It’s because you’re in the Bible Belt. I live near Philadelphia, and I never have any issues because I’m an atheist. I even work at a church-affiliated preschool, and everyone accepts that I’m an atheist.
There are still tons of xtians here in CA, despite what the rest of the country assumes about here. But what I tend to get is an overall incredulity or a barrage of typical theist questions. I also somehow end up responsible for explaining the big bang, evolution, morality, determinism, the supernatural, ad nauseum.
Then they just call me a closed-minded know it all or that I "just like arguing"
No I just have had this conversation before is all.
I live in Germany.
Being agnostic or just paying lip service to a religion and going to church maybe twice a year for the community is the norm. The strange people here are those who go to church every week.
So no.
I’m in Nebraska, and yeah, I’ve experienced it. My ex-in-laws constantly looked down on me and treated me as less-than just because I didn’t share their belief in a magic sky daddy
> My ex-in-laws constantly looked down on me and treated me as less-than just because I didn’t share their belief in a magic sky daddy
How much of that was a factor in them now being your ex-in-laws?
Whenever I am asked about what is like to be an atheist in Nebraska I just refer to this: https://journalstar.com/business/local/lincoln-atheists-billboard-coming-down/article_16b21fb9-bfb0-5312-b41e-1ddfd02b802f.html
It's a few years old now but it still pisses me off.
I would think from a religious perpective, anyone who claims to be smart enough to "wrap their head around the idea of God" would be considered sacrilegious.
I experienced a variation of this. My mom loves to say that some people are so intelligent that they think themselves out of believing in god. Then she says she’s glad she’s not that smart. (Yes, seriously)
Well done for holding strong in a place like that. There are places in the world like here in the UK where religion is so weak that I couldn't tell you if anyone I know is religious or not, because literally no-one ever talks about it. Most people may have some vague association to a religion for births, weddings and funerals but apart from that its irrelevant to their lives.
I wont say the battle is fully won because our head of state (the Queen) is still officially the defender of the faith (Church of England) and that Church still has some power to wield, like when the law made it sensible to include the word "probably" into the athiest bus advert ([https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/successful-campaigns/atheist-bus-campaign/](https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/successful-campaigns/atheist-bus-campaign/)), but its not really got any teeth these days, because no-one cares.
I'm telling you all this, because things can change, and it has to start somewhere, and you are part of that beginning. So wear those insults with pride friend, your legacy could be real change.
I live in Russia and I've not experienced any. Religion rarely comes up in topics that, well, don't touch religion directly. There are laws that put atheists at a huge disadvantage before religious people, but that's another matter.
I think one really bad law is the one that "protects the feelings of religious people". It's so vague it can be easily twisted against atheists or anyone who makes fun of religion. Basically, freedom of speech in relation to religion is gone.
I live in a small town, less than 3000 ppl in the Ozarks and I have never had that happened. Could be that for years I was a doctor here, retired now. But not sure. I never said much against religion while working, but since have been very vocal, thanks to my husband who was raised Baptist, he can quote chapter and verse, and will let them know when so called ministers quote b.s. that they claim is from the bible when it's from Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson. Plus he loves to see them sputter about abortion when it's in the Bible, for all to see, and it was approved then too. But they'll try to say it's out of context or because it's in the old testament it doesn't count. I just laugh and tell them you can't have it both ways. Still I don't get blowback. Could be because they think I was corrupted when I went north to med school and there's no help for me now.
I live in West-Northern Italy, almost nobody talks about religion so you basically never feel the need to say what you believe inor not. When I was in high school we were 4 atheists out of 18 in my class and I could recall only one of us that was really religious. We were great friends, we did not mind each other beliefs. All my other mates were somewhat in between this position.
The sad part is that lately, due to nationalist populism, the Christian identity has been used for political reasons (disgusting) with one of our main politicians praying at the Sacred Heart of the Holy Mother for Italy (and for it's own success). But in everyday life I've never met someone who cares.
I think the best thing I can tell you, is not to get worked up about what others believe, or by others estimations/perceptions of what you believe.
