Heathen

Ronin: I've heard that song before, it's by John Michael Montgomery, but you've got a point. They think we're all bad people from images like that and it's simply not true. No matter how good a person you were perceived as, it seems like people would think you're evil if you said anything. At least how I see it.

PariahSS and Elvithriel: Good points. My problem is I'm too afraid to answer outright, and say I'm atheist, humanist, whatever.. I'm afraid someone would look at me as a horrible person, like you did in the hacker example. Some people would never believe me because they're so set in their ways that they won't even listen to logic.

Another question I hate is: "what church do you go to?" I don't know how to answer that one honestly either, I usually just make up some bullshit excuse that I'm busy on Sundays and Wednesdays. Which is true sometimes, but only works when I'm at college.

Seeker630

"Another question I hate is: "what church do you go to?" I don't know how to answer that one honestly either, I usually just make up some bullshit excuse that I'm busy on Sundays and Wednesdays. Which is true sometimes, but only works when I'm at college. [/B][/QUOTE]

I thought about that recently. It technically doesn't apply to me since I actually do go to a Unitarian church, but in your case just tell them you don't go to any church. That of course will lead to the inevitable question "Why not?"

At that point just say "because I don't like going to church." If that doesn't do it tell them you don't have a single religious bone in your body.

If that doesn't do the trick------consider a left hook.

jayh

I've seen that joke and found it funny because it EXACTLY describes the bang head on wall attitude we find in theists. I suspect even some theists get that part of the joke.

j

Marcel

The few times that I told people that I'm an atheist, they thought I said 'antichrist'. Yep, it also starts with an 'a-' and ends with '-ist'. And yes, I have a thin book with that title in my book case.

I just avoid the word; here in the Netherlands it is no big deal if you are an atheist. Most people don't believe in the christian god anymore, but many people still have a tough theistic fantasy. All my colleagues and most of my friends are atheists or agnostics, but they don't feel like giving it a name. It's normal, it's your private opinion. It's just that "I don't believe in any god" sounds quite normal and "I am an atheist" sounds militant, as if you want to convey some kind of idea. People don't like 'isms'.

Jewel

I'm so glad I live where I do. I haven't actually been harassed because of my lack of religion since I lived in Winston-Salem, NC. There was a woman I worked with that loved to push her religion on people (coworkers, cuatomers...) and when I told her in no uncertain terms that I was not religious she decided to start a rumor that I told her I was a Satanist (I had done no such thing).

Up here, everyone I work with knows I'm an atheist and as far as I can tell they don't care.

butswana

Tell the truth. If they give you a hassle, give one back.
Every time I have been asked why I don't believe I give this response:
There is no evidence to support the claim.
If you have questions, write them down and I will address them.


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Marcel

Geez, Butswana and guys like you; the things you have to put up with make me dumb-founded. Are you sure America was founded on Enlightenment principles? The way this retarded religion continues to haunt people who do not comply is so different from what Europeans hear about America.

In university we have just finished the subject 'American Culture', lectured by a very liberal tutor from Detroit and I'm actually still busy unraveling and placing facts that are highly contradictive to my notions of freedom, equality and freedom from religion. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but the fact that religious fanatic factions and freethinkers found a safe haven in the New World from profoundly polarised Europe should at least be preventing things like discrimination and distrust towards atheists!!

pariah

Yes, america was. The christians dont seem to think so.

Marcel

That explains why being an atheist or not has such repercussions on politics. Being an atheist or not is the same whether you are a liberal or not. Let me guess; non-believers can be found mainly in the Democratic Party, am I right?

In Europe this polarisation has virtually disappeared. We have atheist conservatives and socialists. No-one needs to know whether politicians are religious or not, save the prominent members of the tiny overtly christian political parties.

De Cr�vecoeur, one of the first new Americans (new American = not Native American), was so proud of his new country because a nonbeliever could live side-by-side with a Calvinist and an Episcopalist. Factors that made sure that these people wouldn't attack each other as they would in Europe were:

- They lived too far away from each other,
- Their churches were too far away from their homes,
- Their new homeland would force them to find a new identity; an identity based on being an immigrant who is seeking for a common sense of feeling at home (the seminal melting-pot concept
- It was the religious war in Europe that they had fled, so they wouldn't have resumed it in America

Were these vain hopes?

Pyrrho

You have touched upon one of the historical reasons why the U.S. is so fanatically religious. Many of the most rabidly fanatical factions left Europe and came to what is now the U.S. They did not want everyone to be free to have whatever religion each individual wanted, they wanted everyone to be free to be a part of their fanatical religion. Most people interpret "freedom of religion" to mean that others should be free to join their religion, not other religions.