I was wondering about religion in America

[nogodchick]

I'm English, where its more or less okay to be a non believer, or at least people aren't all that interested. It's clear that the same cannot be said about vast swathes of the USA. I was wondering if there is such a thing as closet atheists. I mean, is it a phenomenon or is it ok to admit your Godlessness?
And I hear atheism is on the rise over there. Is that true?

[CapnAwesome]

Personally I've never had a problem as an Atheist here.

[BrokenQuill92]

Yes hon, there a LOTS of closet atheists here. And yes more, and more people under 30 r giving religion the ideological finger!

[null--69]

Atheism is on the rise because logic yo.

[KUSA]

In the bible belt USA it is hazardous to your career to profess Atheism. You will be discriminated.

[Faith No More]

Oh, sure, there are lots of closet atheists. If you look around the forum, you'll see stories of people afraid to tell their family lest they be disowned. I've never experienced anything personally, but I don't go around advertising it, either. Most people will just assume you believe in god if the subject never comes up. I think most people that spend enough time around me, however, know due to off-hand comments I will make.

It is bad enough, though, that you never know who will freak out when they find out you don't believe in god, so it's pragmatic just to not mention it.

[Chad32]

I managed to come out to my immediate family, and a few friends, though I don't have an atheist shirt, or an atheist car tag, or anything like that. I just think I'm lucky that my parents aren't the deeply religious ones, so coming out was easier.

[DeistPaladin]

And I hear atheism is on the rise over there. Is that true?

Yes but we're still in the minority for now and in "red states" (more conservative areas), it's a good idea for free thinkers to stay in the closet.

We were discussing on another thread why America is such an anomaly among 1st world countries with our 3rd world level of piety. This seems especially strange to me when I think of how we were founded as a secular nation with a strict separation of Church and State.

The theory I proposed on this other thread is that the Separation of Church and State ironically created an environment in which the religions with the greatest popular appeal would prosper while the dreary ones would die off. State religions are provided for, so there isn't as much pressure on the official faith to reinvent itself to appeal to the public.

Another explanation is that Christianity and patriotism were artificially intertwined during the Cold War. Communism and "godlessness" were closely associated with one another.

[Mystical]

I live in a red state

I told everyone I know successfully and there were some casualties, yes. Like my dad thinks he's a failure of a parent. My mom constantly tells me about jesus now whereas she didn't. And.. my brother told me I'll end up a drunken puke slathered corpse on the side of the road one day (I don't drink). But he apologized and now it's all good

But yes people talk to you mostly in the assumption that you believe in god. I just nod and promote positivity!

[CapnAwesome]

Yes but we're still in the minority for now and in "red states" (more conservative areas), it's a good idea for free thinkers to stay in the closet.

Bullshit! It's never the best policy to not stand up for what you believe in. People's ideas of Atheists will never change until they realize that Atheists are perfectly normal people. You don't have to be a dick about it, but it's always best to be open if people ask and if you aren't a dick or a pussy about it, people will respect you. More importantly you will respect yourself.