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.
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).
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.
I agree they are an abomination and possible the only way in which faith or the lack of it can impact a UK atheist.
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.
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
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.
You can compare the US factors vs. Canadian ones. 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.
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 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.
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.