Study says coming out as atheist can help reduce prejudice towards atheists

[TaraJo]

[Zone]

You may as well go around telling people that your hobby is not collecting stamps. Besides everyone in the world is not believing in someones religion or someones God/s. We're just talking about one more in addition to a very long list. It's not controversial to not be a Jain or a Zoroastrian, no-one would bat an eyelid in your non-belief in those religions. Why it suddenly becomes controversial once you do the exact same thing with Christianity or the Bible I don't know. So that's the religion popular within the geographic area in which you were born but that doesn't suddenly make it anymore true or necessary to believe in than the religions of India or Shinto Japan.

[Confused Ape]

[TaraJo]

Well, basically, what it comes down to is when you ask people what they think of atheists, as a group, they'll spout all kinds of garbage. They'll either believe that we all participate in wild sex orgies or that we want to outlaw religion or some shit like that. Or the'll believe vague stuff about us like that we're un-American, that we're amoral hedonists or any number of other vague, but wrong, beliefs. When we come out as atheist, we can help distill some of those beliefs. I mean, if they think that atheists are immoral but they find someone who does a lo of volunteer work is an atheist, it helps dispel that belief. If someone thinks atheists are un-American finds out all the atheists in the military, his false belief is challenged. Just by being ourselves and openly identifying as atheist we're challenging some negative stereotypes.

[Minimalist]

They'll either believe that we all participate in wild sex orgies

Didn't you get your invitation?

[Mister Agenda]

The funny thing about atheists who aren't open because they don't want to be associated with prominent atheists who are dicks, is that they are enabling the dicks to be their default representatives.

[Violet]

The funny thing about atheists who aren't open because they don't want to be associated with prominent atheists who are dicks, is that they are enabling the dicks to be their default representatives.

I'm sorry, but my default representatives are pussies. It's the only explanation.

[Strongbad]

http://www.examiner.com/article/science-...r-own-good

It looks like prejudices people have towards atheists stems from lack of trust. As they start to find out that more and more people around them are atheist, the prejudical attitudes seem to decrease.

Although I think "coming out" is a good thing for atheists to do, it can also have some rather serious consequences for the atheist, especially depending on locale. Here in central Florida, the VAST majority of the population is christian fundamentalist (think: Drich), and they view atheists with extreme contempt and prejudice; I speak from experience.

I think we are decades away from any sort of "acceptance" by the ignorant christian community.

[Confused Ape]

Just by being ourselves and openly identifying as atheist we're challenging some negative stereotypes.

The funny thing about atheists who aren't open because they don't want to be associated with prominent atheists who are dicks, is that they are enabling the dicks to be their default representatives.

I agree with both points. I'm in England but my behaviour on the internet can be viewed by people from all over the world. I didn't have to sign up to this forum in order to browse through the topics to see what goes on here.

[fr0d0]

"coming out" suggests a release from something oppressive. Always a good idea.

The atheists that openly declare themselves I find to be Dick's of Dawkian proportion.

Pussies can't be like that