Two questions.

[Bull Poopie]

@BullPoopie- There are no stupid questions..well I'm sure some atheists on here would disagree but if you're trying to understand how people work a great place to start would be with introspection. As Sun Tzu says "If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril." and the always popular "Know thy self, know thy enemy"

I have been doing that lately, I think too much by the "dorkus questions" I have been asking on here. I am new to actually thinking outloud, I know you have heard that term used before :-P or thinking for myself. That is another term I have heard as well. Anyways I think the main I am trying to figure out is where I fit in this whole world. I am reading a wanderful book some gracious person has advised me to read. It is by Daniel C. Donnett " Breaking the spell". He talks not only about religioin, atheism, etc. He talks about people and a little on who people react. I actually have some college back ground believe it or not and the most thing that interested me was about the mind, behaviors and how people under react, over react or are just melow. I dream of returning to school to finish my medical degree but in hopes to take more psych classes in the process. (sorry got a little off topic there)

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1. Why is it that people sterotype atheist? Is it because we donot bow down to no god or reconize anything that the majorty of the population does? Because we are unique in our own way?

You mean stereotype in the US-- because here it makes more sense since the country is more obsessed with religion than other developed countries. Other (developed) countries don't have those same kind of hangups. And besides, generally the topic of religion (for or against or whatever) is regarded as a private matter, not to be plastered on a bumper sticker or t-shirt or political slogans. That would be in poor taste. Except of course in the US (is this an insecurity thing I wonder?).

Unfortunately I was brought up in the south myself, Entropist. I was very closed minded and anything that ventured outside of my box I was freakedout about espcially religion. It was just unatural to think that anything existed beside god, jesus and the church itself. The leaders were god's messangers (gads) Anyways I feel like a kid that just dipped her hand in the candy jar and eating everything in site.LOL, you see my point there? ( Then again from all the years of religious upbringing I do feel a little insecure before I wander every once in a while about the universe, god and the way people are and the evidence that presents itself of god not existing, wether it be science or not.) That brings me to wander about people behaviors, do you where it all ties into? I am just trying to find myself in all this. I am skeptical and often wander about everything. I am reading an good book here. ( I hope I am making sense here ) Anyways in my small town where I came from we had bumper stickers that had honk if you love Jesus, people wore t-shirts, etc. I think is a waste of money, time and effort.. why exploit it? If you go to church to me that should be enough for you don't honk or wear a t-shirt to prove it. Anways, maybe I am just talking out of my ass or babbling.
Where I live (in the US deep south) I don't think many people have ever actually met (to their knowledge) an atheist. And, in order to make sure I still have a job, I keep my own lack of belief under wraps (my manager is a fundamentalist and she's a bit irrational anyways). It was a big enough step for me to say to a co-worker once (because asked) about where I went to church (not "if," but "where") and I said that I wasn't a particularly religious person (a massive understatement!). She then pressed me, "Oh, no! You aren't one of those atheists are you? Those people are crazy! etc etc" I somehow deflected the conversation, but still stuck to my "not a religious person" explanation for myself. But I thought to myself, "How many atheists have you ever actually met before?" Probably none, which made her able to say such a ridiculous thing.

In the past I've told people, after knowing them for long periods of time, that I am an atheist and they wouldn't believe me: "Oh you can't be an atheist, you are too nice! etc" which is really strikes me as funny. --Because atheists like to butcher kittens and eat babies dontchaknow?

In general, I think prejudice is more able to get a foothold in people and communities when the group in question is a very tiny minority, to the point that they have probably never met an actual atheist, Jew, gay, Muslim, etc. Or have segregated themselves so much that they have no real contact with them. Once you KNOW someone who belongs to category x, y or z and you realize "oh, they are living, breathing human beings with feelings and hopes and dreams and desires just like me" it becomes harder to stick to ones prejudices. That undermines prejudice more than any rational argument, which is why things like racial integration truly scared the hell out of hardcore racist ideologues in the Jim Crow south. When you realize that the black girl sitting next to you in class isn't all that different from you, and grow up with those experiences, next thing you know they'll be marrying and who knows what else! This easily fits the problem that gays and lesbians are dealing with in some less enlightened countries like the US.
Unfortunately I suppose we sterotype people when they don't fit into our world or our beliefs or thoughts. If they are venturing outside the four boxed walls then we get defensive at them and think the worst, that is what I think at times. People behaviors are just amazing to me at times wich connects with their thought process or how shallow or closed minded people are but then again I could be talking out of my ass again.

2. I didnot think evolutionlist believed in spirits but that we have simply evolved wich he does believe but he believes in both. I just thought that was corky.

There are quite a number of Catholics and some Protestants who have no problem with evolution, but conveniently add there is something *else* added in the mix. Don't ask me how one can reconcile this sort of thing-- I never did when I was in the Church of Christ (yes, I kept that secret to myself in those days that I accepted evolution) and even in my later more "liberal Christian" days I still compartmentalized those things and simply didn't address the issue (but then, I was doing a lot of mental compartmentalization in those days in order to have my cake and eat it too).