# Is it socially acceptable to be an atheist in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 5, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837 "2014-08-05T01:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**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:** [August 9, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/141 "2014-08-09T20:21:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > That’s nonsense. Keeping an unpopular belief secret takes effort, especially in a society where everyone is constantly pushing the opposing belief on you and thinks you are evil. It means that you have to watch what you say, that you have to lie or carefully evade questioning. It means you have to worry about being caught and retaliated against. I’ve never had to do any of those things. IIRC, you live in CA (Torrance-- hardly the Bible Belt), too, and it’s unlikely you had to unless for some reason you just wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/142 "2014-08-09T21:39:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’ve never had to do any of those things. IIRC, you live in CA (Torrance-- hardly the Bible Belt), too, and it’s unlikely you had to unless for some reason you just wanted to. I knew **Der Trihs** lived in California but I didn’t know he lived so close by to where I am. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/143 "2014-08-09T22:47:09Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > That’s nonsense. Keeping an unpopular belief secret takes effort, especially in a society where everyone is constantly pushing the opposing belief on you and thinks you are evil. It means that you have to watch what you say, that you have to lie or carefully evade questioning. It means you have to worry about being caught and retaliated against. Sounds like you’re a bit needlessly paranoid, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/144 "2014-08-09T22:47:23Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > No, atheism in a non-part of what I am. It is purely a factual description of my non-belief. This seems awfully pedantic. If it’s a description of your views I think it’s fair to say it’s part of who you are. > [@](#): > > None of those “larger set of opinions” necessarily come from atheism. It doesn’t do anything in and of itself. It is entirely uninteresting. There are myriad things as yet unnamed and unthought of that I have no belief in and those unbeliefs equally have absolutely no bearing on the sort of person that I am. I’m an atheist, so I don’t need this kind of lecture. And I don’t agree. I think my atheism is very much connected to my other views on a bunch of issues. Not because you have to be an atheist to share them (you introduced a ton of wiggle room with the word “necessarily”), but because it’s connected to my other values and opinions. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/145 "2014-08-09T22:50:39Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Meh. If they live their lives without a care for theism, I figure that makes them atheists by definition. If **Der Thihs’** cite was too complicated, how about this one from [http://www.religioustolerance.org/apatheism.htm](http://www.religioustolerance.org/apatheism.htm) **Apatheism: “Do god(s) exist? I don’t know & I don’t really care”** Although if asked, I believe most apatheists would say they believe in God just because it’s the societal norm, not because they’ve given it any thought. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/146 "2014-08-09T22:51:11Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sounds like you’re a bit needlessly paranoid, to be honest. Ah, the good old “Ad hominem”, always the marker of a person who has run out of debate material. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/147 "2014-08-09T23:34:41Z")
Social acceptance rests more on posturing than substance. It is socially acceptable to BE an atheist, but not to publicly say so. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/148 "2014-08-10T00:28:26Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sounds like you’re a bit needlessly paranoid, to be honest. Perhaps “reasonably paranoid.” There are large numbers of stories (yes, anecdotal evidence) of people being retaliated against in the workplace for religious differences. This includes religious-on-religious bigotry, but also quite a lot of religious-on-atheist bigotry. (And I’m sure there’s also no shortage of atheist-on-religious bigotry, although here the problem is skewed a little, because many religious people hold it to be bigotry when they are not allowed to proselytize actively, even in the workplace. Religious neutrality – “Keep it in your pants, okay?” – is seen by many as aggressive atheism.) ---
**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:** [August 10, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/149 "2014-08-10T00:49:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > IIRC, you live in CA (Torrance-- hardly the Bible Belt), too CA yes, Torrance, no. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/150 "2014-08-10T02:42:39Z")
I work at a trucking firm, where(more often than not) one’s religion is proudly displayed on the hood and/or the doors and/or the windshield for all to see. The slogan you see on the Covenant Transport tractors and trailers? “It’s a child-not a choice” ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/151 "2014-08-10T04:38:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I work at a trucking firm, where(more often than not) one’s religion is proudly displayed on the hood and/or the doors and/or the windshield for all to see. The slogan you see on the Covenant Transport tractors and trailers? “It’s a child-not a choice” Abortion is a moral issue not necessarily tied to one’s religion. Admittedly the company’s name makes it sound like one owned by Reformed Presbyterians. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/152 "2014-08-10T05:12:29Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Abortion is a moral issue not necessarily tied to one’s religion. Overwhelmingly, it’s a religious issue. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/153 "2014-08-10T11:18:39Z")
