# 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:** 3
**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, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/41 "2012-06-16T14:41:03Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Yes, I’ve been to prayer meetings. Why do you think I’m an atheist? I don’t know you so I’ve no idea. I kinda doubt it was driven simply by prayer meetings (at least I’d hope not), but maybe they grow em really nasty in Ft Worth; can’t say. But again that is hardly the norm FYI; you might at least consider that possibility, or even that maybe just because there are some hypocritical or otherwise unfriendly/undesirable people walking around with a Bible in their hand, it doesn’t invalidate Christians or Christianity or theism on the whole. > [@](#): > > 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. Maybe you’re just not hanging out the right places. 🙂 Most theists I’ve known or even met were pointedly respectful of people’s feelings and right to believe whatever they feel. Oh well ---
**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, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/42 "2012-06-16T15:09:01Z")
I don’t have a problem with most theists. I was asked if I’d feel more or less safe or no change. And I’d feel less safe. Most theists seem to respect my atheism. But the ones who don’t can get pretty aggressive about it…and in my experience, the most violent people tend to be theists. Of course, this is wildly skewed by the fact that most people that I encounter are theists, or claim to be. Around these parts, if you are an “out” atheist, you WILL be snubbed by some theists. When my daughter was in (public) middle and high school, most school programs had a heavily religious slant, and if I made a complaint, I was told that I could skip the programs, because most people enjoyed this. And most people would prefer to have the Ten Commandments on display in (public) schools, and think that anyone who objects to this is immoral. There’s a reason why I don’t go to Mensa meetings in this town…every meeting seems to have a religious/inspirational speaker. The weekly gatherings are held in a coffee shop that’s aggressively Christian. I’m not particularly interested in being preached at, so I don’t attend the meetings. Yeah, I know, I should start up my own meetings and see if I can get others interested in nonreligious/inspirational meetings. The assumption is that everyone who lives here is either Catholic or evangelical Christian. Oh, there’s some Jews and Muslims, but many people look askance at them, especially the Muslims. Having said all that, I’d probably be wary of ANY group of people late at night. It doesn’t stop my nightly wanderings (I used to live in Las Vegas, and wandered around until the sun came up), but I am aware of my surroundings. In LV, people were much less aggressive about their religions, and didn’t insist that I actually DID believe in God, but I was just mad at him. It’s sort of like not liking football and country music around here. It’s just assumed that everyone who lives here LOVES football and country music. I doubt that I’d feel any less safe if I knew that the group was a bunch of country music lovers, but those football fans can get violent, too. Especially if you dis their team. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/43 "2012-06-16T15:15:46Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > It would make me feel safer, but then again, knowing just about any non-threatening info about strangers would do the same. If I knew they just left a movie they watched together, I’d feel more confident that they weren’t walking together for nefarious intentions. Boom, done. Exactly what I was going to say in the first response. While there are no shortage of violent religious people, I’m inclined to believe a group of people leaving a prayer session probably aren’t going to mug me. Yes, I’m an atheist, and no, I’m not less inclined to find a group of people who happen to believe in Jesus to be less violent than those who don’t, but I just don’t see a mugging or assault happening right after they left church. I’d also feel safer if I learned the men just came from a knitting group. There’s no way in hell I’d feel \*more \*endangered. That’s just religion bashing lunacy. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/44 "2012-06-16T17:35:41Z")
Believer, safer, see **voltaire’s** response. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/45 "2012-06-21T04:15:01Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I don’t have a problem with most theists… I guess you don’t. So far you have been innundated with the Christian version at prayer meetings, at Mensa meetings, and (via your daughter’s experience) at school, and none have hurt you, or threatened to hurt you, have they? OP was obiously asking about fear of physical violence, and nothing in the experiences you describe provides ground for being afraid that a bunch of prayer-meeting types would be at all likely to mug you. I suspect you realize that, but do not want to face up to your bigotry. ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/46 "2012-06-21T04:16:51Z")
Depends on their religion. ---
**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 21, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/47 "2012-06-21T05:40:45Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > I guess you don’t. So far you have been innundated with the Christian version at prayer meetings, at Mensa meetings, and (via your daughter’s experience) at school, and none have hurt you, or threatened to hurt you, have they? > > OP was obiously asking about fear of physical violence, and nothing in the experiences you describe provides ground for being afraid that a bunch of prayer-meeting types would be at all likely to mug you. I suspect you realize that, but do not want to face up to your bigotry. Actually, the same kids at the prayer meetings were the ones who used to beat me up on a regular basis. They were usually the ones who got awards for memorizing Bible verses. When I went to school in the 1960s, there were some teachers who still did Bible readings in classes, no matter what the Supreme Court had ruled. And again, the ones who were most vocal about Jesus and God were the ones who used the paddle most often, and most indiscriminately. So yes, some theists have physically hurt me. Not very many, only a small proportion, but in my experience, the person who most loudly declares that s/he is a Christian is the person who is most likely to assault me. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/48 "2012-06-21T05:59:37Z")
> [@the\_apples\_fell](#): > > Depends on their religion. I hate to say it, but yes, my feelings would depend on their religion and the context at the time. I would be more scared of a NoI prayer group than a baptist one, especially as I am white. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/49 "2012-06-21T07:43:18Z")
