Finding Out [Whoever] Believes in God

[Ryantology]

The only time my opinion nosedives when finding out they are religious is when I find out their religious beliefs cause them to have extremely conservative political views.

This is precisely how I feel. It's really disappointing when someone you like, and think of as a good guy, one day rants about gay marriage and homosexuals going to hell. It makes me think that, if I was precisely the same person I am now, except gay, only the last part would matter to him and he would hate me.

[Creed of Heresy]

[festive1]

I have to admit, that yes, my opinion does drop.
I view it as what it is, a prejudice. After being raised in the South, I also have a prejudice against Southern accents, in both cases my idea of the person's estimated IQ instantly drops.
But like any prejudice, if we can acknowledge that it's there, that's the first step to moving past it. I realize that upon learning a person believes in god my opinion of their general intelligence drops, so I try to remind myself that I shouldn't dock them presumed IQ points and give them the benefit of the doubt. I do the same when someone starts speaking with a Southern accent, because I have met some very intelligent people with heavy Southern accents. In my personal experience, I have met some very intelligent believers too, but they tend to have holes in their intelligence/logic surrounding their belief systems. I try not to form hard opinions about people until getting to know them better, but I am human and I've been burned more than a few times, so I'm not always good at it.

[Creed of Heresy]

Aw, I have a southern accent. :< A mild one, though; Virginia.

[Angrboda]

Here's a couple extra credit questions.

Do you have different "feelings of apprehension" / "dock them points" / whatever if they are religious, but from a non-Judeo-Christo-Muslim religion?

Which religions do you "trust" religious people from? Which don't you?

Do you think it's the people, the beliefs, the history, the abuses, the culture or something else that makes you feel differently about them?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I've known my closest friend for nearly 40 years. His views can be very conservative .We often have a coffee and an argument.

His last pearler "in Australia,women are far better off than men, except financially"

What followed was a free and frank exchange of views. The discussion ended when I called him a misogynist prick and we both claimed victory. Yet he is my beloved friend, with whom I trust my life.

[CliveStaples]

This is precisely how I feel. It's really disappointing when someone you like, and think of as a good guy, one day rants about gay marriage and homosexuals going to hell. It makes me think that, if I was precisely the same person I am now, except gay, only the last part would matter to him and he would hate me.

Is atheism somehow inherently anti-conservative? I'd like to think that it isn't; if I became an atheist tomorrow, why would I have to suddenly vote for Barack Obama--or at least, not vote for, say, Paul Ryan?

[Minimalist]

believes in god, does your opinion of him/her take a nosedive?

Generally, yes.

The depth of the decline depends on how big an asshole they turn out to be.

[Ryantology]

Is atheism somehow inherently anti-conservative? I'd like to think that it isn't; if I became an atheist tomorrow, why would I have to suddenly vote for Barack Obama--or at least, not vote for, say, Paul Ryan?

It's really hard to argue that atheism and American conservatism have much in the way of compatibility, not because atheism is inherently anti-conservative, but that American conservatism is inherently anti-atheist.

But, of course, there are few absolutes. There are, as an example, the Log Cabin Republicans, gay men and women inexplicably affiliated with a party which seems largely proud of viewing them as less than human.

[Xyster]

It would depend on level of belief.. If they were a young earth creatard.... then I would place them at an education level of trained monkey.. Then I just throw peanuts at their feet and run...