# Am I the only person on the Internet who believes in God? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 24, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944 "2010-09-24T23:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/121 "2010-09-27T00:52:06Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Atheists there can’t run for national office. They can try, but they won’t get elected. Only one out atheist is in our current congress and he came out thirty years after he was elected. That’s not what the claim was. The claim was fear of physical harm or property damage. > [@](#): > > As for cites, [is San Diego close enough?](http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_72ed577f-e062-5b58-86cf-d2778312ad57.html) Lake Elsinore is not San Diego. And that guy got harassed because he had a bumper sticker on his car that directly insulted Religion in general. Is that why you just gave a link, and not a quote? But then, if \*\*DT \*\*were to discuss religion IRL the way he does here, then I would not doubt he would be harassed almost anywhere in the Western World, not just the US. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/122 "2010-09-27T01:19:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > > [@Lobohan](#): > > > > Atheists there can’t run for national office. They can try, but they won’t get elected. Only one out atheist is in our current congress and he came out thirty years after he was elected. > > That’s not what the claim was. The claim was fear of physical harm or property damage. > > > [@](#): > > > > As for cites, [is San Diego close enough?](http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_72ed577f-e062-5b58-86cf-d2778312ad57.html) > > Lake Elsinore is not San Diego. And that guy got harassed because he had a bumper sticker on his car that directly insulted Religion in general. Is that why you just gave a link, and not a quote? > > But then, if \*\*DT \*\*were to discuss religion IRL the way he does here, then I would not doubt he would be harassed almost anywhere in the Western World, not just the US. _God is the way!_ is an insult to the intelligence of an atheist. Why can’t there be parity? Theists are allowed to state their superiority in definitive terms. And I didn’t give a quote because I was refuting an anecdotal claim by you, hardly the time to be rigorous. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/123 "2010-09-27T01:22:10Z")
I don’t think physical harm would come often on account of atheism, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happened in the Bible belt. Being an atheist there is seriously not that much better than being a child molester to some people. I was visiting my dad recently who’s a very religious guy but not especially hateful or anything. We were talking about some sort of scandal where some politician’s family member was… I don’t know, something bad, I can’t remember. And he said “when you’re electing a man, you’re electing him, not his family, it shouldn’t matter if his brother is a murderer, or a drunk, or an atheist”… he wasn’t even thinking about it, he was just thinking about all of the really nasty things you could be, and atheist came right to mind. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/124 "2010-09-27T01:33:04Z")
Well, at least you got third on that. My uncle would have said murderer, drunk or Baptist. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/125 "2010-09-27T01:36:58Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > _God is the way!_ is an insult to the intelligence of an atheist. Why can’t there be parity? Theists are allowed to state their superiority in definitive terms. We atheists are more tolerant. But then, with all the religiosity out there, we’d exhaust ourselves harassing people over it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/126 "2010-09-27T03:07:23Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Atheists there can’t run for national office. They can try, but they won’t get elected. Only one out atheist is in our current congress and he came out thirty years after he was elected. It’s that sort of cultural difference that I have trouble getting my head around. It’s almost the opposite here – unless a politician is actually standing for one of the fringe religious parties – then promoting their religion and zeal is more likely to hurt their election chances than help. Our previous Prime Minister was not religious, and probably an atheist, the current one is… I have no idea… because it just doesn’t matter. OK… according to Wiki he attends church, but is agnostic, and doesn’t believe in life after death… oh, and apparently of Jewish ancestry. As for **Der Trihs** , if he says his beliefs are a cause of potential harm, I’m in no position to contradict him… and I think you’ll have to agree **John Mace** , that he’s a bit more evangelical in his atheism than most of us. ---
**Author:** ![Mozart1220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Mozart1220](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mozart1220)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/127 "2010-09-27T03:14:45Z")
I’m waiting for a candidate that doesn’t feel the need to say “God bless America” after every speech. WE have our fist non-white president. Now let’s see if we can elect an Athiest. Then I’ll believe in the America we claim to be. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/128 "2010-09-27T03:22:43Z")
