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I see lots of comments here about not ‘coming out’ as an atheist. It seems the same as a few decades ago that gay people had the same problem.

Is this just Bible Belt USA or are there other countries/regions that have the same problem

Geoffrey51 8 Sep 10
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17 comments

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1

I live in Canada and while most folk just assume I'm Christian, nobody really cares once they find out I'm not. Thankfully I am judged more for who I am and what i do, rather than my beliefs (or lack there of).
I don't slag folks for being religious and I don't expect folks to slag me for not.

2

I live near the burg of saint Cleve Ohio and I never give it a thought, and someone asks I tell them. If they wish to try and convert me or save my soul, I ask them to go in peace and take their god with them.

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Mostly Bible belt USA in my opinion. Keep in mind an old Merle Haggard song in which the mother is praying for her son's crops to fail. In other words, if you are not right with god your parents will pray anything for god to stop you and this includes taking away your livelihood. It's a bad take on the plagues of Egypt. Over time the parents will note whether you date women and how much it appears you pray. If you are not begging to say grace over the meal you might be called on it. Then you have to "come out" as the saying goes. People even today live this crap daily.

3

It is pretty evident that gays "coming out" changed the way a majority of people thought about them and treated them...hard to be hide-bound & prejudiced when it turns out your favorite grandson is gay! But there were Huge problems with their treatment under the existing laws (that are still not entirely addressed, sadly.)
Atheists already enjoy quite a bit of legal protection and so IMO it is not the same situation. When "coming out as an atheist" only involves riling up/causing pain to those around you, because their idea of what is best for you no longer matches yours, WHY? Back just a few years ago, politics and religion were deeply frowned upon as subject of conversation because they could cause such upset. I long for those days to return! Except for Dumping Trump!

You bring up several good points, and well stated. 🙂
There is certainly no need to needlessly upset family and friends, as long as the silence isn't hurting anyone (self) either.
And times were simpler, way back when, though perhaps no better?

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Really? Do you really think bible belt in USA is the worst place for atheists?
There are places in Africa or middle east that you can get death penalty if you abandon Islam or Christianity.

Even more places that you will be in deep trouble to keep your life going as the local organized religion provides a big part of the social services.

Expanding it even more, there are places where you will be guilty for every bad stuff that happens with your family because "of course your uncle that drinks a lot but goes to church every Sunday is only beating the shit out of his wife because the devil entered the family through you!"

Or the evangelical mobsters that are evicting and killing any non follower of their religion in some areas of Brazil.

Even countries that should be fairly westernized as Argentina, the president MUST be catholic, other american countries you can even find difficulties to find a job or be fired if you are not from some kind of christian religion.

And not even citing laws all around that gives special treatment if you re part of some religion.

Bible belt is not even close to be the worst place for an atheist.

Or by countries/regions you think only in the "part of the world that matters?"

Bloody hell! Sorry to inflame! Just asking a question relating to my observation.

@Geoffrey51
Hey, sorry if I sound agressive, english is not my first language, it was not my intention

I think @Pedrohbds is spot on, but to be fair, not everyone is aware of what goes on in the rest of the world. Better that @Geoffrey51 ask the question and learn, rather than remaining unaware.
Open discussions about such things are always worthwhile, in my opinion. 🙂

1

I think it’s only the US.

...and you know... countries where they behead you for not conforming to the religious norm...

@scurry True, however there is a difference between democratic countries and the ones that are ruled by a religious leader or a so called king.

@Jolanta There certainly is, but that has no bearing on the question or answer. Not sure how it applies here.
Are you suggesting that we ignore countries ruled by kings? Factor out the data you didn't bother to consider, or deem irrelevant?
Please explain.

@scurry I am talking about the western so called democratic world one can hardly expect anything else from places that are ruled by religious zelots.

@Jolanta That wasn't the question though, was it.
"Is this just Bible Belt USA or are there other countries/regions that have the same problem"
And while you say we can't expect.. and I kind of agree ... maybe we should start to expect. Without higher expectations there will be no improvements.
Anyhoo - no need to bicker - we can both agree that persecution for religious differences is a bad thing.

@scurry You know once upon a time we too were savages and it all change or we hope it did. Some are still savages no matter what. It all takes time, we expect of other something that they need time to adjust to, after all it took us a long time to get where we are. But yes I do agree with you.

4

I will never be able to come out publicly as atheist as it is punishable to be atheist in Afghanistan and disclose it, if I want to visit Afghanistan again in future.
It has been 6 years that I am atheist but till now only few of my close friends know about it, and my religious family still think that I am Muslim and whenever we talk on the phone, they repeatedly remind me not to forget the the daily prayer, and I just say, OK don't worry. lol

NR92 Level 6 Sep 11, 2019
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I guess I'm lucky in knowing who I am, religious free science birth.

3

It must be the Bible Belt only. Being athiest has been a complete non-issue for me my whole life living in Cincinnati OH and Lexington KY.

3

i live n florida, a weird state, if somebody asks me about anything religious my response is always MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!

3

I was lucky I could come out were I worked but I only knew of two other atheists. There was probably 1500 people in my factory. I think there had to be more but they chose to be quiet. I kind of enjoyed the discussions and it got heated sometime. Now I’m staying in China with probably 90% atheists. It’s seems to me they just don’t care and it’s not even worth talking about. My wife always says “what’s the big deal”. They are a different kind of atheist because there was no indoctrination.

4

Mostly bible belt but can be pervasive

bobwjr Level 10 Sep 10, 2019
4

i think gay people still have the same problem, and mostly in the same places, with the caveat for both groups that families vary too and one can live in a pretty liberal community and just your luck, your folks go weird on you.

g

6

I’m out and not quiet about it but have had several friends “confess” to not believing but didn’t feel comfortable coming out to friends and family. I’m in Minnesota

4

I'm out. Have been for decades. Everyone knows it.

No one, that I'm aware of, has cut me off from their kids.

It's been a REALLY long time since anyone has challenged me
about my atheism.
I always welcome the challenge, but I haven't been going out of
my way to cultivate confrontation either.
I'm just tired of jousting with delusional people.

6

Definitely other countries. Try Muslim countries where apostates can be killed, or Mormon and JW churches will turn your families against you. I live in the Bible Belt, and I'm afraid if I were honest that I'd hardly get to see my grandchildren. It's a scary thing for some of us.
I hate living "in the closet" but I don't feel like I have a choice right now.

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