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In the city where you live, how an atheist person is looked upon or considered in general?

  • 17 votes
  • 6 votes
  • 32 votes
  • 37 votes
rsabbatini 7 Oct 12
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44 comments

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2

More or less in my town no one gives a toss

Same here

9

I have had my life threatened for having the Darwin fish on the RV.

One guy at the Shell station in Gulf Shores said, “I should go home and get my gun.”

I replied, “No need, I have two, take your choice, the Glock or the 1911” followed by, “I’m not joking asshole, “I killed Commies for god and country, adding an asshole to the list will not keep me awake at night.”

I was wearing shorts and a polo shirt. I think he noticed the scars that are clearly bullet wounds on the legs and arm. He backed away without saying another word.

At any rate, it took a good 15 minutes to fill the RV’s 150 gallon tank, during that time he never returned.

Nobody expects a Militant, Pacifist Atheist.

...nice
Thanx

8

I live in Australia and nobody cares. I am sure that there are some who care but I have not met them yet.

Same in the UK, and much of Europe.

Sadly though, I tend to think that attitude may change with the Bill of Religious Freedom that has been proposed where, as far as I can define from reading through it, ANY and ALL criticisms, etc, of religions may, possibly, be dealt with harshly and all thanks to the likes of Happy Clappy Jesus Chappy Morriscum, Christian Porter and rest of their cronies.
So much for our right to Free Speech, so much for Democratic Country, it looks very uch like we are about to become a Theocracy.

@Triphid That's why we need to get involved and protest. We need a bill of rights too. Call Morrisson on 02 6277 7700 and complain, if enough of us do it then they will stop this insanity.

@Jolanta I've already sent both him and Christian Porter an email about this insanity BUT I will ring Morriscum today as well.
After all, I may as well use up some of my $200+ credit I have accrued on my land-line account.

@Triphid Give out the phone number to every one you know. Let us ring all day long.

@Jolanta You can lay money on me doing just that.

@Triphid You make some good points. We do need to keep Islam out as much as we can or we will become a theocracy for sure.

@Grecio And what are you basing that on then?

@Jolanta I guess there are no accurate polls, maybe you would know. However, my impression is that most Muslims believe in Sharia, and government-run by clerics. I know that there must be law-abiding citizens that are Muslim and believe in the separation of church and state. There are Muslims in the US military, and maybe we should hear from them. So the question becomes, "How many Muslims believe in the separation of church and state, and live in the USA. ? I understand that numerous members on this site do not live in the USA.

@Grecio None of the Muslims I know believe in Sharia law.

@Jolanta Many Muslims believe in Sharia Law which includes the clerics managing every detail of life.

@Jolanta Muslims that come to the US do not seem to assimilate. They form groups and take over neighborhoods and towns. Peaceful law-abiding Muslims should make a stronger collective effort to reform radical Islam. Look what's happening on Europe.

@Jolanta I would really like to continue this discussion with you.

@Grecio No matter where you come from when you move to a different country it is difficult. When you say no Muslims assimilate in the US you are very likely wrong there. How many immigrants and I am not talking about Muslims only have you encountered personally and made them feel welcome. How many have you made friends with? Can you imagine yourself if you were in their shoes and had moved away from the US, how would you "assimilate". I have found that no matter where people are from they do congregate together because where they move to it is difficult to meet the locals.

7

People around here don't really care. Some would just assume that if you don't look like someone who could be Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, etc, you must be Christian. No one asks. Religion isn't all that important. I think it's the same in most places in Canada (and I live in one of the most conservative rural places in the country). I just came back from my father's funeral on the west coast, and the minister pretty much ignored me the whole time while communicating with my mom and my brothers (I don't know about my older brother, but I know my younger brother is an atheist, though he would still go to Christmas church events with the family out of respect). Didn't bother me. Better that than arguing during a funeral.

6

Where I live, it would be "worse" to come out as an atheist, than coming out as gay. The reason why I know that, is because I know afew gay people. And they told me the difference.

6

In the greater Portland (OR)/Vancouver (WA) area, we have the largest per capita population that admits to not attending church of any major major metropolitan area in the U.S.

Found that to be true living in Vancouver BC also.

Although lived in a town called Creston BC. It had more bars and churches than anywhere. A border town in the Rocky's I called, Twin Peaks.

Most were extreme OT sheep like Seventh Day Adventist having meeting every Friday about the end of the world. Black Moore pligamist. Even the KKK who killed my black girlfriend son, and warned me. She was also the minister of God in the largest church in town. Feakest scariest, and wacky town ever.

6

In Sequim, WA people are okay with atheism, even those who disagaree don't see it as a threat. In Springfield, OH however there was a lot more hostility to atheism. I was surprised at how many people there just assumed that athiests were essentially amoral.

6

I live in Washington DC so pretty easy to be who you want to be. Voldemort keeps all the attention on him.

