Why do people hate Atheists/Agnostics?

That comment is further proof why in America, freedom of religion is only for Christians. Having "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance and government buildings displaying nativity scenes and the Ten Commandments are direct violations of the First Amendment, which states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

 

I am a Christian and I agree with this.

 

Also agreed, considering "Under God" was only just added during the cold-war era by religious groups as a way to set apart the "Holy America" from the "Russian Atheist State." It was a mere nationalist ploy.

 

Religious people often hate atheists because many religions and religious denominations desire a homogeneous society where everyone follows their god and belief systems. They think atheism is a threat (and it actually is) to this ideal.

Atheists may hate religious people too, but this depends a bit on the power of religion in their nation. In secular countries (like W-Europe), religion is marginalized and often doesn't have the power to enforce religious laws upon a nation and therefore religions aren't a threat. (This is also a reason for Islamophobia in W-Europe. People feel that Islam has been growing quickly by immigration and birth rates and are alarmed that some Islamic denominations seek to institute religious laws even when they are still a relatively small minority, so it is seen as a threat)

In the USA, atheists are protected by law and consist of a relatively big portion of the population, so they are visable. However there is a big part of the population is religious and religion has significant power. So this is a big threat to atheists, who have a good reason to fear losing rights. So in the USA atheists are more likely to be more extreme in their views on religion, which makes some religious people even more likely to hate atheists.

The reason that mostly the USA is know for hate against atheists is that most other countries are either mostly secular, or are so religious that atheists are not really visable and stay down to avoid trouble. Another less known but interesting examples like the USA is for instance Turkey. Turkey also has secular laws, a sizable secular population, but also a big deeply religious population who wish to introduce more religious laws, which creates tension between atheists and religious people.

Personally I have no problem with religions nor with atheists, but if I would have lived in a more religious state, I'd have become an 'extreme' atheist too as I believe that a society where everyone is protected is a better alternative than one where only the majority is protected.

 

Freedom of religion can only extend so far as where the next person's beliefs begin. Introduction of Christianity into secular law is not freedom of religion. Freedom of religion requires no religion sanctioned by the state. No exceptions. One religion can't be given primacy without other religions (and non-religion) being given a second-class status.

How would you feel if you were forced to recite the Koran, or had to wear clothes sanctioned by the Orthodox Church? And how do you think it would feel to be denied the right, or felt unsafe to publicly be of your own religion? Muslims, Sikhs, etc. have to obey a bunch of Euro-centric "public morality" codes to satisfy white people in almost all of the western world. The problem isn't that people want to remove religion from you. It's that you think your religion should be put above all others.

 

I dont think atheists are discriminated more! The study i believe is inaccurate. Through history i think America has always given the right and respect to profess and practice any ideals/religion as long as they don't harm.

 

Except blatant discrimination against Catholics in the 1850's. And modern Islamaphobic attitudes, and the fact that white Protestant work-ethics are the driving cultural influence in US business and public life. That the US is full of Christian influences everywhere (your money, the Pledge of Allegiance), is proof of religious bigotry in America.

The fact that Muslims (and due to ignorance, Sikhs and other people from other Western-Asian religions) are considered terrorists disproportionately (even by your government), and detained on "suspicions" when terrorism is mostly white. The fact that your government has historically and currently uses the "plight of the Muslim woman" as justification for blatant racism and white-Christian supremacy, consulting everyone about it but the Muslim woman (religious bigotry and racism are tied together).

Atheism can get you expelled from some schools, atheists are often ostracised in Christian communities (usually small towns). President Obama had a (very successful to a lot of people) scare campaign that he's Muslim (not at all fear-mongering religious/racial bigotry). You've never had a non-Christian president. Churches pay no taxes, churches lobby governments to impose "Christian" values on secular law (the Catholic and rich Protestant churches, at least). Religious lobbies try to impose laws on pregnancy that give women less bodily autonomy than corpses (you can't use the body in any way without prior consent during life). Religion has imposed so much onto people that it has become as much a component of law as secular ethics and reasoning.

And you say that America gives equal rights concerning religion.

 

The constitution promotes the separation of church and state, in other words, a secular government. Under God wasn't added into our Pledge of Allegiance until the Red Scare in the 50's and "In God We Trust" wasn't added onto our currency until the Red Scare as well. I find it more common for religious groups to pick on atheists. I made that inference when there are states that prohibit atheists from serving in the state government and atheists can't join the boy scouts. Tell me, what organizations exclude those who believe in a religion?

