(July 13, 2015 at 1:14 am)BrokenQuill92 Wrote: I suppose I was always an atheist. I did wander into being a Wiccan during my teen years. As far as Americans are concerned yes there a definetly more white atheist than black. Not sure why. My family is baptist with a little Lutheran mixed in. The way we deal with everything uncomfortable in my family is simply don't talk about it.Hello, BrokenQuill92.
I'm new to this board and black, so I thought I might weigh in on this topic.
I've always maintained this crazy notion that blacks are just as diverse as any other group of people. Atheism in general, can't be accurately determined due to the social stigma and misinformation that surrounds it. I would be willing to bet serious money that the number of black non-believers in the USA is basically the same as as the general population.
I think it may be that blacks are less likely to identify as atheist, when they in fact are. No one wants to be stigmatized and viewed as lacking morality.....especially if you're a member of minority/subgroup that is already stigmatized to some degree.
Of course, there is the latest polling to consider. While I accept that there is a methodology to polling that is sound, I think anyone would agree that all polls are not created equally. Ever watch Fox News?
Anyway, this makes me think of short, but significant conversation I had with my grandmother a few months before she died. I was still a believer at the time (half-assed by then, but a believer nonetheless). She was filling out what seemed to be no less than one million Pick 3 Lotto slips for me to play for her at the gas station and another million tickets to check for her--just before I had to head home. I was pissed, but didn't want to let on. Desperately, I attempted to appeal to her on a religious level.
Me: Isn't there something in the Bible about gambling?
My grandmother looked up at me with something between disbelief and deep concern on her face.
Grandma: You do know that's a book, Thena.
Me: Huh?
Grandma: Go play my numbers. It's getting dark.
We all know more atheists than we think we do. You've just got to read between the lines sometimes.
