# Would this make you feel safer (one for atheists especially)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966 "2012-06-12T22:36:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/21 "2012-06-13T15:21:21Z")
It would make me feel marginally safer, but only because it tells me they’re walking down the street for a _reason_, not because they’re loitering and looking for trouble. I’d feel the same way if you told me they were all dishwashers walking home after the restaurants shut down for the night. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/22 "2012-06-13T15:29:43Z")
Yes, I would feel much safer than if they were a group of filthy atheists; who I know willfully turn their backs on god so that they can kick kittens and such. Of course, being an atheist myself, I have no belief in morals, so on discovering that they are a prayer group I might inverse gang-rape them at gunpoint. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/23 "2012-06-13T15:41:20Z")
Just because they came from a church prayer meeting does not mean that they have your best intentions in mind, remember the parable of the Good Samaritan, the religious folk didn’t help. While these people coming towards you may not outright rob you they may try to indoctrinate you into some religious order which is a form of enslaving you - not good. What I would like to see is people coming to me with the Love of Christ/God in their heart and no religion binding them, and yes that is something I have been gifted in being able in seeing - external appearances are deceptive. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/24 "2012-06-13T15:56:56Z")
More seriously (than my last post), if the OP was changed to just be “You need to walk past a man in a dark alley. The only thing you know about him is that he sometimes prays to god. Do you feel more safe knowing that?” I could truthfully answer No, I would feel _less_ safe. In the OP it’s the fact that it’s a group of people who have just come from a peaceful public event that makes the situation less threatening. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/25 "2012-06-13T16:01:24Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Has no bearing on me at all. I’ve seen enough “religious” people that were violent thugs. > > What’s with all this polls of late where (seemingly) religious people are desperate to get non-religious people to in some way validate their religion? Actually I’m an atheist too, I’m just always interested to see the responses of my fellows, seeing as we’re not a monolithic mass. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/26 "2012-06-13T16:36:24Z")
Non-believer. I’d feel slightly safer from being randomly beat up and/or robbed. I’d feel somewhat more unsafe from being confronted for my non-belief in whatever they believe in. Because they are members of a religious group, with possibly fervent beliefs, I would suspect these men of being willing to bend their morality to fit those beliefs. Since I don’t know what those beliefs are, it would be wise to be on my guard. In the end, my fears would change after hearing your information but it’s hard to judge whether my total fear would be greater either way. I think I would get a lot more useful information from observing their attitudes and clothes. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/27 "2012-06-13T16:44:41Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Actually I’m an atheist too, I’m just always interested to see the responses of my fellows, seeing as we’re not a monolithic mass. There’s a weird amount of polls like that at the minute though. “Atheists, what would you do if _X_?” ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/28 "2012-06-13T17:15:07Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t usually worry about any group of men. Rogue individuals are much more trouble. My life experience has been approximately the opposite of this. Perhaps because I am a big enough fella that I don’t usually feel threatened by the presence of one person (and because I haven’t encountered any real violent nutjobs, so far). I have to agree that just because someone was in a prayer meeting doesn’t say much about what kind of person (or group of people) they are. Depends on the specific religion, the culture and country, and lots of other factors. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/29 "2012-06-13T19:01:24Z")
the op is far to vague for me, knowing they just came from a prayer meeting tells me nothing about them at all that would be of use. knowing the religion in particular might be of help. (I might be a bit biased having watched a few documentaries recently on various religions and their evils) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/30 "2012-06-13T19:15:32Z")
I use the label “non-religious” for me. I am not a nervous person when confronted with the unknown. Knowing they came from a prayer meeting would not effect me one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/31 "2012-06-13T19:46:18Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > There’s a weird amount of polls like that at the minute though. “Atheists, what would you do if _X_?” Found where I got it from; not a debate but rather an account of a challenge by Dennis Preger in Hitchen’s book. [Here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&list=UUT39S7JsT90nx9BoTCk45hw&v=EWWBrKKwzbQ#t=360s) how he recounts and answers it. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/32 "2012-06-13T20:31:22Z")
If I were by myself, I’d probably feel safer knowing that. If I were with my boyfriend, I’d feel significantly less safe. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/33 "2012-06-13T21:07:24Z")
I would feel slightly safer because churches, prayer groups, etc., are also civic organizations that promote better quality of life in their cities. People participating in organized activity for such a group are slightly less likely to be criminals, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/34 "2012-06-13T21:33:01Z")
