How can you lose the freedom not to believe (Atheism)?

Question

I appreciate all of the athiests who have waded through several of my questions as I try to reconcile several of the answerers, disparit comments. While I do not share your lack of belief I do respect your position and can understand it.

An statement is often made that, beyond your common agreement that Atheists simply hold a lack of beleif in God, there is a common feeling of the need to protect your rights. I can only assume that is what has given rise to the many Athiest organizations that some here have given me reference to (it is what most of there sites are framed around).

Could somone explain how one would lose the right to not believe? I mean I realize that it is contrary to the constitution etc. but is there or has there been legislation brought forth that would limit your right to not believe? How would that be accomplished? I am aware of the effort of some to try to restore rights of faith that were over turned.

Answer 1

you cant lose this freedom because like you said it is against the constituion. if such a bill were proposed and the unlikely hood that it passed the senate, house of representitives, and the president, (about a one in ten zillion chance) it still has to go through the supreme court to be ratified and they would use their judicial review to go over the bill to see if it contradicts the constitution. when it does then it will be killed and not brought up ever again.

Answer 2

I'm not concerned about losing that specific right. I can believe what I want. There might come a day that I have to hide what I believe, though I doubt it.

No, I'm more concerned that the U.S. will drift even further towards becoming a Christian Theocracy, and the effects that would have on me, my two year old daughter, and the world at large.

I'm also particularly concerned that U.S. will continue to turn out a population that doesn't understand the value of the scientific method, and that it is more important to discover truth about reality than it is to have your fantasies affirmed.

Answer 3

Because atheism IS a belief system. An atheist believes that there is no god.

The insertion of faith-based laws would be one way that atheists would face discrimination. Take abortion, for instance. A law against abortion would be largely a law based on the religious beliefs of certain groups of people. If you don't hold such beliefs, yet are prevented from doing something because of the beliefs of others, it's discrimination.

Answer 4

The constitution states that there should be a separation of church and state. You don't see that happening do you? The majority rules. Any one else can be subject to persecution and intimitation. In the ridiculous words of Bush "If you're not with us you are against us" Christians are like that.
We live in a world where the religious are trying to pass and make laws according to their religious beliefs and force every one else to live by them. This is infringing on our rights.

Answer 5

It's not the right to not believe that's at stake, per se. It's the rights that come from a state of religious neutrality, rather than that of a certain religion, that are being threatened.

(Yeah, mostly talking about gay marriage here, which is being questioned only because some religions criminalize it. Atheists, not following those religions, have no RELIGIOUS reason to condemn gay marriage, then. This is the only connection I can think of to your point.)

Answer 6

No, it's not the right to not believe, it's rights like getting married, holding a public office, not to have to support religious organizations with tax dollars, etc.

Answer 7

Freedom is exercising the right to choose either to believe or not to believe. The only freedom we have is the one of choice. We even have the freedom of choice to be free or not be free.

Answer 8

It's not that there could be no right to 'not believe', it's just that there is resentment for being disadvantaged, penalised or otherwise discriminated against, for it.