I'm starting a new thread here, copied wholesale from a reply I gave in an earlier posting, as I'm interested to learn more about the situation in the USA and I feel it warrants a thread in its own right:
I'm often pretty astonished at the hard time atheists have in the States. At first I kind of assumed I was getting the wrong end of the stick and "surely it can't be that bad", but the more I've spoken with American atheists, the more I understand what a marginalised, discriminated against minority you are. I regularly watch the ACA's Atheist Experience shows and I'm often bewildered by how cagey atheists who call in about 'coming out' to their families have to be - to the extent that their families friggin' disown them(!)
.... REALLY?
Is it really that bad over there? I've heard people say they've been sacked after being 'outed' as atheists. In Europe, that kind of malarkey would end in an industrial tribunal and a sacking for the sacker.
So am I seeing an over-exaggerated version of the story, or do you guys really have to watch your backs and even keep quiet about your views for the sake of your families and careers?
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Short answer, yes.
David
I live in USA and as I posted before we atheist are the minority. The biggest problem is America is made of all these ethnic background of people. Most bringing there religion and there god with them. In the area I live there has been many people coming from Russia and Mexico to live. ( Christian )
I work as a maintenance tech at a huge factory I am 1 of 3 guys I know of who are not Christian. But the others do not say what they are afraid of ridicule and possible elimination. The guy I work directly with is a Ukrainian migrant who is big Christian . The funny part is he comes with the belief not to use birth control and has 10 kids. Now he has told me he gets state help for food and medical to help him raise his kids, cause he can not afford his own kids. I had 2 kids and they are since grown up and out on their own. I only had what I could afford and 2 was a struggle. ( but I didn't put my burden on no one else)
My wife works as a checker at a large grocery chain and says the majority of people Russian and Mexican use a ebit card which is how the state gives out food money.
That is just one more ways how religion effects us all. ( our tax dollars given away)
I Do not hide my Atheist views but work is work and I'm out numbered. I have been Atheist my whole life. I could never understand why so many people looking for answers excepted the god gap for all their answers. To me religion is all bull crap and would be a hard one to swallow. That is all religions not just Christianity.
For the most people here we get along but only cause us atheist have to swallow the antics of the religious. If I had a sign and or if I tried to persuade them of my views they would think I'm the crazy one here.
Danial
Thanks to people like the members in this forum, it is slowly getting better.
Yes unfortunately for some it really is that dire, in parts around the Midwest children are excommunicated and sent out with nothing but the clothes on their back highly uneducated and left to fend for themselves. Some efforts have been formed to help educate these children and get them jobs or take care of them depending on their ages. It really hairy and in some of these places the law is ruled by the people belonging to the faiths that treat their children like this. look into the the abandoned children of the FLDS if you want to learn more. its really disgusting what happens here in the states.
I live in Texas and yes it is that bad. Before coming out in the work place you better thoroughly analyze coworkers and management. Texas is a right to work (for less) state and they can let you go for a variety of reasons they can fabricate to cover their prejudice against atheists.
I live in a resort town in the Rockies and there are a lot of god-less heathens here, but few proclaimed atheists. I used to be a ghostie, but now I am a vocal atheist and if that pisses some people off I no longer care. Surprisingly, my neighbor, the preachers son, is my closest friend and we have lively discussions. I am however retired and a hermit by lifestyle so I have no co-workers and I don't mingle with the blue-haired ladies at the community center. The JWs don't come to my door any more (is there a C/W song there) and the LDS boys just drop by to discuss video games on occasion (the poor things need a break). I do not get confrontational with the god-floggers. I simply state that they have a right to their particular religious beliefs and I have the right to mine, but if they want to take it to the next level, bring it on! We have more bars than churches here, but the Catholics just built a cathedral and the Episcopalians added a school. I don't know where the atheists meet. Here I guess.
"I don't know where the atheists meet. "
Being an atheist is just having a position regarding a subject.
We are not a community or organisation although some of us do meet up with like minded individuals.
An atheist is a guy which has a lack of belief in a theistic god, the lack of belief in the claim that such a god exists, a god that loves you, can do everything and knows everything.
To give you a better idea, it is like saying.
I don't know where the atheists "people that do not like apples" meet.
The thing we have in common is that we do not believe a particular claim.
To have an organisation one needs much more things in common but we do support people like us in the best way we can.
Which is the basis about Atheist Experience which tries to help people in understanding and wanting to understand society.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAtheistExperience
Atheism is a first step which is needed for anybody to honestly believe in any religion without their bias.
Most theist do not want to let go of their bias because they like it.
Some are misinformed and information may help them to understand their own religion instead of believing on faith which is gullibility with a different name.
Once you become an atheist for real it is quite logical that all theistic religions are frauds.
I was being facetious. I know what an atheist is. I am one. I will endeavor to curb my buffoonery and state myself more clearly.(not) Everybody knows that the people who don't like apples meet under the spreading chestnut tree.
Oh, please don't stop the buffoonery! The world needs more buffoons...who sit under chestnut trees while eating apples (but preferably only honey crisp apples...and add a glass of wine...fine meal, that, apples and wine).
I'm from Wisconsin and I have never brought religion up at work, but I speak openly about it in school. All of my peers know I'm an Atheist and don't mind. I believe that many of the elderly in my community would harbor prejudices if I was more open with my beliefs around town, but it's not bad here. Because my family is Catholic I do not have any Atheist apparel, but I am looking forward to buying a shirt proclaiming myself so that I can track everyone's reactions who do not yet know this about me.
Hmmm, Interesting Idea, do you have Google glass? I just think it would be cool for you to document it.