Did you know that atheists are America's most mistrusted minority?

Question

http://www.ur.umn.edu/FMPro?-db=releases&-lay=web&-format=umnnewsreleases/releasesdetail.html&ID=2816&-Find

This is surprising to me since we atheists are basically quite harmless, both individually and as a group. That last statement is just my opinion, of course.

Any thoughts on the topic?

Answer 1

I believe it. Most folks think that telling the truth is contingent upon feeling compelled to do so because of a perceived threat of punishment from a mythological creature. Personally I don't tell the truth because I feel that I'm obligated to do so out of a compulsion to save myself from burning torture. I do it because it's decent and fair and honorable.

People assume that being without belief in a supernatural authority automatically makes one a self centered morally bankrupt monster answering only to oneself irrespective of being humane for the sake of being humane.

Answer 2

Being trained in research, I can only say that broad studies are far more persuasive in terms of broad generaities than the anecdotal observations of one person or a group. You just aren't exposed to a large enough cross-section of the whole group. Plus, there are objectivity/subjectivity issues. A double-blind study would have been better than the study reported on. However, the overall image of a group tells more than the experience of a few people.

If I go to a white area, blacks will be reported as less trusted, and if I go to a black area, whites will be reported as less trusted.

One need only to see the atheist views of religious people as naive, impressionable or ignorant, above to see evidence of this phenomenon.

You need a broad cross-section of people from a wide variety of backgrounds to find out about trustworthiness. When it comes to trust, perception can really be the reality.

Answer 3

That's like sticking a Jew in a room full of Nazi's and asking the Nazi's if the Jew can be trusted. (poor analogy, I know) But considering that the majority is Christian, it seems to apply here. (I am not implying all Christians are Nazi's... just some of them) Most people, in every day life, wouldn't even know an Atheist unless they were told. Hell, even after they are told, they still try the "he recanted" thing.

Answer 4

I think agnostics are pretty "harmless" as you put it--I love my Dad--he is a wonderful and loving agnostic! But atheists are quite different! They tend to have an agenda--instead of not believing in God as they claim, deep down they actually DO believe in God, but they are mad at Him--I would say, even furious. Their agenda is to wipe God out of public life completely and finally.
I am not always very good with words and I feel inadequate in describing how this comes to be--it seems very complex to me. But I can say this: the father in M. Night Shylaman's "Signs" is a perfect fictional example of how this phenomena takes place. The father says that he does not believe in God anymore--everything is random and there are no miracles--only coincidences. But, by the end of the movie, it is evident that he did believe in God---he even addresses Him. He tells God, "I hate you" and he means it, too! He could only fool himself for so long. Anyway, in the movie he comes to believe again--he sees the pattern that throughout his life seemed so random, come together for a greater purpose. This is not a bad way of coming to know God:)
I just want to reiterate in case I'm not being clear---agnostics can be wonderful, loving people and they can be hateful, sinful people---in other words, they are just like Christians in that respect. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with being agnostic, but if someone is an athiest--this person is denying logic and reason. After all, it is just as impossible to prove beyond all doubt that God does not exist as it is to prove otherwise.
Thanks for reading and God Bless!

Answer 5

I think people would be surprised by how many people they know, love and trust that are actually atheists. It is very sad, and if there are those who don't trust me just because I don't believe in a god, well, I guess that's their loss. Oh well. I have an awesome group of friends, even without the approval of the sheeple =)

Answer 6

Yeah I find this very strange. I find religion to be inherently sinister, even the most apparently benign warm-and-fuzzy English churches. There's something deeply worrying about people who believe, promote and get together to share superstitious nonsense - It's a concept that seems to be the ideal breeding ground for abuse (e.g. child-molesting priests), extremism ('god hates fags' etc.), contempt for human life (islamic terrorists), ignorance (e.g. creationism) and self-destruction (mass suicides), amongst other things.

No doubt many religious people are wonderful, warm, kind human beings, but religion has an almost unlimited potential to corrupt and deprave - You can see every day in the news that there's absolutely no limit to what a person can end up doing as a result of fervently held religious convictions. I'm reminded of that saying... something along the lines of "good men will do good, and evil men will do evil, but for good men to do evil, that takes religion".

I know very few people who are religious at all - most of my family, friends and colleagues think that religious people are at best odd, and at worst downright dangerous.

Answer 7

That's a switch. Weren't you just recently trying to point out that religious people were dishonest and committed terrible crimes, and portraying Atheists to be the kinder, gentler, without sin and corruption crowd? "Religious" people can also be basically quite harmless, both individually and as a group. Got a point?

Answer 8

Because ever since around 1963, the atheists have done nothing but try to take away the rights of the religious.

Answer 9

Makes sense.

I mean all those atheist suicide bombers blowing up churches, ohh wait... those are muslims.

How about all those atheists trying to impose their religious beliefs about abortion, marriage, protected sex, ... oh wait those are catholics.

How about all of those evil atheists trying to invade the education system and force the teachings of religious beliefs as facts and science.... damn it, wrong again, those are christians.

Hmmm, atheists are the most mistrusted, doesn't make much sense to me either.

Answer 10

Probably just because people are always afraid of things they don't understand or know anything about. For people who are religious, it is easier to understand someone with a different religion than someone who doesn't have any religion at all. I'm sure as the number of atheists grow and people personally meet more atheists, people will grow less mistrusting of them.