Posts: 3022
Threads: 34
Joined: May 11, 2013
Reputation:
30
Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 4:45 pm
I am English and live in England. Being an atheist here is really not a big deal at all. Well not where I live anyway, I can't speak for other parts of England because I just don't know how religious they are. As I was saying, I live near London and it really isn't a big deal when I tell someone i'm an atheist.
However, I have heard of horrible accounts of persecution of atheists in America. E.g. someone has told their family they are an atheist and they have refused to talk to them and call them 'spawn of the devil' and other such insults. My question is: is this true? Is this a normal reaction or are stories like this quite rare?
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
Posts: 2854
Threads: 61
Joined: February 1, 2013
Reputation:
35
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 5:07 pm
When I was a child, I was told I had to accept Jesus into my heart or the only girls my age that I could play with after school would refuse to play with me. So I went through the whole ritual my peers subjected me to, crossing my fingers behind my back the whole time. I figured if God did exist and was benevolent, he would understand.
Posts: 30836
Threads: 1382
Joined: March 15, 2013
Reputation:
152
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 5:13 pm
It is not just atheism. American families will disown other family members over the most inane controversies if the particular family member refuses to keep his or her differences hidden from the public.
"Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat."
~ Erin Hunter
Posts: 10411
Threads: 15
Joined: September 9, 2011
Reputation:
119
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 5:14 pm
It's hard to persecute people when you can't tell they're part of the minority you despise by looking at them, and it's hard to despise members of an unpopular minority when you know them personally. So we get off light compared to what some other minorities have had to face.
Being an open atheist in a small town in the South or Midwest is a hazard to your property, and maybe your safety, but there's generally room for a few village atheists as long as you don't do stuff like insist the town council stop making prayers a part of their procedings. That's a recipe for broken windows and dead pets.
Posts: 3022
Threads: 34
Joined: May 11, 2013
Reputation:
30
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 5:53 pm
(June 3, 2013 at 5:14 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Being an open atheist in a small town in the South or Midwest is a hazard to your property, and maybe your safety, but there's generally room for a few village atheists as long as you don't do stuff like insist the town council stop making prayers a part of their procedings. That's a recipe for broken windows and dead pets.
WOW, see to me that is amazing. We have nothing like that in England. So they break your stuff, kill your pets and/or hurt you, just for your beliefs? I mean I realise that the bible tells Christians to kill others who are not Christian but I didn't realise they take it so literally! lol
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
Posts: 501
Threads: 7
Joined: June 3, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Personally, I won't be telling my family for awhile. They are traditionalist. I mean baptist missionaries. I had a conversation about abortion with my grandma and she almost disowned me then. In the south being an Atheist can be bad. I mean some people can be mean (almost illegal) about a range of issues here. I'm studying philosophy and religion in college and a co-worker started going off about how dumb it was for me to study that. They went on to say how if I keep studying the bible I will come to see the truth. It depends on where you are and family. But for some people going against the norm can be very unpleasant.
Posts: 66329
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
160
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 6:07 pm
(This post was last modified: June 3, 2013 at 6:08 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(June 3, 2013 at 5:56 pm)Savannahw Wrote: I'm studying philosophy and religion in college and a co-worker started going off about how dumb it was for me to study that. LOL, well...you probably won't be raking in the big bucks with that degree..unless you're okay with conning the credulous.....
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 501
Threads: 7
Joined: June 3, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 6:15 pm
[/quote]
LOL, well...you probably won't be raking in the big bucks with that degree..unless you're okay with conning the credulous.....
[/quote]
Well I'm actually hoping to teach it at a college one day. Basic philo and religion classes but through in some fun stuff like a SciFi and Philosophy class.
Posts: 3022
Threads: 34
Joined: May 11, 2013
Reputation:
30
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 6:16 pm
I feel so bad for you man! Things need to change! And this is where it starts, in small forums like this, slowly gaining support. We have to work our way up so that everyone can challenge all religions on the level that Richard Dawkins does and Christopher Hitchens did. I mean you can understand the hate for Muslims, seeing as the extremists blow up stuff and kill people but atheists? What the hell do we do besides challenge their beliefs?
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
Posts: 501
Threads: 7
Joined: June 3, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Persecution of atheists
June 3, 2013 at 6:22 pm
That's the thing. We challenge. That is where the anger comes from. In small places when you break the status qua, you are shaking foundations. It can be other things besides religion. I moved to a town where the high school was more populous than the town. My multi-racial family made quite a stir. I was bullied out of my school. When you have close minded people believing they are infallible, and you shake it up, they get scared. Scared people do crazy things.
|
