Greetings and Salutations :)

[chasm]

Shalom!

[Tiberius]

I'm pretty glad that England is basically an atheist (and apathetic theist) country.

...

Secularism is hopefully one area where the U.S. will catch up with us.

The UK is a Christian country with a secular attitude; the US is the opposite.

The UK has a state religion, 12 priests in the House of Lords, religion blasted all over government, but at the heart, the people are usually very irreligious and secular.

In the USA, the constitution is secular, and despite all the attempts to get religion into government, the majority of them fall flat. However, the people are extraordinarily religious.

I honestly think if you take the word "secular" as what it actually means, America is a far more secular country than the UK. Secular =/= atheism. Secularism is all about keeping government and religion separate. The USA succeeds at this far better than the UK.

[darkwolf176]

What part of the UK are you from?

[AnunZi]

What part of the UK are you from?

Geordie land mate

[darkwolf176]

Good good

[Cego_Colher]

first Hi!

It makes me feel nothing but pity for fellow Atheists from America. It seems as though you guys and girls must be surrounded and bombarded by this religious shite day in, day out. What’s that like? Can you openly announce that you are Atheist without fear of recrimination? Do you think public officials (governors, sheriffs ect ect) could announce that there are Atheists and still be effective in their chosen career?

I am not located in the Bible Belt so I'm relatively safe. At college the majority people I know are religious are Wiccans (or similar) a few Christians that I'm aware of, but everyone generally avoids the talking about religion or is very careful and civil about it.

Except this one girl, Bible Kate. She's from a town over from my college. (located in a rural town) she almost always has he bible on her. She (isn't very smart) will say things that most people know, like they don't know it about Christianity "Most people don't know that-- who we worship, Jesus, was actually a Jew." One of the girls, we thought would punch her because Bible Kate went on about Creationism. She had an argument with an adjunct prof saying that her version of the Bible was the only one that was right. I try very hard to avoid her because I'm pretty sure I won't use words and would just punch her in the face. (My boyfriend tells me this is wrong. She also used to have a crush on him.) She was handing out cookies she had made for a class (she had leftovers) one girl said to her "If I eat one will I turn into a Jesus freak like you?" Oh, Damn, I was going to end on that note, but in my ramblings I forgot to mention the reason I brought her up. In an argument with her she said "It says freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion. That means you can practice Christianity anyway you want." Or something similar. I think that line comes up a lot. Unrelated, but also:

If the founding fathers were alive today they'd wish they were dead.

[Paul the Human]

The First Amendment doesn't say either 'Freedom OF Religion' -or- 'Freedom FROM Religion'.

It says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

[Tiberius]

Our version just says "Christianity is the state religion of the United Kingdom".

[Skeptisma]

It makes me feel nothing but pity for fellow Atheists from America. It seems as though you guys and girls must be surrounded and bombarded by this religious shite day in, day out. What’s that like? Can you openly announce that you are Atheist without fear of recrimination? Do you think public officials (governors, sheriffs ect ect) could announce that there are Atheists and still be effective in their chosen career?

Welcome!

I'm an American, and many of us feel pity for ourselves for this situation we find ourselves in. I think we are in for a long struggle to become on equal footing (even though the total percentage of non-religious folk far out ranks other minorities that ironically have much more power). I forget where - but we have had a tiny bit of hope in a few areas where atheists were successful in finding governmental positions. However, this is not the norm, and probably won't be the norm for a long time.

[Spencer]

I am from America, and am an Atheist greenhorn So I don't have much insight for you. I did however "convert" from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, yes I was Mormon, so in that sense I am used to not being liked!

Welcome to the Forums.