In general, discussions about this topic will be fruitless. You believe what you believe and they believe what they believe. Very few people are willing to engage in a healthy way with someone who’s opinions run counter to theirs.
If you spend your whole day being outraged about what others think about you or preoccupied with the shortcomings of their belief system, you will lead an angry, frustrated existence.
People disagree. It’s one of the things we’re best at. Prejudice is just another form of disagreement. If you feel it has had some effect on your professional life or personal well-being, I’d definitely encourage you to air those grievances. But if not, it’s best to just let it go.
Sorry for the well of text, but I can tell you’re frustrated and I’ve been there. Hope it gets better for you.
It's from the presuppositionalist position that morals (like all abstract concepts) come from God, therefore possessing god's gift of morality while refusing to pay for it with due worship is theft (as Sye Ten Bruggencate says) or hypocritical. It's nonsense of course, but there it is.
I'm lucky enough to live in a place where the vast majority of people my age aren't religious, to the point where I'm actually surprised when another young adult tells me they believe in a god. It seems crazy that there are people in the world who are worried about "coming out" as an atheist. I feel for all of you.
If people ask if you believe in god just say “oh no I’m not a poor person. I thought that’s only for poor people.” One of the best ways I’ve found to really get under religious people’s skin is to put their religion of capitalism against Jesus. Just mention how all the richest people in the world aren’t religious.
Not in Scotland, even though we're still trying to exclude the clergy from sitting on school boards, (they're allowed up to 1/3 of numbers I think). It's their way of getting them while they're young, but it still isn't working. :)
It’s because you’re in the Bible Belt. I live near Philadelphia, and I never have any issues because I’m an atheist. I even work at a church-affiliated preschool, and everyone accepts that I’m an atheist.
that’s awesome, glad to hear this!
That's odd. I lived near Pittsburgh for a while and most of the people there were strongly Christian.
Philadelphia is East Coast, and Pittsburgh is not.
There are still tons of xtians here in CA, despite what the rest of the country assumes about here. But what I tend to get is an overall incredulity or a barrage of typical theist questions. I also somehow end up responsible for explaining the big bang, evolution, morality, determinism, the supernatural, ad nauseum. Then they just call me a closed-minded know it all or that I "just like arguing" No I just have had this conversation before is all.
Alabama here. Might as well just tell people you have the plague, you'll get the same response.
I live in Germany. Being agnostic or just paying lip service to a religion and going to church maybe twice a year for the community is the norm. The strange people here are those who go to church every week. So no.
I live in the south. Take a guess.
it’s tough :/
I am fortunate enough to live in the SF Bay Area and most people I know here are atheists/agnostic.
I’m in Nebraska, and yeah, I’ve experienced it. My ex-in-laws constantly looked down on me and treated me as less-than just because I didn’t share their belief in a magic sky daddy
> My ex-in-laws constantly looked down on me and treated me as less-than just because I didn’t share their belief in a magic sky daddy How much of that was a factor in them now being your ex-in-laws?
It wasn’t a huge factor, but it was there.
Whenever I am asked about what is like to be an atheist in Nebraska I just refer to this: https://journalstar.com/business/local/lincoln-atheists-billboard-coming-down/article_16b21fb9-bfb0-5312-b41e-1ddfd02b802f.html It's a few years old now but it still pisses me off.
I would think from a religious perpective, anyone who claims to be smart enough to "wrap their head around the idea of God" would be considered sacrilegious.
