Has America been unchristian to its atheists?

Question

Reading this BBC report on the growth of Atheism in the USA, I was stuck how intolerant some in the US seemed of Atheism particularly in Texas. One could hardly square the expressed intolerance with the Constitution's expression of freedom of expression or the values of Christian faith

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7053157.stm

Answer 1

I live in Mississippi. I have been treated both kindly and cruelly, like all people.

I was fired from a job when it was discovered I was atheist.

In my present job, I am a highly valued employee and the Christians joke about my atheism in a friendly way, even pretending to be aghast when they say "God Bless You" to me. Very nice work environment with lots of laughs.

I have had a neighbor point a gun at me for "being a god damned ATHEIST".

My best friend outside of my family is a hardcore Pentacostal.

It's back and forth.

Answer 2

I am pleased to seethat atheism is growing over there but it has a long way to go. In The God Delusion, Dawkins refers to a study that showed while 90% of Americans would vote for a woman, a black person, a Jew or a Catholic for President, only 49% would vote for an atheist. The Moslems did better at 70%+

While the USA entertains such fundamentalist ideas it remains the most dangerous nation in the world.

Answer 3

The sad fact is that there is a good deal of intolerance on oth sides of this particular fence,and not just in the US. The problem there of course is that Christianity in its most inflexible and intolerable form has recently been adopted as the official state religion, so the atheists are likely to come off the worse.
Maybe we all just need to learn a little more tolerance- believers and atheists alike.

Answer 4

I am an atheist and I live in Kansas. I have never once encountered any sort of hate against me, no one usually talks about religion. We just figure you believe in what you believe in, good for you, I don't really care. I have seen people walk out of science classes that were discussing evolution before though. That was funny. College campuses get a lot of preachers. and people handing out bibles. Most students just laugh at them, or some will even take the bible and tear it to pieces.

Interesting fact: in Kansas you can register a legal religion with only 13 followers. I have some friends that did this, they now can get discounts at some places for being religious leaders. It's hilarious.

Answer 5

Athiests are a minority and I am an Athiest. Athiests are more of a minority than Jews. This country is suppose to be free to worship as we wish but ALOT of Christians, etc. point at us with fingers saying how stupid, dumb, uneducated, etc. we are for not believing in their religion. This is where the problems in the world begin when people of one religion start pointing fingers. Now how free to worship is this and how comforting are those Christains. Remember, Jesus was nice to everyone. If your a Christain, your suppose to be nice to everyone but all Christains don't follow Jesus' example. Now, I believe that Jesus was a man and no more of a man than the ones that live today. Alot of people followed him and I believe they wanted or he wanted to be King of Rome and this was why the Romans were so afraid of him becoming so worshipped. Christians don't think we should be able to homeschool just because it was started by Christains. They have no right to say they should be the only ones. Anyone can homeschool just like anyone can go to a public school. And I bet alot of those Agnostic believers will eventually be Atheists because they aren't saying they are Christains. Alot of people I have met call theirselves Agnostic because they know how people will start pressuring them about their believes, when they really want to say they are Atheist. If your an Athiest Homeschooler, come to Atheist_Homeschool_Group on Yahoo and have a Yahoo of a time! :) Athiests don't pressure their children to become Athiests like Christians force God down their children's throats and force their children to become Christains.
To answer the question about Americans being unchristian to it's Athiests, yes, they have always been unchristian to the Athiests, every since I became an Athiest at 12 yrs old in 7th grade when my science teacher was fired from his job for teaching us evolution and all my friends told me how horrible it was that I was an Athiest and that I was being taught that. Another form of discrimination people. YOU are disriminating about Athiests and that is a form of hate! This world needs to keep their thoughts to theirselves. There may be freedom of speech but there comes a time when one causes discrimation and that shouldn't be a time to be free with your speech.

Answer 6

Hopefully Americans will start to open up their eyes and realize Christian or not their country is meant for everyone not just one brand of religion. Christians are intolerant of anything that differs from their views. Why do you think they are always trying to make new laws that only they see fit? Don't like gays, make an amendment, think a zygote is a person, make laws. They believe they are the end all be all. "Preach acceptance", my azz.

Answer 7

I found that article belittling. I have no idea what you are talking about. The intolerance isn't from 'Christians' in general - the writer actually seemed to be complaining about how some people spend money.What is that about?

The Atheists in America are fine. They just complain a lot. They are just basically cry babies. What can I say? It wasn't the Christians who made it a part of school curriculum to teach Evolution. Now the Atheists get upset over T-shirts and bracelets that a student might wear!

So I have no idea what you are talking about, unless you side with whiny people who are never happy until they pull God down out of heaven and kill him.

Personally, I would like to see them try.

Answer 8

The constitution I live by allows you and me to worship or not in anyway that is chosen..... It allows you to turn away from God, and or allows me to walk to and with God.... and I just bet the truth is told in full from a report done in another country?? the truth is fully told ?? ok, sure thing there pal...... I tolerate a lot of things, does NOT mean I accept these things........ I tolerate people saying the 10 commandents should not be put on public display, does NOT mean I accept this idea, I have the right to display them in MY yard on MY property, which by the way, a few people are trying to take away from me.......non-believers can take it all away from us, but , this means NOTHING !!!! Jesus can NOT be taken from me !!!!! NOR my faith!!!!! Being Un-Christian would mean we do NOT spread Gods word, and the work of the cross on which Jesus died.......I have the right to spread the word of God, YOU and others have the right to walk away and not listen..... but to answer, NO , we are NOT being un-Christian to anyone......... go in peace........ God bless

Answer 9

I'm not sure that atheism is enjoying the surge in numbers that some people seem to think. I hope I'm wrong about that.

By the way, I like the way you phrased the initial question.

Answer 10

Of course it has. Atheists are treated as second class citizens.

This video explains it quite well:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w4fQA9mt-Mg

Some of the things are just ridiculous!