> [@echo6160](#): > > > [@kanicbird](#): > > > > No, just those who claim there are no God are very noisy. > > A very true statement…🆒 But not even _remotely_ as noisy as those who believe in God. No contest there. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/129 "2010-09-27T03:25:48Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > > [@echo6160](#): > > > > A very true statement…🆒 > > But not even _remotely_ as noisy as those who believe in God. No contest there. Agreed. Note the “new” in New Atheism. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/130 "2010-09-27T03:35:09Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Atheists also tend to be very vocal about their atheism, so they stand out. Whereas the majority of Christians or Jews, or just non-religious believers rarely talk about their religious views. Ok, I’ll give you non-religious believers, and maybe Jews but … Are you fucking kidding me? Christians can be the noisiest and most sanctimonious people on the planet. I’m constantly being reminded about people’s churchiness, all the time. Facebook is the worst; none of my atheist friends nor I ever talk about beliefs, but a large number of my Christian Facebook friends feel compelled to spout religiosity all the damn time. You see religious billboards all over the place, also religious bumper stickers, religious marquees in businesses, Christian “fish” on yellow page ads, little religious tracts left hither and thither, and you can’t surf the FM band without blundering into several religious channels on the low end of the dial (annoyingly clustered around the NPR station I’m actually listening for). My wife is waiting tables for the time being, and is asked all the time about what church she goes to and whether she “knows Jesus.” I see Bible-thumping missionaries at my door on at least a monthly basis. Officials running for office try to outdo each other with faith and “God bless America” and all sorts of mystical nonsense. Obama included. No open atheist could possibly be a serious contender for U.S. president. Do I really need to go on? This culture is saturated with Christianity. If you want to find lots of theists on the Internet, it’s hardly difficult. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/131 "2010-09-27T04:27:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > > [@etv78](#): > > > > This isn’t Pit worthy, but not Mundane. Seems like everytime I mention God in a post (in general, not just SDMB) people make comments with the underlying attitude,“Ain’t that precious, you believe in some Invisible Guy in the Sky.” > > There are more atheists online than in face-to-face interactions, that’s for sure. But atheists still aren’t the majority online. Cite, I call this out as bull. Also depends what people mean by believing in god. I am not a believer in the born again type god I see in the USA but that does not stop me from believing in a higher power. So athiesm is easily explained as “there is no god” but ask anyone who believes in a god it gets hard. God does not lend him/her/its/then selves to rational explanation so therefore does not fit the net. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/132 "2010-09-27T06:09:49Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Well, she’s hot. I was going to make a joke about not getting eaten first, but…no. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/133 "2010-09-27T07:11:27Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > In hte USA, everyone is free to make their opinions known, except for government employees, who may be punished for making it known that they are Christians. Oh please. This is not true at all. Where are you getting your information? You obviously don’t work for the US Federal Government. It is exactly the opposite of what you said. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/134 "2010-09-27T08:38:04Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > > [@jsgoddess](#): > > > > There are more atheists online than in face-to-face interactions, that’s for sure. But atheists still aren’t the majority online. > > Cite, I call this out as bull. > > Also depends what people mean by believing in god. I am not a believer in the born again type god I see in the USA but that does not stop me from believing in a higher power. So athiesm is easily explained as “there is no god” but ask anyone who believes in a god it gets hard. God does not lend him/her/its/then selves to rational explanation so therefore does not fit the net. :dubious: You aren’t really trying to claim that irrational beliefs have a tough time on the Internet, are you? