American atheists are as reviled as British Christians
In Aaron Sorkin’s classic HBO series The West Wing, Presidential hopeful and Republican Senator Arnie Vinick hides a dark secret: his loss of faith. He knows the US electorate would rather vote for a Muslim than an atheist, so he keeps shtum. Poor Vinick loses anyway — the makers of the popular TV drama probably felt he should be punished for his un-Christian thoughts.
It’s tough being an atheist in God-fearing America. The late Christopher Hitchens knew this and tried to urge fellow unbelievers, in an open letter last year, to fight against the “lethal delusion” of religion. But Hitchens, despite seeing his book “God is Not Great” climb the best-sellers’ list, lived among the tiny intellectual elite that may pride itself in being America’s think tank, but is in fact as divorced from “ordinary” Americans as members of the Hampstead intelligentsia are from ordinary Britons.
Politicians know – on both sides of the Atlantic – that there are not many votes in appealing to this group. This explains why to date, only one “out” atheist serves in Congress, Rep. Pete Stark, a California Democrat. As Robert P Jones, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute, is quoted saying in the Washington Post’s “On Faith” website: “Relative to other religious minority groups, atheists tend to anchor the low end of the favorability scale.” In the public’s imagination, atheism is linked to the Cold War image of “godless communism.”
Continue reading at blogs.telegraph.co.uk
"Relative to other religious minority groups, atheists tend to anchor the low end of the favorability scale.”
Godbelievers are unloving? Or even hateful? Why is that? Perhaps, as David Steele put it in Atheism Explained, theistic faith loses when there is open debate.
But wouldn't that alone be insufficient to explain the perennial enmity, malice, and violent aggressiveness of godbigots, who rarely miss an opportunity to project their flaws onto others? Perhaps a problem is the godbelievers' own narcissism, which makes it so irksome to them for there to be unbelievers, much less those who rub theists' noses in theists' errors.
-Paul TrombleyThey are just upset that they cannot kill atheists in the Inquisition anymore.
-Jeff DixonYet ANOTHER ignorant post, straight from the small mind of Jeff Dixon. Congrats, Jeff. You've hit a new low.
I'm a Christian. And I, for one, do not want to kill you or any other atheist. And I'm very certain that a majority of my Christian brothers and sisters feel the exact same way.
Not that that would matter to you and your fellow small-minded, anti-Christian bigots.
-Linda F.Thank you, I have been trying to hit new lows. I am glad I am succeeding.
-Jeff DixonYou do not have to try Dixon. You are natural.
Of course you think that you are wise, good, rich, insightful and need of nothing when in fact you are
-Despevilledumb, wretched, poor, blind and naked with your filth of sin exposed.
You lie openly and unabashedly in direct opposition to the commandments of your lord you foolishly claim to follow.
-Jeff DixonEgg….
-DarrellSo an atheist considers not getting elected to public office as "being reviled"? Mighty thin skinned, aren't we?
I'd hardly call getting an atheist book (Hitchens) onto the best seller list indicative of being "reviled". I fail to see anywhere in this article where atheists are suffering any actual harm. Oh, they seem surprised that the front-running Republican candiates have been open about proclaiming their faith (which is suspect in my opinion, but that's a different subject), but fail to consider that the overwhelming majority of Americans believe in God. Why should they be surprised they are not elected to office more frequently? And not getting elected to public office is "being reviled"? Spare me the crocodile tears.
-keyboardsharkIf I were the atheist I would not put up with this, I would immediately move out of the country just to show these revilers. We will miss you – bye bye.
Seriously it is a persons business to believe as they wish, but quit whining and mouthing off and go on about your business and believe as you wish.
-KnowTheTruthTodaySeems that folks are still afraid to say it just as it is.
If you are atheist, then don't bother running for a seat in the political arena. An atheist has no business as a leader. Moral principals were built by Christians in this country. I believe that if we let a non-believer run our government, then this country will collapse much faster that it is now. And if you believers vote for anyone who is not a God fearing Christian, then you also need to go to another country to live. And a Muslim is not a God fearing Christian. Blue is Blue, and Red is Red! There is no compromise.
-millergroup2Moral principles were not built by Christians. Which moral principle allowed for the founders to own slaves?
-Jeff DixonSo you're admitting the founders were Christians then Jeff?
Never mind…..there were no agnostic or atheist slave owners then ay……
-DarrellMany were Christian. However, they created a secular government.
-Jeff Dixon"Seriously it is a persons business to believe as they wish, but quit whining and mouthing off and go on about your business and believe as you wish."
And stop interfering with the First Amendment rights of people who dare to believe that God exists!
-Linda F.The overarching question is, "how long till people evolve from animals?" So far, results are disappointing.
Gandhi was asked, "what do you think of Western Civilization"? and replied, "I think it would be a good idea."
-ProudPrimate