Do atheists feel that they have to keep quiet about their (non) beliefs in order to avoid problems ?

Question

If you do, do you think this is fair that others can easily express thir beliefs and you can't without fear of repercussions ?

Answer 1

I don't avoid telling people, I just don't prefer to discuss it unless it comes up in conversation. I hate when others are pushy about their beliefs, so I make a point not to be.

Answer 2

Yes, but I think it depends on what area of the country you are living in and what your situation is. When I was younger I had no real fear of telling people my philosophical and spiritual views, but as I have gotten older and have more responsibilities, I find myself worrying more about how my views will affect situations with employment, in-laws and how my child is treated at school. I think this has a lot to do with my location. When I lived in a larger city, there was no real fear of speaking my mind and there were plenty of community activities outside of religious ones. In the Bible Belt community I currently reside, however, many people attend church 2 to 3 times a week so I don't usually waste my time being open about my views with the people I meet.

As far as being fair, considering that I live in the United States, I think it's downright ridiculous that I should ever have to worry about others discriminating against me or my child if I am open about my philosophical beliefs at all.

Incidentally, I do believe in a higher conciousness, just not God.

Answer 3

No, a person's willingness to express his or her opinions is not related to which religion (or lack thereof) they adhere to. I am an atheist, and have no qualms over sharing my opinion if and when it's requested.

Sure, it's sad that religious-minded folk can treat others poorly who don't hold the same beliefs, but such bullying tactics really only undermine their position and expose their own insecurity over their personal paradigm. If someone takes issue with my opinions in such a way that I feel threatened, then I don't bother to spend more time around those individuals. We all have a choice as to who we give the time of day, why waste breath on the idiots?

Answer 4

Unfortunately, yeah, I do. Outside of my mother and husband, I can't say a word about my nonbelief to the rest of my family. If I'm lucky, I'll just get another tongue lashing and lecture about going back to church. If I'm not, I'll get disowned.

Same for the community. I don't dare tell people I know I'm an atheist. They'll shame me, too, if not shun me or worse. I'd probably get attacked physically if I openly said out here where I live that I don't believe in God.

And no, this is absolutely not fair. I feel that frustration every single day of my life. I see people out here where I live strutting around like they own the place, talking about how great it is to be a God-fearing person. They don't fear for their lives. They don't have to hide from their families and friends or live in seclusion because they don't know any other atheists and don't dare ask.

I can't go out and say how great it is to be free of dogma and nonexistent things like Hell, to think for myself and be free to learn about the world. I do that, I'll get disowned, I'll get shunned and attacked, chased out of town. It's not fair, let alone right, to be forced to live in fear of humiliation or worse.

Atheists are people, too, and we have rights, just like everybody else.

Answer 5

It replaced into undesirable until eventually now regulations have been exceeded to assist shop Christians out of our faces. It replaced into tough while they have been allowed to ask on a job application, "faith?" maximum Christian Crackers back then might burn you out of city in case you replied, "Atheist". And, I wasn't atheist. That be conscious ability "anti-god". My religious ideals are not like Christians' ideals in that regard. i don't experience such hatred as they do to lable all of us who isn't a member of their club as being anti-something. I continually basically placed Gamsotu, meaning, seeing how Christians are so relatively puzzled via the info besides, "the excellent and Mysterious secret of the Universe." That appeared to fulfill the fools and that that they had bypass forward and hire you. I resented that fascism very a lot.

Answer 6

Ten years in the Army an I've never met an atheist in a foxhole when the shelling started.

Answer 7

This atheist doesn't, that said I don't think the atheists world view is given enough consideration by society or politicians, I think this will increasingly be something they will be forced to acknowledge and address as atheists demand to have their views taken into consideration.

Answer 8

It depends on who you're talking to. If they're liberal, open minded people, its perfectly ok for me to share my non beliefs with them and even start an interesting discussion. If they're closed minded or prejudiced against nonbelievers then it's probably better to keep your mouth shut if you don't want conflicts to arise. Then again, maybe it's not worth it to want a friendship with such closed minded people anyway.

Answer 9

Yes and I have had the lovely little Christians run around whining about how evil I was and how they would not work with a Godless Devil worshipper. I am an Atheist why would they think I worship their other god Satan.

Answer 10

Are you kidding? Maybe I should keep quiet sometimes. This forum is for opinions and I feel free to express mine.