# America tied for 8th-best nation in the world to be an atheist in **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849 "2018-11-01T17:43:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/21 "2018-11-01T21:49:08Z")
Well I think Canada is fine with atheists nowadays, it wasn’t always so. Sixty years ago Jews in some places were not allowed in public schools; only Protestants and Catholics were (and they in different schools). The new Quebec government is about to pass a law banning teachers at any level, civil servants, policemen, from wearing any religious symbol except a cross. This in the guise of “religious neutrality” and despite a giant crucifix in the Quebec assembly (which is claimed to be religiously neutral, only of historical significance). But being an atheist is fine; it is possible that a majority of Quebecois are. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/22 "2018-11-01T21:54:35Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Are you forgetting that a significant proportion of the House of Lords is made up of unelected Bishops, and that they therefore exert considerable influence on your life, like it or not? Or the recently\* increased\* emphasis on faith schools? > > I’m not going to argue about the fine detail of their survey, but whiter-than-white we ain’t. > > j And the UK includes Northern Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/23 "2018-11-01T21:58:31Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > And the UK includes Northern Ireland. Uh, yeah, I forgot about that bit. :smack: Good point. j ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/24 "2018-11-01T22:01:22Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > And the UK includes Northern Ireland. Yes, but are you a Protestant atheist, or a Catholic atheist? ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/25 "2018-11-01T22:10:59Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Yes, but are you a Protestant atheist, or a Catholic atheist? I swear this was recounted as part of a true story by Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers. Back then, in Belfast, if you got stopped in the street by a gang and asked:\* is youse a protestant or a catholic?\* - that was a serious matter. Like, potentially life-and-death serious. (And for all I know it may still be a pretty serious matter). Jake told them he was an atheist, drawing the inevitable response … (see above). j ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/26 "2018-11-01T22:16:56Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Edit: Mods, it should say “8th,” not “3rd,” can someone edit the headline? Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/27 "2018-11-01T22:23:21Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Are you forgetting that a significant proportion of the House of Lords is made up of unelected Bishops, and that they therefore exert considerable influence on your life, like it or not? no I don’t think they do. The established church is a practical irrelevance and the bishops in the HOL are easily outweighed by those of no great religious affiliation. I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that the espoused religious beliefs and influence of the totality of the HOL and HOC is weaker than that of the equivalent two houses in the USA. > [@](#): > > Or the recently\* increased\* emphasis on faith schools? I agree they are an abomination and possible the only way in which faith or the lack of it can impact a UK atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/28 "2018-11-01T22:33:44Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Edit: Mods, it should say “8th,” not “3rd,” can someone edit the headline? Uh, well, you could read that list as being tied for third equally as you could tied for eighth. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/29 "2018-11-01T23:50:09Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > A bullshit survey and the UK coming that far down just confirms it. > > I’ve been an atheist all my life, as has my wife and neither of us has ever found any practical problem from being so. > > If you are an atheist in the UK absolutely no-one cares. That cannot be said of the USA now can it? Depends on location, big country and a lot of variations. Urban areas and the suburbs near the big East & West coast cities being an Agnostic/Atheist is a non-issue. So move out of Bumfuck Churchton and no issues. Probably would be hard these days to be elected President, but I suspect it would be hard to be PM of the UK for an Agnostic/Atheist also. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/30 "2018-11-02T00:01:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Depends on location, big country and a lot of variations. Urban areas and the suburbs near the big East & West coast cities being an Agnostic/Atheist is a non-issue. So move out of Bumfuck Churchton and no issues. Probably would be hard these days to be elected President, but I suspect it would be hard to be PM of the UK for an Agnostic/Atheist also. America has entire _states_ that are Bumfuck Churchton. I live in the capital city of mine, which is also the largest city. There are issues. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/31 "2018-11-02T00:02:49Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Depends on location, big country and a lot of variations. Urban areas and the suburbs near the big East & West coast cities being an Agnostic/Atheist is a non-issue. So move out of Bumfuck Churchton and no issues. Probably would be hard these days to be elected President, but I suspect it would be hard to be PM of the UK for an Agnostic/Atheist also. Well, what evidence is there that mr. Trump is a person of faith? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/32 "2018-11-02T00:14:45Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > America has entire _states_ that are Bumfuck Churchton. I live in the capital city of mine, which is also the largest city. There are issues. I know, I did mention the coasts on purpose. > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Well, what evidence is there that mr. Trump is a person of faith? He plays one on TV at least. Or at least plays to those that are. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/33 "2018-11-02T00:39:45Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Well, what evidence is there that mr. Trump is a person of faith? To many of the faithful, evidence is less important than allegiance. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/34 "2018-11-02T01:07:24Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > America has entire _states_ that are Bumfuck Churchton. I live in the capital city of mine, which is also the largest city. There are issues. What kind of issues? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/35 "2018-11-02T01:29:13Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Depends on location, big country and a lot of variations. Urban areas and the suburbs near the big East & West coast cities being an Agnostic/Atheist is a non-issue. So move out of Bumfuck Churchton and no issues. Probably would be hard these days to be elected President, but I suspect it would be hard to be PM of the UK for an Agnostic/Atheist also. Your suspicion is incorrect - there have been some pretty prominent atheist PMs and party leaders: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion\_in\_the\_United\_Kingdom#Irreligious\_British\_politicians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_United_Kingdom#Irreligious_British_politicians) There does seem to have been at uptick in the religiousness of PMs in the last 20 years or so, but I doubt if it’s a particular electoral advantage - probably the reverse if you’re Labour ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/36 "2018-11-02T03:45:14Z")
I can only conclude, having been an atheist in Canada for my entire life that if this is only the 124th best place in the world to be an atheist then it’s a non problem and we can move on to fixing something else. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/37 "2018-11-02T03:52:01Z")
I’ve been an atheist since 8th grade in the US, I’ve never had any issues over it that I can think of, though I’m not really militant about it either. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/38 "2018-11-02T03:58:52Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > I guess these factors have some weight in the ranking, even if they have nothing to do with what happens to atheists in everyday life. You can compare the [US factors](https://freethoughtreport.com/countries/americas-northern-america/united-states-of-america/) vs. [Canadian ones](https://freethoughtreport.com/countries/americas-northern-america/canada/). Blasphemy laws, state funding of religious schools, lack of constitutional protections, and several other things all play a part. The US does very well (by their metrics) when it comes to education and freedom of expression. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/39 "2018-11-02T04:44:06Z")
Australia also receives a hit in the rankings for ‘Criticism of religion is restricted in law’ - but if they’re talking about things like the [Racial and Religious Tolerance Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_and_Religious_Tolerance_Act_2001) then it would be a pretty grave misunderstanding of the purpose and effect of the act, since the aim is to protect followers of **minority religions** (usually Muslim) from **everyone else** , and the only prosecutions I’m aware of under the religious provisions have been of Christian evangelists. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849/40 "2018-11-02T07:05:30Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > The US does very well (by their metrics) when it comes to education and freedom of expression. The country which has abstinence-only sex ed and where it’s ok to teach creationism in science class. Because that’s got nuthin’ to do with religionin’. RIIIIGHT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-tied-for-8th-best-nation-in-the-world-to-be-an-atheist-in/823849.md?page=3)