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/135 "2010-09-27T10:07:20Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > Heck, I thought it was pretty well known around here that I am a Christian. > > I thought you were an atheist. I mean, it doesn’t help that I’m not really great with names and I tend to forget which conversations I’ve had with which posters after a certain amount of time but there you go. Plus you don’t tend to participate in religious threads as much as the others if my memory serves correctly. That last one is probably the big one. I’m not interested in arguing my religion here (or most other places). Sure, I may say what I believe when I think it is relevant, but I also know that most (if not all) people do not want to be badgered about what they believe, and that, by doing so myself, I am hurting more than I am helping. My bigger problem is that I’m an asshole sometimes, which is a great testament for a belief system that is supposed to make you a better person. ETA: BTW, did you know that there’s now a feature that monitors whether you’ve just made a double post? No wonder that happens with far less frequency around here than other boards. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/136 "2010-09-27T10:48:18Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > ETA: BTW, did you know that there’s now a feature that monitors whether you’ve just made a double post? No wonder that happens with far less frequency around here than other boards. Yes, it’s been around for some time, but how long exactly I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/137 "2010-09-27T12:44:47Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > :dubious: You aren’t really trying to claim that irrational beliefs have a tough time on the Internet, are you? There is a sense in which this is true. Obviously the internet is a haven for crackpots and fools who can self publish any old crap and who wouldn’t get an airing in any traditional media. There are also message boards and other supposedly open fora which actually censor heavily (like conservapedia and so on). However on truly open fora it is hard to express irrational beliefs on the internet without getting cut down at the knees. People who would just nod politely and move on if you were to express crazy or fringe views (on say religion or anti-vax) in a social setting IRL will have no hesitation in ripping your views to shreds on the internet. There isn’t the same social inhibition. Plus IRL people can blatantly deny facts more easily, or more easily claim sources that don’t exist. On the internet cites against the crazy and misinformed are easier to give. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/138 "2010-09-27T12:48:10Z")
> [@Mozart1220](#): > > WE have our **fist** non-white president. Still upset about the fist-bumping? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/139 "2010-09-27T13:12:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Oh, I’ve got to have a cite for this! It must be shown that all the victims did was let it out that they were Christians-it can’t just be a part of a larger effort to break the rules to push an agenda of some sort. [Okay.](http://blackchristiannews.com/news/2009/08/christian-law-firm-stands-with-school-officials-who-are-facing-criminal-charges-for-praying-at-a-lun-1.html) > [@](#): > > Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman are subject to fines and imprisonment if convicted of violating a court injunction. … Principal Lay asked Freeman to “bless the food” at a luncheon at Pace High that involved former booster club members and other adults who helped in getting a new field house. … Last month, Judge Rodgers initiated criminal contempt proceedings against Lay and Freeman “for willfully violating the court’s temporary injunction order” after the ACLU filed a complaint noting the lunchtime prayer. So, ask for a blessing for a meal and they try to send you to jail. (Though the two men were, after lengthy proceedings, found innocent.) In the same district there’s the case of student [Mary Allen](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/14/criminal-prayer-case-stirs-protests/?feat=home_headlines): > [@](#): > > Mr. Staver said the district also agreed to forbid senior class President Mary Allen from speaking at the school’s May 30 graduation ceremony on the chance that the young woman, a known Christian, might say something religious. “She was the first student body president in 33 years not allowed to speak,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/140 "2010-09-27T13:53:44Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Oh, I’ve got to have a cite for this! It must be shown that all the victims did was let it out that they were Christians-it can’t just be a part of a larger effort to break the rules to push an agenda of some sort. > > [Okay.](http://blackchristiannews.com/news/2009/08/christian-law-firm-stands-with-school-officials-who-are-facing-criminal-charges-for-praying-at-a-lun-1.html) Are you kidding me? Do you somehow interpret that as simply “letting it out that they were Christians”?!? Here’s the key point from your cite: “Earlier this year, Florida’s Santa Rosa County School District consented to an order that prohibits all district school officials from promoting, endorsing, or causing religious prayers during school-sponsored events.” Promoting Christian prayer in school is unconstitutional. The school got in trouble for it once, agreed in court not to do it again, then turned right around and did it again. That kind of behavior typically lands people in jail. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944.md?page=8)