5

Any of the first three might be said in this little Bible belt town. Never #4. I have one neighbor who won't even say the word "atheist" unless she whispers it. Maybe she's afraid Jesus will hear her and send her straight to hell.

Deb57 Level 8 Oct 15, 2019

No shit it's why I won't live there

5

Where I live people don't care at all about your religious view, no one never asked me about it and I think i don't even know the religious views of most of people I interact with.

5

I get more of a surpised reaction when people find out. In the midwest Indiana/Chicago area most African-Americans are Christian so people just assume Im a believer. I don't volunteer information but If im asked directly If I believe in God I say no. At work I try to avoid the whole topic because you never know how it can affect work relations with the higher ups...

5

In New York City, in the circles I usually move in, just about everyone is an agnostic or atheist. Being religious is considered declasse. New York intellectuals tend to be very skeptical

4

I live in New York. As long as you're not standing in the middle of the sidewalk taking pictures and holding everyone else up, they really don't give a f#ck!

4

I would choose the last option if not because people still is taken aback when I say I am an atheist but don’t say anything or try to convince me of the contrary. So I would choose an option between the third and the forth. And in fact, some, albeit very few, are curious and ask why or want to know more about it.

4

I’m not at all concerned about what people think about atheist’s as I don’t broadcast my lack of beliefs to others.

4

I have no idea how people look upon atheists in my area here in N.Y.How am I supposed to know the answer to this question ?They do not take surveys on this subject .Plus I don’t go around asking people their opinions on this subject,nor do I care in the least.I do not even care or know how my friends and relatives think about atheists.If a person is secure in their non belief why is this even important in the first place .I do not seek a pat on the back and or affirmation on my lack of belief in religion or a god

4

At one time there were 8 (that I know of) members of FFRF on this smallish island. I got a letter printed in the FFRF newsletter and a member that I didn't know called and commended me and asked if there were any other members. I feel most in this archipelago here are non-believers.

4

I live in the bible belt. Experience has shown me to keep it hidden at work. Here, in a work environment, if it is known you are an atheist, it will have a negative effect on your social groups and ability to move upwards.

Interestingly, and on a positive note, many millennials I have met here are either atheist or agnostic. Unfortunately, most of them keep it under wraps. So I think for the next couple of decades, the bible belt will remain controlled by a majority of ignorant godbots.

@rsabbatini

It would be wonderful.

I hear that.
Same here.

4

I live in Texas...the megachurch capital of the world. Christianity is a sport here.

4

People would ignore your existence till the time comes when there's a religious feud and you're expected to pick sides.

4

It's impossible to answer that question accurately. Individual opinions are all over the map.

4

I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL and have no idea how they might feel about non believers because whenever someone asks me about my religious beliefs my answer is always the same "now that is none of your damned business, is it not?"

4

Here in the Bible Belt, we atheists are considered evil. I have to be very careful who I tell about my atheism.

3

I'm not sure. This is mostly a retirement/snowbird community for older white folks that went heavy for Trump in 2016 though so I have to imagine the majority aren't fond of us.

3

I love in LA now so, it’s not a big deal. It’s hard to know what religious people think but nobody says openly that I’m a bad person. When I lived in Birmingham AL. I was chastised more often for worshiping Satan. I just rolled my eyes saying Satans not real either.

3

I am out publicly and for those who don't know my spiritual views from the outset, I make damn sure that I make a good impression with my fair-minded stance on subjects that when they do find out, #4 will be true.

Of course there are lots of visitors and transplants from across the country here who do not reflect the average citizen here in my little town on Kauai, and I have experienced reactions #1 through #3 at various times, but I do my best to leave a positive impression so they might come around at some point.

For example, one of my neighbors, a transplant from Canada, said that what I do for a living should be against the law. (I marry people on the beach with nice words and human promises, rather than in a church with God's blessing.)

Another group of neighbors comprising the entire homeowners board of directors, all transplants, knowing I'm atheist, chose not to believe any of the complaints I lodged against our former resident manager who harrassed me mercilessly over several years. They didn't even believe me, when he tried to turn turn away the 911 emergency personnel I had called to come to my aid regarding a mentally unstable and violent acquaintance of his who was in my apartment and I was fearing for my life. They believed the manager's lies about all the traumatic incidents instead of mine on every issue, because he was active in his church. I replied, well I'm a minister in mine! ... Well what you do should be against the law... left wing weddings, haha! It's been an uphill battle to get respect from my neighbors, but easier now that the manager is gone and the board has changed members somewhat.

Sometimes ill treatment comes from parents of my clients, and in a few instances fellow wedding vendors who work only with religious officiants, and who obviously wish me ill. Oh well, thank goodness that is the minority of who I deal with daily. Most think nothing of my secularism.

@Julie808 you have my admiration

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