Where I am from in the UK normally if someone states they're are an Atheist it is really no problem at all and I haven't heard of them being misstreated because of it.
Do you get troubled for being an Atheist in the US?
2007-11-07 10:28:39 · 15 answers · asked by Link strikes back 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
From some people, yes. I happen to live in an area that's very heavily dominated by Christians (Pat Robertson is about 20 minutes from my house), and there is a lot of hostility towards non-Christians, especially atheists. I do NOT let on at work that I'm an atheist, and have caught hell on more than one occasion when someone figured out that's what I am. Many people seem to forget good manners and start harping on me about my beliefs, how I'm going to hell, that I haven't "prayed right", etc, rather than just accepting that it's what I believe and moving on....and I don't mean they have an attitude of "I really care about you and want to save you"...it's a smug "oh, you're one of those...don't you know you're WRONG?" attitudes.
2007-11-07 10:46:58 · answer #1 · answered by War Games AM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the U.S., it does tend to be an issue if you tell people you're an atheist or agnostic. A lot of nonreligious people will just keep silent because of it. I've had several instances where just suggesting that the Bible might be untrue is enough to get an entire room full of people mad at you -- not even saying you don't believe in it, but just SUGGESTING that it might be untrue. I'm talking about saying no more than "you know, some people out there are atheists". Even a statement as harmless as that is something you have to avoid, a lot of the time.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that atheists are physically assaulted in this country or anything like that. But with many people, they'll act confused, surprised or even angry. It's more of an issue with some people than it should be.
2007-11-07 18:38:09 · answer #2 · answered by . 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Christians imagine that their "lifestyles" are being attacked whenever anyone makes a factual statement about George Bush or says something about science that they can't understand. As such, they label anyone who believes in common sense a militant atheist, one of the horrendous secular horde who might provoke them into an actual thought process.
2007-11-08 12:07:32 · answer #3 · answered by Elizabeth J 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only in some of the less educated parts of the nation. For it is a fact that the more education you have the less likely you are to believe in God. And if you are a politician you act like you believe to get the vote of the "common man".
Hail Richard Dawkins!
2007-11-07 18:33:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Not troubled so much as hassled. It's one of those things like your mother nagging you to get a haircut. I'm often nagged by a few of my churchgoing friends that I need to come back to church. There's no real pressure there though unless the person is a real ****** (I'm sure uptight ******* exist everywhere, so you know the type of person I'm talking about).
2007-11-07 18:34:58 · answer #5 · answered by Takfam 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Since Ronald Regan religion has been a hot button issue here.....and it started with politics and the Moral Majority.
Religion or lack of religion was personal and individual....not anymore unfortunately.
2007-11-07 18:32:54 · answer #6 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because religion is not a huge issue there. You have the Anglican church to thank for that. Anglicans are one of the least devout denominations I've ever seen. It is no wonder everywhere Anglicanism takes root becomes spiritually dead.
2007-11-07 18:36:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
People who know me well know my views and most of whom have asked have never given me any flack about it. I also live in what is known to be one of the more liberal areas of America so perhaps that is why. I know if I still lived in the Mid-West that wouldn't be the case.
2007-11-07 18:34:34 · answer #8 · answered by genaddt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One can. I don't bring up my lack of religion to my dad's side of the family, because it'll either cause fights or heart attacks. I didn't bring it up at my last job, because the boss was a 'Christian' in all the worst senses of the word. At school, I don't think it would cause a problem.
Oh, and my ex-girlfriend and I broke up over it (more accurately, we broke up when I realized she wanted me to actively help raise our future children in her church).
2007-11-07 18:33:46 · answer #9 · answered by Doc Occam 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Now and then I am verbally abused about it -- even my best friend told me my kids and I will roast in hell, because I did not have them baptised as infants. I kept a straight face with some difficulty.
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2007-11-07 18:32:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