(June 5, 2015 at 10:32 pm)Ashground Wrote: ...
I don't mean this in a condescending way, but I sometimes feel sorry for atheists in the US. Although I know there are far worse places to be an atheist (At least it isn't punishable by law). I've also noticed that American atheists usually seem more aggressive, maybe because they feel constantly on the defensive. ...
Two things. First, you are right that American atheists often seem more aggressive online. This is because atheists are regarded as the worst villains possible here, and are, as you say, on the defensive. (You might suppose it is hyperbole to say that atheists are regarded as the worst villains possible here. I invite you to research the matter online and see for yourself that I am telling you the truth.) Second, we feel sorry for ourselves, that we are not in a more civilized country where atheism is the norm.
Until you have lived in a society that is filled with religious crazies trying to shove their religion down everyone's throats, it is probably very difficult to imagine how upsetting it is. Even if you visited, it would not be the same for you, as you would know that you may go home and be safe. We are pretty well stuck here.
Obviously, you are right that there are worse places for atheists than the U.S., but that is no comfort to me. That someone else has it worse does not make me feel better. I would be happier if everyone else had it better, as I gain nothing from others being worse off.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