For friends I don’t hide anything, but I don’t bring it up when getting to know someone. I tend to associate mostly with nerdy progressive types, not exactly the most devout. I’d never drop the a-bomb in mixed company. The word “atheist” is way too charged. Even if everyone else seemed to be cool and sharing their stories about sacrificing goats in the woods or whatever I’d be reticent to tell the truth. There’s not really any upside to it, only potential downsides. Like if you meet one of those people later in a different context and they remember you mentioned being an atheist, that could be a problem. These phrases are good to keep handy, depending on the setting and how much they pester you: “I haven’t been to church in years. Guess I’ve lapsed.” Most people won’t pry past that. If they ask why you don’t go to church you can shake it off as just being lazy, but if they don’t stop and you think they might suspect you’re a heathen there’s always a nice lie: “I believe in god, but I think a lot of the dogma is man made.” If I’m stuck with a fundamentalist and I feel a need to challenge them instead of nodding my head I’m more likely to be a concern troll. “Do you really think God believes that?” “But I thought god loved everyone.” That sorta thing. Where it gets tricky is dating. You don’t want to just say you’re an atheist straight up, that will scare them away unless you hit the lottery. Say you’re “not very religious.” And try to steer the conversation away from that until as late as possible. The best negative reaction I ever got was a girl saying I can’t be an atheist because I’m “too nice.” But it’s usually stuff like “I can’t believe you don’t believe in _anything_.” Probably easier to lie, but that seems kinda messed up, especially if she places a lot of importance on it. My parents are die hard conservative but only tepidly religious and are mostly OK with it. I think my dad is a secret atheist who just wants to keep up appearances for the family, but I’ve never pressed him. My mother still acts like my disbelief is a rebellious phase I’ll be moving past any day now. Rest of the family doesn’t know, I just go along with whatever, bow my head, say the prayers, done. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/154 "2014-08-10T12:41:02Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Abortion is a moral issue not necessarily tied to one’s religion. Admittedly the company’s name makes it sound like one owned by Reformed Presbyterians. Their website states that they are a company built on Christian principles, and that their leadership principle is to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” ---
**Author:** ![psikeyhackr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@psikeyhackr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psikeyhackr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/155 "2014-08-10T15:33:09Z")
No, the atheists can’t figure out what agnostics are. psik ---
**Author:** ![orangeapples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@orangeapples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orangeapples)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/156 "2014-08-10T16:38:08Z")
> [@psikeyhackr](#): > > No, the atheists can’t figure out what agnostics are. > > psik Care to elaborate? As it stands, that strikes me as a bit of a non-sequitur. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/157 "2014-08-10T17:09:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This seems awfully pedantic. If it’s a description of your views I think it’s fair to say it’s part of who you are. That is the thing though, being an atheist _isn’t_ a description of my views. Just as being a-santa-ist does not describe anything about me in any meaningful way. > [@](#): > > I’m an atheist, so I don’t need this kind of lecture. apologies, I don’t mean it that way. It isn’t a lecture, merely a clear statement of what atheism is as it relates to me. > [@](#): > > And I don’t agree. I think my atheism is very much connected to my other views on a bunch of issues. But it is those “other views on a bunch of issues” that are interesting, not the atheism. > [@](#): > > Not because you have to be an atheist to share them (you introduced a ton of wiggle room with the word “necessarily”) what I was meaning there is that the views that I hold aren’t dependant on atheism, they aren’t a necessary extension of it. It wasn’t establishing “wiggle room” To sum up. If I say I’m an “atheist” and nothing else it tells you exactly as much as if I’d merely stated I was a theist…nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/158 "2014-08-10T18:10:38Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > That is the thing though, being an atheist _isn’t_ a description of my views. Just as being a-santa-ist does not describe anything about me in any meaningful way. > […] > But it is those “other views on a bunch of issues” that are interesting, not the atheism. I think this might be true in a far more secular world or society than the one we actually live in. > [@](#): > > To sum up. If I say I’m an “atheist” and nothing else it tells you exactly as much as if I’d merely stated I was a theist…nothing. Nobody says this, though. They’ll give you a much more specific description that often has a lot of ideological connotations. To say you’re an atheist says you probably don’t subscribe to most of that, and that’s pretty significant. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/159 "2014-08-10T20:06:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Nobody says this, though. They’ll give you a much more specific description that often has a lot of ideological connotations. To say you’re an atheist says you probably don’t subscribe to most of that, and that’s pretty significant. I see you are from the USA. I’m from the UK and here, saying “I’m an atheist” really doesn’t carry any real baggage and doesn’t suggest any particularly significant rejection of theological views or positive acceptance of other specific worldviews. I recall sitting at a table with three of my USA colleagues (senior managers in scientific disciplines) and being astonished that they all openly admitted going to church each Sunday. I couldn’t get my head round it. On this issue our cultures are very different so perhaps we can’t meaningfully make progress on this particular point. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837/160 "2014-08-10T20:33:50Z")
> [@psikeyhackr](#): > > No, the atheists can’t figure out what agnostics are. They are people who are bending over backwards to give religion unearned respect, a privileged intellectual status. No one is “agnostic” about goblins or Santa Claus or fairies; just religion. Other far more plausible claims don’t get the same “You can’t prove mathematically it’s wrong, therefore you have to pretend it’s a reasonable thing to believe” treatment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-socially-acceptable-to-be-an-atheist-in-the-us/694837.md?page=9)