Hi, this is my first post on Atheist Republic.
I'm writing a book about a young Atheist boy moving from Britain to America, namely the bible-belt part of America.
I've heard lots of stories about Atheists being treated badly but I would like to know more about what it's like, and examples of incidents that have happened.
Also the boy will have Asperger's syndrome (I have Asperger's and I'd like the book to raise more of an understanding of both the treatment of Atheists and people with ASD) so if anybody here has a form of ASD and lives in America I'd like to know how you're treated by others over there!
Thanks :)
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It is kind of like being a sane person in a mental institution, you know the people around you are off, but you keep it to yourself.
I saw a poll somewhere which said that atheists in the US were more unpopular than gays and muslims, which probably makes them pretty unpopular.
As an atheist how am I treated?
Now, as an adult, I am treated with respect. Growing up was another matter.
I went to a parochial school. Once a week the church pastor would come to class and give us religious instruction. We were told not to ask the pastor questions but to save them for the teacher after he left because he was a very busy man and didn't have time to explain things to us. One week we were told about heaven and hell. The next week we were told that god is all forgiving. I asked; if god is all forgiving, how could there be a hell? They tried to disgrace me by making me sit at the piano bench in the front of the class with my back towards my classmates. When that didn't have the desired effect they wanted to expel me. My mother did their office work on a volunteer basis and they knew they would lose her if the got rid of me. They sent me to a psychiatrist instead of expelling me. The psychiatrist told them that I was a normal child but had concerns that belied my age. That was the first step in my anti-theist journey. I was seven years old.
On a lighter note: I look forward to reading the dialogue between your atheistic character with Asberger's and the first priest who tells him to repent his sins.
Thanks for the descriptive example :D
Also, what happened to you at school sounds horrid. In Australia I haven't had to put up with something as bad as that, despite going to a Catholic school, though I know my best friend was shamed by the teacher in the middle of science class for being agnostic.
I am a firm advocate of treating people based on their actions, not their beliefs. Therefore, as I conduct myself with respect and dignity for others, I am generally treated the same. Only real disrespect I've ever gotten was some twit tearing a Darwin fish off my car. I think if you can convey that message in your book, it will go a long way toward smoothing relations between us and the nut jobs.
While I've heard that the Army and Air Force have acted fairly disgracefully in regards to their treatment of freethinkers, I myself have had a rather pleasant run sofar in the Navy. I've met a lot of other atheists and agnostics, within my own workcenter, no less. Whenever the topic comes up (and considering the office-like nature of my work, talk happens a lot) people are more often than not very open to at least listen, and I've yet to have someone act foolishly.