How is it being an atheist in other countries?

Question

Just wanted to know if it is as taboo in other countries to be an atheist as it is here in the U.S. At least were I am from it is (Texas), at work everyone found out I was atheist and started giving my the lecture and saying how I need god otherwise I will go to hell, and all their personal experiences and blah blah blah. Also, I am sure there is no way an atheist could ever get elected as president in the united states. So, is it like this in other countries, or is it not a big deal? I know america is a lot more uptight and conservative than other nations.

Answer 1

In the UK where I am from it is assumed that if you are educated beyond what you call high school you are an atheist unless otherwise demonstrated. People are rather reticent about coming forward and admitting they actually believe in a god. The most you will get from many would be a mumble about some sort of higher power.

The same goes for most of Northern Europe and Japan.

Answer 2

Canada, and it is almost the opposite. The area I am in (Alberta) is considered quite religious too, for Canada!
We also have much less of that Southern Baptist/Holy Roller stuff around. It is not like there is a shortage of churches here. They just are not those types.
More traditional Churches. I am in a concentration of them here, so within ten blocks:
a Korean Baptist, a Lutheran, a German Catholic, an Anglican, a Polish Catholic, a Presbyterian, a Catholic, a Greek Orthodox, a Church Of Christ(a bit shabby), and a Ukranian Orthodox(catholic)
Also a small Buddhist temple and some kind of oddball India Indian something or other Baba thing.
I have never heard them ring bells on a Sunday in my two years here.
I had one phone call from a Jehovah's Witness asking if it was OK to mail me a pamphlet.
There are more bars in the area than Churches and they are all open Sunday except for one. I suppose if I looked harder I might find another Church but since I never go to them I won't bother.
If I was to mention that I do not believe in God at work people would think I was losing it. They would wonder why I was telling them something of so little significance.
Come visit Canada. You should be able to drive to Toronto in about 30 hrs so a flight would be about 3. You might actually like Ontario, but they would make less fun of your "you all" accent in Alberta and the place is Booming like crazy right now (Oil money). Unemployment is about 3 or 3.5 %. If you have a pulse you have a job.
I am not kidding about any of this, the only thing is our winters get a bit long, and the days get short but in the summer we have Sun from 4:30 AM to 10:45PM. Alberta has prairies, deserts and mountains. Look us up on the map.(google earth is fine) Alberta is just north of Montana.

Answer 3

Don't think about it a great deal.
I mentioned a while back at work that I'm a Nihilist and nobody cared. I even mention occasionally how amusing it was that so-and-so died in the paper... and only occasionally get Loreen telling me I shouldn't laugh at it.

I've just vowed never to go to america for various reasons. Primary among which is the fact that the americans have the nerve to continue to call their language "English" despite raping it of all value, which prevents much software having a proper English option. Then of course there is the rampant idiocy caused by patriotism and christianity... I've barely even scratched the surface.
On the whole, I would encourage any americans with a working brain to get the heck out of the country as soon as possible... and then napalm the entire thing into the ground and start over.

Answer 4

No, i'm not proud. Why might I be proud? an excellent sort of folk in China are literally Christian, besides because of the fact the different countries. The leaders attempt and make the country atheistic, yet they might't make human beings provide up believing. Plus, there are Christian and different religious countries that manage their human beings like crap. the persons working the country are actually not undesirable because of the fact they're atheist, they're undesirable because of the fact they have been given issues. what's next, are you gonna commence insulting the Germans for being evil Christian people who homicide Jews? Newsflash: that grew to become into in straight forward terms one guy, the guy working the country. i actually understand a German Jew. purely because of the fact the country says it, does not recommend the persons accept as true with it. the u . s . a . is doing good, yet we've no particular faith. There are Jews, Unitarians, Christians, Muslims, Hindu, Jashinists, atheists, agnostics, ect.

Answer 5

In Europe I believe it's a non-issue.

I know in Oz if a public figure talks about god or jesus or, heaven forbid, Christ, there may not be 'out loud' jeers but you'd be able to cut the air with a knife as the shudders went through the crowd.
We're not into overt advertising of religious beliefs, generally.

Anyway in Oz, Atheism is probably as respected as Theism which is nice for me.
We've had Atheists as politicians, government ministers, prime ministers and governors-general - no big deal here and nor is copping a BJ here and there.
We aren't quite so anally retentive and puritanical as USians.

I feel sorry for USian Atheists who are almost branded as lepers and non-citizens who shouldn’t have rights … as per Dubya’s Dad’s little outburst with ...
"I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God."

Answer 6

Was born and raised in Italy where most people would look at you in a different and more diffident way after finding out you're Atheist; so, while there, I've been given some hard time;) now I live in Turkey where people don't bias against other faiths/lack of any faith, and nobody discriminates me for being Atheist. The worst experience I've ever had though, was in the USA: there believers are real narrow-minded bigots, they have a thick concrete wall around their brains and you just can't break through.

Answer 7

In Ireland everyone in the cities are atheists and everyone in the country is a catholic, but if you tell a catholic you're an atheist they just say, "What? Ya mean yar a pagan!?! Wot ya gon' 'n' done dat fer? huk, huk, huk". Then you explain your perspective on religion and they cover their heads with their arms and rock back and forth idiotically. So, great place to be, you should visit sometime.

Answer 8

Wow, after reading all of these responses I think I would love to travel to the U.K. They sound very open and tolerant.

I have received so much crap for being an atheist in the U.S. Mostly from family members, because I don't advertise my views.

Answer 9

England is one of the largest Atheist countries in the world, so no one really cares. In fact i think people would show more intrest if i said i was a Christian and mainly old people go to Church.

Answer 10

It's taboo to be an Atheist here in America?