Atheist (WTF is with the anti-theist/apatheist/panlackawannatheist crap? :dubious:), and it wouldn’t make me feel any better or worse. Either way, I’d probably just look for the nearest urine-scented doorway and curl up under a newspaper for a nap. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/35 "2012-06-13T23:05:39Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > I let you know that these men have just left a prayer meeting (and I’m very trustworthy). Does this information make you feel safer, more unsafe, or somewhere in between? This would not affect how I perceived my safety. At least that’s how I answered the poll. But then I realized that if you are letting _me_ know that they have just left a prayer meeting, then you are probably also letting _them_ know that I am an atheist. And this makes me feel much less safe. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/36 "2012-06-15T23:21:19Z")
As a pretty-well accomplished martial artist, I’m not inclined to be fearful of any individual or group approaching me at any time. I realize, however, that such an attitude is woefully naive in the worst of cases. Nevertheless it has, surprisingly, served me well in many places around the world. The additional information at that point helps me as much as knowing the price of Lima beans at that moment. I’d be more keenly interested in knowing what everyone is wearing and what is in my pockets. > [@Princhester](#): > > …having just come from a community meeting at which this group reinforced their belief that they were good people would cause them to behave idealistically and in a community way… Yeah, they’re just leaving the Community Safety Enforcement meeting – which is officially secular but, for some reason, they open every session with prayer and it’s always guest-led by a Christian official.\* Upon seeing the foreigner in their town at an unreasonable hour for any honest activities, they decide to really enforce community safety by mustering their xenophobic solidarity and ejecting the Outsider… —G! - Yeah, I know…That NEVER happens in real life :smack: ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/37 "2012-06-15T23:37:48Z")
No dieties for me, but I would feel safer because I think there is likley to be a pronounced negative correleation between prayer meeting types and the type who would roll you. There are sure to be exceptions, of course, such as: [Gods & Mobsters](http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/2010/08/gods-mobsters/) (from link): > [@](#): > > Eight years ago, a former Whitey Bulger henchman joined a well-to-do Beacon Hill church, where he quickly ingratiated himself with a group of influential congregants. But as allegations about the ex-con piled up, some members began to wonder: Just how reformed was Eddie MacKenzie?.. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/38 "2012-06-16T13:53:22Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > It would make me feel considerably less safe. I’ve known a lot of fervent believers (all Christian, by the way) who were quite violent, yet who were confident that the Lord loved them and would forgive them. Yes, I’m sure that’s the norm. :rolleyes: You ignored the OP. They just came from a prayer meeting. Have you ever been to any? I have been to many in the past, although it’s been awhile (and the last one I confess was to appease others). With exceedingly rare exception they were very nice, friendly, and not at all pushy in a “there’s my opinion and the wrong one!” kind of way in which theists (esp Christians) are so often accused of. Not everyone attends Westboro FYI. PS I’m agnostic and agree that “believing” (or claiming to) is hardly a guarantee of the quality of a person, but on avg/all things being equal I easily find “believers” more trustworthy and just plain nicer. Whether that’s because of their beliefs or they just happen to be nice or a mix probably varies, can’t say. Course there are people who really are believers and those who are or say they are because it’s how they were raised but they never go to church or try to practice the Golden Rule etc etc. Really it’s quite a broad brushstroke when you get down to it. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/39 "2012-06-16T14:17:30Z")
> [@](#): > > You ignored the OP. They just came from a prayer meeting. Have you ever been to any? I have been to many in the past, although it’s been awhile (and the last one I confess was to appease others). With exceedingly rare exception they were very nice, friendly, and not at all pushy in a “there’s my opinion and the wrong one!” kind of way in which theists (esp Christians) are so often accused of. Yes, I’ve been to prayer meetings. Why do you think I’m an atheist? And in my experience, many people in those prayer meetings are nice and friendly. And others are nice and friendly until I reveal that I’m an atheist. Then they aren’t so nice and friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/40 "2012-06-16T14:29:25Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > It would make me feel considerably less safe. I’ve known a lot of fervent believers (all Christian, by the way) who were quite violent, yet who were confident that the Lord loved them and would forgive them. > > The people who proclaim that theirs is a religion of peace always seem to be the ones who use violent means to convert others. > > I’d sooner be with the FBI space aliens. I am religious. And I have trouble with this answer. I think it would ring truer if you saw a single person, although even then feeling considerably less safe doesn’t seem to make statistical sense. But of course the question doesn’t ask for statistical analysis – it asks how you’d feel. Still, I agree that hearing a single person just left a prayer meeting is not any kind of rock solid guarantee of stable behavior. But I’m trying to picture how often, statistically, a group of young men leaving a prayer group in this country are likely to be a threat. Even if one alone would be, it seems a vanishingly remote possibility that the group would be. And malefactors would not want to expose their behavior in front of their group. So my follow up question to Lynn: do you think your feeling, here, is also statistically valid? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966.md?page=3)