I grew up in a small town of 6000, I have lived in 5 major cities, worked in many offices & belonged to many leagues & organizations. Why do you suppose this is?
2007-03-04 17:21:39 · 12 answers · asked by Judith 6 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Have you ever asked someone what religion they are? I'm an atheist, but I don't volunteer the information unless it comes up. Since the absence of religious constraints doesn't generally my day-to-day life, it doesn't come up very often. Think about how you know what religion other people belong to...
You might find out that someone is Jewish because they have to find a Kosher food item at lunch. A Christian friend might miss a Sunday morning activity because she's at church. When your friend misses a social function or turns down certain food items, you ask why. And if the reason involves their relgions beliefs, then you know what religion they are. But if it's not about religion, then it what religion they are doesn't come up. I'm not going to mention I'm an atheist when explaning why I don't eat meat unless you specifically ask if it's about religion. And "is it a religion thing?" isn't a very logical follow-up question to "it just bothers me to eat a piece of an animal," so it doesn't come up. The thing is, there's nothing that an atheist is going to refuse to do on the basis of their religion, with the possible exception of attending a religious service (but personally I've been to various religious services, as have most other atheists I know).
People also talk about activities they did with their religious organization, or even something that happened at a regular service. But they never talk about things they DIDN'T do with a religious organization, or a religious service they DIDN'T go to. So it doesn't come up.
The point is that religion doesn't usually come up as a direct question. It's usually a matter of something the person does or doesn't do because of their religion. For atheists there is no "because of their religion," so it doesn't usually come up. So the portion of people who have told you their religion is going to exclude the vast majority of atheists you've met.
Of course, if you're in an environment where you do know the religions of almost everyone around you, then it's probably because the organization is affiliated with a particular religion, which is going to deter many atheists from being there in the first place, so then your sample is biased.
For me, as for most atheists, it's not that I'm actively opposed to religion or anything, it just isn't a part of my life. There are a small number of really agressive, vocal atheists who go around objecting to references to God on our coins or things, but you're no more likely to meet them than you are to meet one of the Christians who's fighting to have the teaching of evolution banned from classrooms or Harry Potter taken off library shelves. So for most people it just doesn't come up.
2007-03-04 17:49:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes we make choices in life we believe help us know more about other people's choices and culture but we just end up meeting people like us.
Personally, I feel more comfortable surrounded by like minded people but always try to go the extra mile to meet all sorts of people.
Not coming across an atheist after living in 5 major cities is like going to San Francisco and not meeting a gay person.
Don't really know the reason for your question but I would feel there was something missing and I would do something to change that.
I also grew up in a small town, I am now living in my 4th big city and I am younger than you and I have met all sorts of people. As far as religion is concerned, I have met atheists, agnostic, gnostic, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and all sorts of Christian all of which had different ways of looking into their religion, or lack of it.
From the mildest religious accepting all mindset to the most fundamentalist, I met them all and I learned a little bit with every single one of them
2007-03-04 17:59:39 · answer #2 · answered by Good Advice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No answer to your question.
But if you lived in my town, you would hear me freely and openly say i am one.
I believe there is no god and there is no devil. Both were created long ago because people could not understand what was going on around them and needed a "higher source" to believe in, and along with that source you must always have a reason why you did something wrong, that would be the greater evil.
I believe neither.
2007-03-04 17:31:33 · answer #3 · answered by rktavi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mostly due to where & what you do.
Reality is there are many out there, but unlike christians we dont wear our views on a sleeve and brag about it.
For that matter many christians dont even have it right about what the believe and are not true christians.
2007-03-06 14:36:39 · answer #4 · answered by pcreamer2000 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I don't usually go around trying to convert or the like. However I am an atheist
2007-03-04 17:25:23 · answer #5 · answered by Freethinking Liberal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A town of 6000 would explain the first part of your question, Hanging around people of your stature explains the second part of your question. Being on yahoo answers will give you a whole new insight. Stay tuned. The blind shall see.
2007-03-04 17:33:50 · answer #6 · answered by ibithedust 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because religion isn't important to athiests they don't feel the need to go around proclaiming it. They just don't think about in day to day life because there aren't really any rules to follow or anything.
2007-03-04 17:31:03 · answer #7 · answered by jo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its like swimming against the school of fish. Its easier to get by on the sidelines and not make announcements for they will not be understood.
2007-03-04 17:30:22 · answer #8 · answered by stephenmwells 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
an exciting twist for people who use the "soul created at thought" argument. that doesn't play a place in my objections to abortion, yet whilst it did, i assume i ought to argue that, contained whilst it comes to chimeras, God in simple terms takes the pointless soul on the time the merging happens...and contained whilst it comes to twins, he subjects a sparkling soul whilst the chop up happens. ...or according to danger the reason in the back of the incorporation of the chimeras AND the reason in the back of the chop up of twins is the style of souls...the two entities that merge do so with a view to share the only soul they have been given and those that chop up do with the purpose to grant each and each soul a separate abode. in simple terms speculating because of fact, as stated, the existence of a soul has not something to do with my objection to abortion.
2016-10-17 07:25:49 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get out of the house more. I'm an atheist. Happy now?
2007-03-04 17:29:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