atheists: most distrusted minority in US

[caitycaity]

...even worse than muslims or gay people, which quite frankly is surprising to me.

UMN did a study on distrusted groups. You can read about it here:
http://www.ur.umn.edu/FMPro?-db=releases&-lay=web&-format=umnnewsreleases/releasesdetail.html&ID=2816&-Find

Thoughts? Do you implicitly distrust people who are atheists? If so, why?

 

[blondewithbrains]

I don't distrust atheists but I can see where people are coming from.....they're thinking that since atheists don't answer to a higher power, there's no reason for them to do the right thing (or at least that's what I've heard people say about atheists)

 

[Chicago526]

All I can say is one of the kindest, most wonderful people I know is an athiest. I'd trust her with anything.

You don't need to believe in God to have morals.

 

[ead79]

Hmmm, that is surprising to me too. As a very religious person, I find it hard to understand the perspective of someone who does not believe in God, but I wouldn’t find it harder to trust them. But then again, I don’t automatically distrust people just because they are different from me.

 

[RitaZ.]

Thoughts? Do you implicitly distrust people who are atheists? If so, why?

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this... I actually distrust people that are, what I consider, overly religious.

 

[cardaway]

I'm surprised you're surprised. It's why many athiests, and basically non-Christians for that matter, all but hide that detail from the public.

 

[Crankyshank]

I wonder if there was any sort of location diversity in regards to the places they called. I find it hard to believe that they got a decent cross section of people.

The results are definitely surprising. I can't imagine not trusting someone because of their religious beliefs or lack of. I'm someone with definite trust issues too

 

[Kitka]

I can't understand why anyone would trust an athiest less just because of their absence of religious dogma. Just don't get it. I've never heard the argument that athiests aren't trustworthy because they're "not accountable to a higher power" but I'd call that out any day. Not all religious folk that ARE supposedly "accountable to a higher power" do the right thing (hello, extremist Muslims and "Christians" like Hitler???). Besides, there is something to be said for the fact that athiests do the right thing just because it's the right thing, not because anyone/thing/religion told them to!

I frankly just don't get the social/religious conflicts going on in the US right now. Just don't get it. What the heck is wrong with judging someone on their character and not their label?!

 

[LukenDC]

Atheism is unfortunately associated with communism in the minds of many people due to the official state atheism of the Soviet Union and other communist powers. In my mind, the communist nations were really not atheistic because they replaced religion with a personality cult focused on Marx, Lenin, and other communist figures. In essence, the state became God. North Korea even took it a step further by actually diefying the Kim dynasty.

The communist nations also instituted many aspects of fundamentalism. People could be persecuted for political heresy. Homosexuality was outlawed and homosexuals were placed in psychiatric hospitals or prisons. Religious worship was strongly discouraged and oppressed because it detracted from communism, the official "religion" of the state. The USSR maintained strict obscenity laws and sexuality was a taboo topic. Abortion was freely available but, aside from China, large families were idealized.

I'm an atheist because I see no evidence of a supernatural, all-knowing being and I regard religion and God as man made creations. Science is the best way to explore the mysteries of the universe and I believe that mankind is good. This life is worth living fully. I am also a proud American, strong capitalist, and staunch anti-communist.

 

[caitycaity]

mike, i'm not surprised that atheists are discriminated against. i am surprised that they are distrusted more than some other groups. very few people i know irl know my religious beliefs...because of the negative reaction i have had when telling close friends and family in the past. however, in terms of trust...i guess i have never experienced someone not trusting me b/c of my religious preferences.

they're thinking that since atheists don't answer to a higher power, there's no reason for them to do the right thing (or at least that's what I've heard people say about atheists)

yet another good question....for those of you that are religious, is your belief in god the ONLY thing that prevents you from leading an amoral life? If you did not believe in god would you run around stealing, killing, raping, cheating, etc.?

 

[caitycaity]

I wonder if there was any sort of location diversity in regards to the places they called. I find it hard to believe that they got a decent cross section of people.

i'm sure there was since they made regional claims about the midwest vs. east/west coasts. 2000 is generally considered a good number for a national sample. that's around the n of most national polls.

 

[blondewithbrains]

I believe in God and it's the knowledge of what's good and bad as well as whether I feel good or bad about a decision that makes me not do bad things (not that I've never done anything wrong, but I try not to hurt other people.)

 

[Maleficent13]

My question is, how on earth do these people know who to trust? It is my personal experience that atheists don't walk up to people and say, "Hi, I'm Mal, and I'm an atheist." I read this article and thought to myself, WTH???

yet another good question....for those of you that are religious, is your belief in god the ONLY thing that prevents you from leading an amoral life? If you did not believe in god would you run around stealing, killing, raping, cheating, etc.?

Well, here's my agenda for the day:

Noon: Steal Lunch
1pm: Run over annoying boss with car
2pm: Wash car
3pm: Beat up small children and take their candy/bicycles/toy trucks
4pm: Institute new credit card scam
5pm:Call it a day

 

[cardaway]

mike, i'm not surprised that atheists are discriminated against. i am surprised that they are distrusted more than some other groups. very few people i know irl know my religious beliefs...because of the negative reaction i have had when telling close friends and family in the past. however, in terms of trust...i guess i have never experienced someone not trusting me b/c of my religious preferences.

What I was trying to say is that I think experience with distrust over this issue is very common and that is why many non-Christians do what they do. The only good thing is that it's easy to overcome unless it's a person really close to you.

 

[ford family]

I believe in God and it's the knowledge of what's good and bad as well as whether I feel good or bad about a decision that makes me not do bad things (not that I've never done anything wrong, but I try not to hurt other people.)

So, are you saying its only because you believe in God that you know what's good and bad and because I don't believe in God I cannot know what's good or bad?

ford family

 

[caitycaity]

mal, that is exactly my point. it's not like i have no motivation to lead a moral life. even without god, there are social norms which prevent many people from doing amoral things. on top of that there are laws, and on top of that people can believe in being moral in and of itself without being religious.

i'm an atheist and i believe i am a fairly moral person. i try to do the "right" thing and treat my fellow (wo)man with respect.

 

[Maleficent13]

I know we've talked about this before, caity, and I have to say I feel lucky in that in my circle, at least, I have not noticed a stigma attached to atheism. Most people around here don't really care what you believe...now, when I lived in the south, that was a WHOLE other ballgame.

Oops, gotta run...it's lunch time and I have to go stalk someone with a good tray so I can trip them and take it...

 

[caitycaity]

save some for me!

 

[Rajah]

I'm more likely to distrust *any* religious fanatic regardless of denomination, including atheist. It's the *fanatics* that bring trouble, IMHO. But your average Christian, Muslim, Atheist, etc...? Nah, they all have the equal potentil to be fantastic people.

 

[blondewithbrains]

Oops, fordfamily....that's not what I meant to say. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I was just stating that I'm not an atheist but that's not why I try not to hurt other people. It's because I feel bad in my heart if I hurt someone else.