---------- Post added 7th Dec 2013 at 04:23 PM ----------

This kind of stuff makes the U.S look so bad. Religion in our government has kept us behind and deemed us an outlier out of all first-world countries. Our money and our Pledge had no mention of religion until the Red Scare of the 50's when the government was scared of communism, and communism is known for its state atheism. I have to agree with you about atheism causing ostracizing people. There was this one time an Atheist family was threatened by religious neighbors. An increasing amount of people are calling for the churches to get taxed now.

I feel like moving to Australia or Canada now. Australia actually has a significant atheist population (22.3%).

 

Do people really hate Atheists/Agnostics? What is there to hate? That they don't believe in a god or question the basis of theism?

Well, my suggestion to Atheists/Agnostics is if you meet someone and in conversation they reveal to you that they hate Atheists/Agnostics, don't have more than a professional relationship with them if you can help it. Life is too short, so move on.

 

I believe you are absolutely correct. May be I should been more elaborate in my views. I’m not an American; I’m a student from India studying in the US. I probably based my views as an outsider from a country where communal fights and discrimination in the name of religion does exist. What I find fascinating and appealing is that you can be what you want in America because you are protected by the constitution and is strictly enforced. The constitution is as revered almost as much as religious texts, I think. At least it is my opinion that all forms of religion and beliefs are tolerated and are fiercely debated in America. I do agree that some Americans who are cloistered in some remote town/place give snide remarks and insensitive remarks, because they are not aware of anything outside the country. But for most part I believe the majority Americans strongly put their faith in liberty and their constitution.

At least this is my view. Sorry if I hurt your feelings or anything like that :icon_wink :icon_bigg

 

According to the militant-type Christians at the Methodist church I used to go to, atheists were evil, wicked people that would and should go to hell. When I talked to my dad about the things I'd heard in Sunday School, i.e. that the Founding Fathers were all Christian and that the First Amendment only gives you the right to practice whichever form of Christianity you please, and that there's no separation of Church and State, and that the First Amendment was designed to keep State out of Church, my dad looked at me and said I needed to stop reading screech forums on the internet.

And this is what they taught in church!

 

Some people hate atheists because we don't base our morality on something. They also think we worship Satan...

 

I had years of debates with my very Christian (generally in a good way) grandfather, who, when will in hospital, confessed himself to be (in his exact words) "very worried about my relationship with God". I really didn't have an answer other than "Oh, well, God and I rub along OK, the only real difficulty in our relationship is his complete non-existence". (Alright, that weren't my words, my words were something stumbling and inept because I loved and respected my grandfather and didn't actually want to offend him but his words have remained on my nerves years since the man himself died.)

 

They "hate" us (the ones that do) because we are having fun on the weekends while they are sitting and numbing their butts on wooden benches, listening to someone tell them how people who lived 2000+ years ago tell us to lead our lives 2000+ years later. No sale.

There is no God but the one you imagine into existence and decide to worship; go enjoy your life, for what short time it lasts. Be kind to others, treating them like you would want to be treated by them. As for the religious zealots, leave them alone and require that they do the same to you; their opinions about you and your sexuality are irrelevant unless you decide to give them credence.

 

Yep, that's true, Anthony. Yet, it still amazes me that some theists think that we don't base our morality on anything. We base it on love and respect for our fellow human beings.

P.S. Just in case, the questions in the earlier post were meant to be rhetorical. I state the obvious because I wonder about the justifications that some theists give for hating Atheists/Agnostics. What great offense has an Atheist/Agnostic done to a theist to warrant feelings of hatred or ill will? Such an emotional response is so irrational.

 

Where I live, theists are the minority. I'm always worried that someone will be offended when someone makes an anti-religious joke

 

There is this idea that atheists don't have morals and are all sinners. The Christian right in the US can't stand countries like the UK, Norway, Denmark, Canada where atheism is the dominant "religion" now.

 

So I'm sure you'd be fine with having to say "One Nation under Allah" when you say the pledge of allegiance? And "In Allah We Trust" printed on your money? Need I say more?

See, the thing is, it's not "freedom of religion" if there's no "freedom from religion".