Probably not. I said as much in my first post, so why would you ask?
As for socially ostracized. Yes, you will likely be socially ostracized by people for whom religion is paramount in their lives-- IOW, people you wouldn’t want to socialize with.
Fair point.
There’s a lot of debate about this. A lot of us think that’s a sensible interpretation, but it’s a religious society overall and the courts are only willing to take it so far. I don’t think this happens as much in Europe, but much is made of the U.S.'s supposed Christian heritage. To the extent that existed, it doesn’t look like evangelical Christianity today.
The Constitution says the government isn’t supposed to interfere with the religious practices of citizens. People of various religions or no religion can argue with each other all they want because that’s not what the Constitution is addressing. But in most places you’ll gain more votes appealing to religious voters than non-religious voters.
I was just trying to establish where the ceiling was.
My husband gets crap for it, and complains to me about it a lot, oddly, from Christians he works with, who know that he’s nominally Jewish, in that he goes to shul on holidays, and we celebrate all the holidays, and have Shabbes dinner every Friday night. People who have heard him say he doesn’t believe in G-d want him to listen to all their “G-d” stories, including the Jesusy ones, like they’re trying to convert him. People totally leave me alone when I say I’m an observant Jew. I waffle back and forth in how much I really believe there is a deity. Sometimes I really do, sometimes I really don’t, most of the time, I’m somewhere in between, but close enough not to feel like I’m lying if someone asks me if I believe, and I say “Yes.” We have a mezzuzah on the door, and a sign that says “We don’t want to convert to your religion. Really. No matter what it is.” The only people who ever ignore it are the JWs. We see Mormons, and hear that other people have been in the building, and they’ve passed us over, but not the JWs.
When my husband wants to head off what he’s sure will be a conversiony-type conversation, he answers questions about his belief by saying “I’m Jewish,” and not committing to not believing in a deity, but lately, since his father recently died, he’s had to deal with a lot of people telling him “He’s (DH’s father) is in a better place,” and that’s just more than DH can deal with. He says “Dad’s on my stepmother’s mantle in an urn.” Anyone who tries to convince him that his father is “watching over” him gets headed off at the pass. So he’s been feeling the sting a lot lately.
This is in Indiana. Never talked about getting crap about being an atheist when we lived in New York.
Here in the Seattle region, it’s not an issue at all. In fact, in my circle of friends and co-workers it’s never been an issue. I don’t even give it a thought, except for a brief time when I lived in Tennessee. It was not a big deal, but it was the only time in my life I was even aware people might care.
Put it this way, there will never be an atheist President for decades to come.
Of course. In fact, in the Northeast, atheism is highly regarded.
It is socially acceptable to be a “good” atheist, a “quiet” atheist. When others are praying, you bow your head. When the topic is religious in nature, you nod your head. When a fellow workers say a politician is godless, you stay silent. Whatever you do, don’t be a “radical”.
I find it interesting that everyone always thinks their side is the underdog.
Christians in America are the underdog.
Atheists in America: “Hey, we’re the underdog!”
Muslims in America: “Hey, we have a hard time! It’s hard being a Muslim in America!”
Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs…Not so loudly, but I’m sure they think they’re an underdog too.
Exactly. It’s regional.
You’d be on safer ground saying it’s highly regarded in some circles in cities in the Northeast. Devoutly religious people in the Northeast probably don’t regard atheism any more highly than devoutly religious people in other places.
Yeah, you’re right. I was thinking Boston and the Ivy League universities (and any big city in the NY-Boston-Philly-DC region,) but the rural areas may be more Christian.
That’s part of it, but it’s not like there’s a shortage of churches in the suburbs and you can find highly religious enclaves in cities. You can in New York, anyway.
I live in the NY area and I believe that many “religious” people here don’t believe in a literal god, but a) believe in the message of a religion or b) attend services for the sake of family, introspection or guilt or c) simply identify with a religion either through family or marriage.
To me these folks are technically atheist but probably wouldn’t label themselves as one.
People have already mentioned hostility from religious bosses. I suppose you think that the danger of being fired and potentially driven into poverty is meaningless.
I am thoroughly atheist and have been all my life. I found being raised in Salt Lake City pretty awful. Mormons were constantly trying to convert me. Moved to California (Bay Area) and nobody cared, which was lovely. Then moved to Boise and it was an issue again. I did not discuss my non-believer status there, even though I hung out with young and presumably progressive people. Back to Utah; that was short-lived. Thence to Montana – same deal as Idaho. Kept it quiet. Finally back to California, and again it was no big deal.
Now I live in Oregon, rural but near Eugene. In town, not a big deal. In the country, Teh Crazy is still alive and well. Some of my neighbors actually have tinfoil-wrapped crucifixes prominently displayed out front of their properties. I appreciate the warning.
So yes, depends very much on where you live. I never volunteer that I am an atheist, but neither do I deny it if asked. I am self-employed so have the luxury of honestly sharing my lack of religious affiliation if asked – which I do personally consider a rude question in casual conversation.
I have been ostracized socially for my non-belief. Additionally, a boyfriend once broke up with me because of it… he didn’t have a problem, but his family did, and the pressure they brought to bear on him proved more than he could handle.
My observation is that religion among certain religious folks has become more militant in the past 30 years or so here in the USA.
There may well have been or may soon be an atheist president. They just won’t be identified as such.
I live just north of John, and until recently I had the only atheist Congressman. He lost, but his atheism had nothing to do with it - it was not even controversial. But we have very large numbers of non-Christians, so Silicon Valley is hardly normal America.
In most of America, or the tolerant part, not going to church because you “aren’t very religious” is okay, but not going because you don’t believe isn’t.
“Atheist” is often used to describe people actively proselytizing the non-existence of God. Millions of us are, instead, quiet agnostics, who think Jesus was a very good man, but not the Son of God™.
What are the figures for disbelief in Europe? Disbelief among very intelligent or educated people? I know there are many intelligent scientists who believe in God but I’ll guess there’s a very large plurality or majority who do not.
I wonder how it affects the quality of political candidates in U.S.A. A huge portion of qualified potential candidates are disqualified for their disbelief unless they choose to lie about it.
I live in the red part of a blue state (southern Illinois), it’s fairly bible-belty around here, and there are Christian-but-not-Catholic churches every other city block or so (I kid, there aren’t any city blocks out here in the sticks, but there are a lot of churches).
I’ve never been ostracized for my atheism, nor have I actively hidden it, but I don’t exactly introduce myself with, “Hi, I don’t believe in God,” either. When it does come up, some people are incredulous, like they just can’t believe what they’re hearing, and occasionally I get some pushback because obviously I just haven’t thought things through and I would surely appreciate the guidance.
I do qualify this observation by making it clear I don’t go out of my way to draw attention to my lack of faith, I’m not proselytizing as septimus mentioned. A more vocal form of aggressive atheism would likely draw some ill-will from my more religious friends and neighbors.