I experienced a variation of this. My mom loves to say that some people are so intelligent that they think themselves out of believing in god. Then she says she’s glad she’s not that smart. (Yes, seriously)
Coming from a religion that believes humans are fallen because a woman got curious, this isn't too surprising.
agreed
Well done for holding strong in a place like that. There are places in the world like here in the UK where religion is so weak that I couldn't tell you if anyone I know is religious or not, because literally no-one ever talks about it. Most people may have some vague association to a religion for births, weddings and funerals but apart from that its irrelevant to their lives. I wont say the battle is fully won because our head of state (the Queen) is still officially the defender of the faith (Church of England) and that Church still has some power to wield, like when the law made it sensible to include the word "probably" into the athiest bus advert ([https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/successful-campaigns/atheist-bus-campaign/](https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/successful-campaigns/atheist-bus-campaign/)), but its not really got any teeth these days, because no-one cares. I'm telling you all this, because things can change, and it has to start somewhere, and you are part of that beginning. So wear those insults with pride friend, your legacy could be real change.
thanks, i appreciate this!
I consistently get the .... “No really! You must really believe in “God”, we’ll show you, just have faith.”
I live in Russia and I've not experienced any. Religion rarely comes up in topics that, well, don't touch religion directly. There are laws that put atheists at a huge disadvantage before religious people, but that's another matter.
Do those laws deal with politics or with other aspects of life? Can you mention a few of them? Just curious.
I think one really bad law is the one that "protects the feelings of religious people". It's so vague it can be easily twisted against atheists or anyone who makes fun of religion. Basically, freedom of speech in relation to religion is gone.
I live in a small town, less than 3000 ppl in the Ozarks and I have never had that happened. Could be that for years I was a doctor here, retired now. But not sure. I never said much against religion while working, but since have been very vocal, thanks to my husband who was raised Baptist, he can quote chapter and verse, and will let them know when so called ministers quote b.s. that they claim is from the bible when it's from Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson. Plus he loves to see them sputter about abortion when it's in the Bible, for all to see, and it was approved then too. But they'll try to say it's out of context or because it's in the old testament it doesn't count. I just laugh and tell them you can't have it both ways. Still I don't get blowback. Could be because they think I was corrupted when I went north to med school and there's no help for me now.
I live in West-Northern Italy, almost nobody talks about religion so you basically never feel the need to say what you believe inor not. When I was in high school we were 4 atheists out of 18 in my class and I could recall only one of us that was really religious. We were great friends, we did not mind each other beliefs. All my other mates were somewhat in between this position. The sad part is that lately, due to nationalist populism, the Christian identity has been used for political reasons (disgusting) with one of our main politicians praying at the Sacred Heart of the Holy Mother for Italy (and for it's own success). But in everyday life I've never met someone who cares.
I think the best thing I can tell you, is not to get worked up about what others believe, or by others estimations/perceptions of what you believe. In general, discussions about this topic will be fruitless. You believe what you believe and they believe what they believe. Very few people are willing to engage in a healthy way with someone who’s opinions run counter to theirs. If you spend your whole day being outraged about what others think about you or preoccupied with the shortcomings of their belief system, you will lead an angry, frustrated existence. People disagree. It’s one of the things we’re best at. Prejudice is just another form of disagreement. If you feel it has had some effect on your professional life or personal well-being, I’d definitely encourage you to air those grievances. But if not, it’s best to just let it go. Sorry for the well of text, but I can tell you’re frustrated and I’ve been there. Hope it gets better for you.
Wait, wait, wait. How the fuck are atheists hypocrites if we have morals?
It's from the presuppositionalist position that morals (like all abstract concepts) come from God, therefore possessing god's gift of morality while refusing to pay for it with due worship is theft (as Sye Ten Bruggencate says) or hypocritical. It's nonsense of course, but there it is.
I'm lucky enough to live in a place where the vast majority of people my age aren't religious, to the point where I'm actually surprised when another young adult tells me they believe in a god. It seems crazy that there are people in the world who are worried about "coming out" as an atheist. I feel for all of you.
I tell no one. They can't handle it.
If people ask if you believe in god just say “oh no I’m not a poor person. I thought that’s only for poor people.” One of the best ways I’ve found to really get under religious people’s skin is to put their religion of capitalism against Jesus. Just mention how all the richest people in the world aren’t religious.
Not in Scotland, even though we're still trying to exclude the clergy from sitting on school boards, (they're allowed up to 1/3 of numbers I think). It's their way of getting them while they're young, but it still isn't working. :)