro tRump supporting state that usually asserts your typical god fearing misogynist embodying no women choice/autonomy etc. I am openly atheist, often debate theists and have encountered the "you don't believe in anything, you don't have morals, you worship satin etc." I have spent countless hours educating (in some cases to the point of bringing them to tears) the foolish that make those assertions. Am I treated differently, by most? No. I generally treat people with respect but I openly expose the errors of nonsensical assertions. I have had a few theists scream nonsense including "But what about flowers!!" inches from my face and there are a few lower intellectually functioning theists that openly exhibit disgust for my (as an atheist) existence.

6

I live in WV. I don't broadcast the fact that I'm an atheist, but I won't deny it if somebody asks me.

6

it has been VERY hard living in Oklahoma as an atheist and now a secular Buddhist.

6

Atheist in NW Georgia. it is terrible here, my neighbors treat me like they are afraid of me. That is what they are taught in their wonderful churches.

I live in N Georgia, too. It really makes it difficult to make friends. One never knows who is going to betray you, gossip about you, etc. It sucks!!!

6

Is Michigan in the Belt?

It's cost me umpteen chances at relationships, including one just a week ago. Xian women treat me differently once they see that label, as if it overrides all the "nice guy" attributes that I had before that. I might as well be a murderer.

6

Kansas resident here, and yes, most people here are shocked and confused when I tell them I'm an atheist. Some people shun me, others try to save me. It's tiresome. Why am I still living here?

Because it's a lot less expensive to live there? Because the ''fundies'' are entertaining to watch?

@LucyLoohoo - It is cheap to live here, but watching the fundies stopped being entertaining long ago. Actually, most of my friends have died, so I'm seriously thinking of moving.

To California? Vancouver? Norway?

@OldWiseAss California's expensive but you'll find many like-minded people here. Vancouver's lovely and less expensive but it gets cold. Of course, it gets cold in Kansas, too. Do you speak Norwegian?

You poor thing.

I just tell people I don't believe in organized religion and they don't ask more. I don't spend time with anyone that's judgmental about it.

@OldWiseAss Colorado. There are cheaper places out side of the front range cities that are great places to live.

@OldWiseAss Norway sounds like a good destination. 😉

5

I have always felt isolated, and generally unpopular. I don't really know what the cause of it is, but being an atheist, and an individual with opinions and tastes that differ from the main stream probably contribute to it. I think it's difficult not to seem disagreeable when you see through the indoctrinated views, and even consider them silly, of most of the people who surround you. However, even here, in Florida there are a a few people who understand and reject dogmatic beliefs.

@friendly, Nailed it. We are either with them or theists are against us. They can't conceive of someone being good without god.

5

I lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for many years. I was harrassed and intimidated on a regular basis if people learned that I was not a believer. I was harrassed and discriminated against at work, including a government workplace. I should point out that I was always low-key about my beliefs, and often such an event would occur after I politely turned down invitations to co-workers' church activities -- NOT because of me initiating controversy. I never have initiated conversations about politics or religion at work.

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