History of Atheism

[Draconic Aiur]

And I'm skeptic about what you say knowing the religious fan club of the past and present.

[Belacqua]

And I'm skeptic about what you say knowing the religious fan club of the past and present.

OK; skepticism is good.

I have given you facts, names, and dates, and you can look into these as you wish.

[Draconic Aiur]

ok then

[downbeatplumb]

But there were alot [sic] of them for fear of religious fanatics that is my point. Today there are more atheists that are open than of the past.

Yes, depending on the time and place, some atheists were threatened. Today there are more people open about it. 

But this sentence: 

Anything before the late 1900's = religious fanatics run you over.

is not a true sentence.

In the UK you were fined for not going to church until 1842.

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansa...-at-church

In the USA now there are rules in some states that disallow atheists from having any sort of political power.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/in...-ban-.html

Maryland and six other states still have articles in their constitutions saying people who do not believe in God are not eligible to hold public office. Maryland’s still says belief in God is a requirement even for jurors and witnesses.

[Draconic Aiur]

That is true, but it has gotten better in most areas in the USA.

[Belacqua]

In the UK you were fined for not going to church until 1842.

A lot of people didn't go to church, and never paid the fine. That seems to be one of those laws that remain on the books a long time, even after enforcement has stopped. If you have any source to show that it was generally applied, I'd be interested to see it. I know for a fact that most of the people from that era whom I've studied didn't attend church and didn't pay a fine for it.

Notice that in the movement to repeal that you link to, the fact that one man has been arrested under the law has attracted great public outcry. If the law were commonly enforced and approved of in general, that wouldn't be the case. 

(But it's interesting to see that the man proposing repeal is Monckton Milnes. He was an interesting guy. Very learned, and very fond of porn.)

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Old joke:

A man calls on a atheist friend of his and finds him packing up his clothes and other goods.

'Going on holiday, then?'

'Nope. Emigrating.'

'Emigrating!  Whatever for??'

'Three hundred years ago in the country, if you didn't go to church, you got a week in the stocks.  Two hundred years ago, you got a week in prison.  One hundred years ago, you had to pay a fine.  I'm leaving before they make it bloody mandatory!'

Boru

[Succubus]

Me no get.