Do some atheists sometimes get a little skewed view of reality in terms of society by being on here sometimes?

Question

I seriously mean no disrespect and have nothing against atheists as a group, but sometimes I think that maybe some atheists on here think they are a bigger group in the US than they really are. Do you ever get a somewhat skewed perception of just how large your group is by being on here where I would say the proportion of atheist to christians is more even?



I am making an assumption here that this person is an atheist, and I dont know for sure but she answered a question with this response

"I believe that even Hilary can win because people will vote AGAINST a fundie rather than FOR anyone.

Most of this country now sees all Christians as ignorant fundies"




I have to wonder if she realizes that most of the country is still christian and if sometimes atheists get a little distorted view of just how religious the country really is by spending time on this message board.

Ok she clarified her answer and isnt an atheist, but I actually have still wondered about this question, so if you atheists wouldnt mind answering, it would be appreciated.

I dont think the next election will prove anything because not all christians vote based on religion

A lot of honest answers so far, thanks.

gorgeous

I actually did reread your clarification and made a note on it here. Although I dont think we would necc agree politically on a lot of things I understand your position.
I really dont think religion plays that big a role in a lot of politicians decisions. I think they just use religion to pander to voters mainly at election time.

I have actually had this question on my mind a few times after reading some questions and answers and you just helped me to remember the question. So thanks.

Answer 1

The last stats I saw was that the u.s. is 84% christian. The balance I suppose is everything else. I've never had the illusion that atheists were a large percentage or even half.

I KNOW that atheists are in the minority, that doesn't bother me. It's that christians seem to treat their majority as a governmental mandate. That bothers me!

Answer 2

You should go back and read my response to you. You make a great point.

I am not an atheist, but that is irrelevant.

I guess what I should have said, if I had thought it through, is that most of this country is not the ignorant fundie type. There are many wonderful, intelligent, Christians who can actually think. No way will they elect another stupid creationist to the highest office in this land. NO WAY!!!



Actually I had no idea that there were this many atheists here in the US until I started to participate here. I knew very little about atheism before coming here and I have found some really wonderful, loving, and compassionate people who are extremely intelligent. I hope to learn from their knowledge.


I also have seen the many bigots who spout hate and ignorance using the buy-bull as justification. I saw an ignorant fundie write that "Belief in evolution sends thousands to hell everyday".

I live in a Texas with a fundie governor who appointed a creationist to head the Board of Education.

I am pissed!

Answer 3

All groups as you are calling them are a minority including fundamentalists { did anyone but me notice the unintentional pun in that word ? } The actual number of people in this country who do vote compared to the number eligible is very low so any group who gets organized enough to have their votes come out can win the election . That is what is making " fundies " so dangerous to this country they have organized . Other than that they are still a minority just like everyone else .

Answer 4

You may be confusing Christian with Fundamentalist. I don't think that the terms are synonymous.

A Fundamentalist holds to a very old-school set of moral values. Not too open to change

There may be many people who "call" themselves a Christian but may not hold to a lot of those old values


I have always known that as an Atheist, I am in the minority. But I am also willing to bet that Fundamentalists are not too far behind me

Answer 5

Trust me.. living in the real world as I do, as we all do, I am well aware, sometimes painfully and depressingly, that not only am I in the minority as an atheist in the US, I am distrusted, dismissed, feared, hated, and most especially misunderstood.

And should I get relaxed and begin to think that I am not so strange after all, some incident inevitably comes along to remind me (like at a party recently, where an acquaintance who doesn't know I'm an atheist began talking about how atheists are evil).

Answer 6

I see your point. I'm an atheist and I am constantly reminded I'm a minority in society. Being somewhere where atheists are more prevelant is comforting and I can see how someone could lose perspective. The person in question certainly has forgotten we're still a minority but maybe she's living in Britain where atheist account for over 50% of the country.

Answer 7

I think there are many claims to Christianity, but I rather doubt that anyone really knows much about Christianity generally speaking. I think there are many atheists in the closet personally. I do not think that atheists out number any of the big three, at least in this country, but it is coming

Answer 8

I am well aware of how small the atheist population is. For that reason, I tend to keep my own beliefs to myself. When I was in public school, I was questioned about my religious beliefs by other students and suffered a lot of ridicule over it. Some people who I considered friends, or at least relatively close acquaintances, now refused to speak with me because of it. If I am questioned again in my new school, I am not sure what I will do, as I refuse to lie, but I strongly advise other atheists to keep their beliefs to themselves in public, especially in our extreme Christian majority in the U.S.

Answer 9

I have a feeling the atheists are less likely to vote than fundamentalists, who have the will of God to protect.

Bad news for Planet Earth.

The US still has many more theists than atheists, but in the rest of the developed world, atheism is a BIG slice of the population.

We may not believe in God, but we sure as hell are praying that America votes in someone this time who ISN'T intent on destroying the world.

Answer 10

HA!!

While "most" of the country SAYS they are christian, I see little proof in the pudding, sir.

Darn few of them show any christian principles and none seem to have any christian charity or practice their faith at all.

They are hateful, judgemental, arrogant, selfish and self-righeous....and annoying as heck.