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Its amazing that some days I feel as if revealing my atheist views could impact my relationships with family friends and coworkers. In some instances it has. Religious freedom is a right, requiring that you at least believe in some God! Extremely frustrating at times....

Blackthought73 5 Aug 3
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23 comments

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9

I started a new job in March. I generally don't tell anyone I'm not a xian. The manager has xian stuff all over her office and my supervisor wears a cross. That isn't a conversation I feel it is necessary to have right now or ever.

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Religious freedom has no requirements at all. It is simply the freedom to believe/follow any religion of your choosing, or none.

People who know me are aware of my Atheism. Anyone who looks at my FB profile can ascertain it quickly. At work, my immediate coworkers all know, but that has simply come out during the course of conversation. It's not something I made an event out of, no "announcement." Seems to me doing that is inviting controversy and reactionary comments.

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Religion and politics are,imo, are really not topics to be discussed in a work place. I generally don’t discuss these topics with strangers.

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So.. Learn to let stuff roll off your back!

I was just in the hospital for a few weeks from complications from a broken rib puncturing my lung. I had many people tell me they would pray for me. Some of these people know I am an Atheist/Agnostic. One even said, "I know you don't believe.. But I do!"

I just thanked everyone and told them I appreciated being in their thoughts.

There are times when I want to reach out and swat Christians. Sometimes they are just smarmy and I feel they deserve to be swatted. But I don't go out of my way to do so. Sometimes you just need to shake your head and move along.

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I'm becoming more and more open about who I am and what I believe because I want to be valued for the real ME.

2

Why is god writen in capital letters? Geez

Edu_0 Level 4 Aug 5, 2019

In the abrahamic religions it is a proper noun. God is its name, much like we call the sun of our solar system the Sun. It is a bit annoying.

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religious freedom means you cannot legally be forced to believe or disbelieve or abandon your religious rites as long as they don't endanger anyone (for example, you can't sacrifice infants on the mountainside even if your religion says you should). it doesn't mean everyone has to be happy about your religion. it would be nice if people minded their own business, but they never will!

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"Freedom of Religion" includes freedom from religion. If one dogma can assert it's influence over you, then what deters the others from trying?

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For me it has. By definition, anyone who believes in god fears their god and their nature is to either try to convert you or stay away from you. they will always think less if you. its bad news in the workplace. good luck everyone.

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Say I am a non believer, that should shut them all up.

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Unless it is unavoidable to do so...I would advise you to keep your views on religion to yourself in the workplace. It’s nobody’s business but your own. Within your own family it’s a different matter, all your closest friends and relatives should know that you do not believe in god. That is essential if you want them to know and love the real you.

@kodimerlyn I don’t support believers talking about their religious beliefs at work, I never said I did. It is most definitely NOT okay! The workplace should be a secular, neutral environment. What people do and say in referencing their beliefs outside of work is quite a different matter. If anyone starts talking about religion at work it would be better not to respond than to escalate it into a confrontation, I’d have thought that was merely common sense. Do you think it’s sensible to discuss this at work? People are paid to do a job, not to argue about their beliefs or lack of them.

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And why do you feel it is necessary to make some big announcement? None of anybody's business!

Wasnt implying a big announcement should be made but the option of revealing ones nonbelief should not result in another means of marginalization

@Blackthought73 I personally do not wish, ever, to hear about another's religion...if asked or importuned, I simply state " I believe otherwise" and change the subject.

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I don't care for anybody pushing their belief system on me, so I don't push mine on them. If there's a discussion on faith though, any points I make should be just as valid as those made by the other side. Should such a position make me unpopular, I'm ok with that.

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It does go further than that. You can believe in any god you wish as long as it is my god. I often watch youtube live streams hosted by Christians. They very often end up argueing about whose Jesus/God is more correct and loose the focus of their streams with in fighting. It is always worth a chuckle.

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Yes, it would impact your relationships with god fearing christians who would see you in a different aspect. One as a non believer.

Trod Level 5 Aug 5, 2019
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My experience has been to be upfront and not "go along to get along". I don't advertise per se, but I push back when is is assumed I am Christian. When it comes to relationships, I put it out there immediately. Otherwise, not a big deal.

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Freedom of religion is freedom to believe or not to believe. If this was not so you would be required to believe and I don't think that's what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

The masses think different..the masses believe we should believe in something...I'm in agreement with u!!

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The concept of freedom of religion in our Constitution, if if is to mean anything, must include freedom FROM religion.

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My one girlfriend believes in some type of God, she used to be Christian and deeply involved but the hypocrisy made her hate the church. Her best friend was the daughter of the minister who beat the crap out of his daughter then preached forgiveness on Sunday at mass. So she left, but still holds some attachment to those beliefs and more so the stories. Unlike many Christians she read and studied scripture and knows those stories very well. She can name from heart all the lineage of Abraham, and every book of tge bible in order. So those stories were important to her

About a year ago I joined the Satanic Temple, which she was very supportive of, but now it causes some rifts between us. As a Satanist I embrace science (not uncritically though), which she's very critical towards. And I dislike having Christian religion pushed everywhere, which she thinks is me choosing to be offended.

I don't even bother trying to tell my sister and her family, they are full on Christian. You know, the type that never actually reads the bible or attends church but is horribly offended by the existence of anyone who doesn't believe in their God

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I have a couple of atheist nephews who know that I am also one. My daughters think I am simply unsure about the existence of a god--they don't know I absolutely don't believe in any gods.

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@blackthought73 in my experience black Americans are a bit more religous that the rest of the country.... so I feel ya.

I typically don't make blanket conclusions however, in my experience I tend to agree that the vast majority of black people that I know hold on to some sort of belief in a deity.

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I have never made a big deal over religious opinions because in the final analysis they are nothing but opinions, of little significance. I’ve never hesitated to engage in discussions about much of anything and I’ve never had any problems because of that.

The only problem has been the very few times when someone was intent on converting me to their way. The very WORST experience in that regard was having to endure a swaggering, bullying, fanatical atheist.

0

Religious freedom does not mean you have to believe in at least one god.

Was not what I meant ....I was meaning that most feel religious freedom means you should believe in a deity...the masses feel that way...non belief is looked upon as the anomaly

@Blackthought73 Rereading your post, I see now how it was meant. Perhaps quotation marks would make it more clear. Either that or I need to be better about reading comprehension.

Regardless, we are in total agreement.

@indirect76 agreed....sorry about the confusion...

@Blackthought73 no need to apologize my friend.

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