As a gay woman, I would not be thrilled to be confronted by a gang of overtly religious men. Well, unless they’re Church of England. Those people are pussies. ---
**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:** [June 21, 2012, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/50 "2012-06-21T08:31:21Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > It would make me feel safer, but then again, knowing just about any non-threatening info about strangers would do the same. If I knew they just left a movie they watched together, I’d feel more confident that they weren’t walking together for nefarious intentions. And at least as important, presumably they have no idea who or what I am,so they lack the main reason such a group of men would be inclined to harm me. Now, if they knew I was an atheist then I’d have the exact opposite response; a bunch of believers hyped up on religious zeal after a religious meeting are the sorts who are most likely to take out that zeal on some random “sinner” they come across. Also, how much i looked like the locals would factor into the answer; if I look foreign at a glance I’d be more worried than if I more-or-less blend in. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/51 "2012-06-21T10:21:58Z")
Non-believer. If I had a reason to feel unsafe, like they were carrying brickbats, then their having emerged from a prayer meeting WOULD make me feel a little safer. But that wasn’t part of your premise, so I had to go with “neutral”. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/52 "2012-06-21T11:54:01Z")
Atheist – It would make me feel safer – Only because most religions promote law-abiding behavior, and since they just got out of a prayer meeting, they just got a dose of “love thy neighbor.” So it’s more likely that they’re benign than a pack of robbers. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/53 "2012-06-21T12:48:19Z")
If I were coming out of a gay bar (or just near a gay bar), I’d feel quite threatened knowing they came out of a prayer meeting. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/54 "2012-06-21T12:51:29Z")
I’d feel less safe. Given my luck, they’re probably from the Church of Dagon… …that and I’m a worldwide minority ethnicity who usually dresses … differently. Hell yes, I’d be worried. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/55 "2012-06-21T18:35:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Actually, the same kids at the prayer meetings were the ones who used to beat me up on a regular basis. They were usually the ones who got awards for memorizing Bible verses. > > When I went to school in the 1960s, there were some teachers who still did Bible readings in classes, no matter what the Supreme Court had ruled. And again, the ones who were most vocal about Jesus and God were the ones who used the paddle most often, and most indiscriminately. > > So yes, some theists have physically hurt me. Not very many, only a small proportion, but in my experience, the person who most loudly declares that s/he is a Christian is the person who is most likely to assault me. And if I were to tell you that every person who told me they were gay were also bullies and had beaten me up, would I be justified in announcing to the world that I was scared of gay people? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/56 "2012-06-21T18:39:54Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And if I were to tell you that every person who told me they were gay were also bullies and had beaten me up, would I be justified in announcing to the world that I was scared of gay people? You misspelled “scarecrows”. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/57 "2012-06-21T19:28:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Actually, the same kids at the prayer meetings were the ones who used to beat me up on a regular basis. They were usually the ones who got awards for memorizing Bible verses. > > When I went to school in the 1960s, there were some teachers who still did Bible readings in classes, no matter what the Supreme Court had ruled. And again, the ones who were most vocal about Jesus and God were the ones who used the paddle most often, and most indiscriminately. > > So yes, some theists have physically hurt me. Not very many, only a small proportion, but in my experience, the person who most loudly declares that s/he is a Christian is the person who is most likely to assault me. _Childhood_ bullying provides no grounds for supposing that _adults_ who have just left a prayer meeting would mug one other _adult_. Teacher paddlings (probably well-deserved rather than “indiscriminate”) are irrelevant and too trivial to justify a case for the propensity of Christian adults to go to a prayer meeting and then assault the first inoffensive stranger they see. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/58 "2012-06-21T19:32:21Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > _Childhood_ bullying provides no grounds for supposing that _adults_ who have just left a prayer meeting would mug one other _adult_. > > Teacher paddlings (probably well-deserved rather than “indiscriminate”) are irrelevant and too trivial to justify a case for the propensity of Christian adults to go to a prayer meeting and then assault the first inoffensive stranger they see. Neither of these things are true, and the second contains a massive unjustifiable assumption. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/59 "2012-06-21T19:35:07Z")
Based on the data, not really safer. the fact that they are religious doesnt mean theyre non violent. There are many militant types in religion. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966/60 "2012-06-22T01:33:34Z")
> [@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. This:( [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-this-make-you-feel-safer-one-for-atheists-especially/624966.md?page=4)