Americans Hate Me
Disclaimer: I usually don't talk about atheism here as this is not a blog about that sort of thing, but many other bloggers talk about their faith in some way or another. I feel I'm allowed to do one post on atheism in the 1.5 years this blog has existed.
Atheists seems to be the most hated group in America, according to the new study talked about here and here. Atheists are the least trusted group in all of the US. They even found that Americans are least likely to let their children marry atheists, even less likely than homosexuals! I have nothing at all against gay people, but 5% (or something) people being gay, those 95% of parents with straight kids would be happier with their child marrying someone of the same sex than atheists. As well, if you think about it, an atheist is closer to a Christian than a Muslim is. Christians are atheist for all gods that aren't theirs, Muslims are atheists for all gods that aren't theirs, while the atheist is in the middle of the believing both are wrong. So it takes two steps to go from Christian to Muslim, but just one step from either to go to atheist!
Penny Edgell, the lead researcher, said atheists are viewed as, "ultimate self-interested actor who doesn't care about anyone but themselves." I do not understand how because I do not believe in anysupernaturall activities, I am viewed as selfish. I am not atheist for any other reason than there is no god. This has nothing to do with not being able to think about anything but myself, that is just a silly argument.
While Cole Ries, the president of the Maranatha Christian Fellowship, said he does not agree with the above statement from Edgell, saying, "Atheists seem to be concerned with the human good." But then he said, "I don't believe that anybody is really an atheist. I believe that deep down everyone knows there is a god." However, this 2nd quote is the type of reasoning people would use to think atheists are selfish. If you truly believe there is a god, and then you keep saying you are atheist, someone could conclude that you only want to think about yourself instead of ignoring the obvious reality. But trust me, there are people that do not agree there is a god. When I say there is no god, it is true that I am not 100% confident, I think of god as the same as the invisible pink unicorn, in that I cannot prove either does not exist. This is not the same as saying I believe it does exist.
posted by William Joseph @ 7:16 AM
2 Comments:
Would that not make you an agnostic rather than atheist then Ken? I think the reaoning behind atheists (as opposed to agnostics) as being self-centred is that many atheists have spoken on behalf of their ilk in thinking anyone who believes in a god or God is foolishly and blindly faithful, ignoring the fact that they put as much blind faith (if not more) into their belief that there *isn't* a God. In other words, they're not only hypocritical, but arogantly so!
PS-You're still loved over here Ken, although I think you'll understand that I have other reasons for not wanting to marry you!:P
No, every atheist realizes it is impossible to say there is no god with 100% certainty, as with the invisible pink unicorn. There is no faith needed to say there there is no god as there is no proof otherwise, it is not a question of faith. I have seen the world work a certain way for 22 years, never once giving any evidence of supernatural. I don't believe it is fair to have to disprove the existance of god to be atheist, I need some proof in the existance to get me away from atheism.
Being agnostic implies that you believe it is just as likely there is a god as there isn't, or that you think there is a god, but you aren't sure which religion is right. To say you know there is a god, but not sure which religion, is blind faith in my opinion. Most people that classify themselves as agnostic are probably really atheist though.
Haha Matthew, I wasn't hurt too much by the marriage thing, I probably wouldn't want to marry someone really religious either. However I don't have hate for the religious people.
Post a Comment
<< Home