Atheists the most hated and distrusted monority in the US

GLaDOS

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/09/19/research-finds-that-atheists-are-most-hated-and-distrusted-minority/

Intolerance is a bitter beast. There are many groups in America that are subject to discrimination and prejudice, but none are more hated than atheists. Research conducted a couple years ago at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found that atheists are more distrusted than muslims or homosexuals in the US.


Austin Cline from about.com writes, “Every single study that has ever looked at the issue has revealed massive amounts of bigotry and prejudice against atheists in America. The most recent data shows that atheists are more distrusted and despised than any other minority and that an atheist is the least likely person that Americans would vote for in a presidential election. It’s not just that atheists are hated, though, but also that atheists seem to represent everything about modernity which Americans dislike or fear.


The most recent study was conducted by the University of Minnesota, which found that atheists ranked lower than “Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in ‘sharing their vision of American society.’ Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.” The results from two of the most important questions”


This group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…
Atheist: 39.6%
Muslims: 26.3%
Homosexuals: 22.6%
Hispanics: 20%
Conservative Christians: 13.5%
Recent Immigrants: 12.5%
Jews: 7.6%


I would disapprove if my child wanted to marry a member of this group….
Atheist: 47.6%
Muslim: 33.5%
African-American 27.2%
Asian-Americans: 18.5%
Hispanics: 18.5%
Jews: 11.8%
Conservative Christians: 6.9%
Whites: 2.3%


The degree of this intolerance is a bit surprising. My experience has taught me that atheists tend to be very intelligent, thoughtful people with a high standard of ethics that they carry through to their everyday lives.
So why the fear, why the hatred? This situation is not the norm for most of the planet. Most East and South Asian countries don’t exhibit this fear of atheists or agnostics. In fact, many of these countries have a significant portion of their population that does not believe in any deity.
European countries have large portions of the population that are atheist. There is not the mass discrimination there based on one’s freedom to believe or not to believe. About the only places in the world that tend to have intolerant attitudes are nations with strong monotheistic cultures, such as both latin and anglo America, and the Islamic countries (particularly Turkey).


Considering that atheist nations are more peaceful, it seems particularly odd that there would be a predilection towards animosity towards atheists. When one group is being discriminated against, it detracts from the freedoms of every group. A society based on tolerance must support the rights of minority groups, including atheists.

Not sure how reliable the source is but makes for an interesting read. Any people with experience in American agree/disagree with the sentiment?

Galvasean

Dades

Hatin' us since 2006.

Risteard

Quite funny that the people who say they hate atheists will nearly all belong to a group where love and tolerance of everyone is supposedly at the core of their beliefs.

vinchick

I didn't when I was there an a long working holiday. Then again it didn't tend to come up. My friend got shouted at by a street preacher who pointed at her and declared "you do not look like a homosexual" which was quite strange. I would say it would vary a lot where you are. I was in a pretty liberal part but I would say the response would have been different in some mad hicksville place.

robindch

Risteard wrote: »

Quite funny that the people who say they hate atheists will nearly all belong to a group where love and tolerance of everyone is supposedly at the core of their beliefs.

Jesus'n'Mo looked into this last month

ChocolateSauce

Sad indeed, although certainly not news!

Come to think of it, I'm moving to California in September. I'm extremely non-religious, and by American standards I'm practically a communist. I can't wait to see how I'm received... :pac:

Knasher

Might be a relic of Americans attitude towards communists, after all most communist countries tend towards forced atheism.

riffmongous

Personally I think a large part of this is due to the distrust of 'intellectuals' by the common american. Its just an impression I got while I was following American politics. And there certainly seems to be a perception that Atheists are of above average intelligence, the author even says this in the article.

And of course the lack of religious beliefs only sweetens the deal

robindch

riffmongous wrote: »

Personally I think a large part of this is due to the distrust of 'intellectuals' by the common american. Its just an impression I got while I was following American politics.

Distrust is the start. Richard Hofstadter took this unhappy tendency to its logical conclusion in his justly famous essay, The Paranoid Style in American Politics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paranoid_Style_in_American_Politics

The full text is available here:

http://www.harpers.org/archive/1964/11/0014706

I've never had the time to read much of Alexis de Tocqueville's excellent 19th century work, Democracy in America, but I'd imagine that he discusses distrust of intellectuals at some length too.

Actually, has anybody here actually read de Tocqueville, now that he comes up?

Galvasean

Knasher wrote: »

Might be a relic of Americans attitude towards communists, after all most communist countries tend towards forced atheism.

I'd tend to agree with this. I don't think they've really gotten over the fear of the Godless Communists. The public perception of atheism and communism seem intertwined. Since communism is bad atheism is lumped in as being bad too IMO.

liamw

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Come to think of it, I'm moving to California in September. I'm extremely non-religious, and by American standards I'm practically a communist. I can't wait to see how I'm received... :pac:

I lived in California for a few months, it's fine. The West and East coasts are generally fine afaik.