Atheists are Most Hated and Distrusted Minority

[Phlegethon]

Nah, there is an indifference about lax Catholics. Rest assured that I will make a difference!

[Sally]

All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics.
-Pope Pius V

[Poltergeist]

The opposite is true in Europe. I don't know anyone who isn't an atheist or at the very least irreligious, and religious people are perceived as weirdos who we wouldn't want our children to marry.

Anyone thinking with their own head and not conforming with the majority "values" of the modern idiotic and superficial society is perceived as "weirdo", so it can be worn as a badge of honour, actually (speaking on principle, not just in relation religion vs. irreligion).

"Europe" is not a monolithical entity.

As for marrying, here more religious than irreligious people do marry.

There is something very specific about both American Christianity and American atheism, it seems so. Socio-religious phenomena can be properly assessed and dealt with only within a specific context of a country in which they are at work. I come across this kind of thing quite often. The same word can denote something very different in different countries and cultural milieux.

[U R Face]

Anyone thinking with their own head and not conforming with the majority "values" of the modern idiotic and superficial society is perceived as "weirdo", so it can be worn as a badge of honour, actually (speaking on principle, not just in relation religion vs. irreligion).

"Europe" is not a monolithical entity.

As for marrying, here more religious than irreligious people do marry.

There is something very specific about both American Christianity and American atheism, it seems so. Socio-religious phenomena can be properly assessed and dealt with only within a specific context of a country in which they are at work. I come across this kind of thing quite often. The same word can denote something very different in different countries and cultural milieus.

Obviously the religious don't think with their heads. If they did, every religious person would be the founder of a new religion.

I know Europe isn't a monolithic entity. There are still religious freaks in the more primitive recesses of the continent, and uneducated (and by this I mean uneducated in philosophy, not uneducated by the state) old folk tend to be religious too.

Clearly, on a philosophical level, it's unlikely that any random belief that isn't grounded in empirical experience is unlikely to be true, because more things don't exist than do exist (an infinite number vs a finite number). So it's possible that something for which we have absolutely no evidence DOES exist, but it's of course more likely that it doesn't. Therefore, only cultural pressures (and in the case of some few "born agains", emotional pressures) can force someone to take the leap of utterly irrational faith required for religious convition. This isn't free thinking.

[U R Face]

Clearly, on a philosophical level, it's unlikely that any random belief that isn't grounded in empirical experience is unlikely to be true

Damn thing won't let me edit. Should read: On a philosophical level, it's unlikely that any random belief that isn't grounded in empirical experience is true.

[SuuT]

...There is something very specific about both American Christianity and American atheism, it seems so. Socio-religious phenomena can be properly assessed and dealt with only within a specific context of a country in which they are at work.

Quite right. As someone who has lived in both Europe and America, I can say with confidence that the sheer prevalence of 'practicing' Christians in America coupled with a through-and-through Christianised/Protestant secularity (Americans who say that they live not in a "Christian Nation" really should park their tounge) is the primary shaper of American Atheism. There seems to be - generally speaking - a no more self-loathing ascetic than an American atheist. But then again, it must certainly be difficult to be reflexively hated and mistrusted by nearly everyone, which can't do much for self-esteem or self-confidence.

[Poltergeist]

Obviously the religious don't think with their heads. If they did, every religious person would be the founder of a new religion.

I know Europe isn't a monolithic entity. There are still religious freaks in the more primitive recesses of the continent, and uneducated (and by this I mean uneducated in philosophy, not uneducated by the state) old folk tend to be religious too.

Plenty of atheists aren't thinking with their heads, either. Most of the atheists I know (but not all) are dumbasses who blindly accepted some dogmatic views that were at certain point of time handed down to them on a plate.

Obviously all those philosophers and scientists who are believers are "primitive" and "uneducated" and don't think with their heads, according to your ignorant view of things (which doesn't correspond to the social reality at all), only you are, I guess, so very "educated" and "enlightened".

I guess you are such a supreme mind to come to such sweeping generalizations.

Clearly, on a philosophical level, it's unlikely that any random belief that isn't grounded in empirical experience is unlikely to be true, because more things don't exist than do exist (an infinite number vs a finite number). So it's possible that something for which we have absolutely no evidence DOES exist, but it's of course more likely that it doesn't. Therefore, only cultural pressures (and in the case of some few "born agains", emotional pressures) can force someone to take the leap of utterly irrational faith required for religious convition. This isn't free thinking.

Beliefs can be grounded in empirical evidence. Only that there are, especially in the Western Christianity, some theological currents that tend to deny it and reduce all Christian faith just to intellectual constructions. But that's for some other discussion.

You know nothing about cultural pressures, because situations in many countries are very different. At any rate, no country in Europe today forces people to make profession of some faith and to believe, or to go to church. There is no legal pressure. And that's the only important thing. Everything else (but, ya know, cultural pressures etc) vain conjecturing.

The phenomenon of some "born again Christians", on the other hand, especially (but not only) in Eastern Europe, is due to the work of American missionaries and has little to do with traditional forms of Christianity there (Catholic and Orthodox).

Regarding emotions: emotions are part of the human nature, I find it pretty grotesque when some exorcise "emotions" as something quintessetially bad, which should be totally absent. Furthermore, most people who accuse others of "emotionalism" are overly emotional themselves, in my experience.

[Poltergeist]

Quite right. As someone who has lived in both Europe and America, I can say with confidence that the sheer prevalence of 'practicing' Christians in America coupled with a through-and-through Christianised/Protestant secularity (Americans who say that they live not in a "Christian Nation" really should park their tounge) is the primary shaper of American Atheism. There seems to be - generally speaking - a no more self-loathing ascetic than an American atheist. But then again, it must certainly be difficult to be reflexively hated and mistrusted by nearly everyone, which can't do much for self-esteem or self-confidence.

But, can you, as someone who has lived in America, say it's really so, that they are truly so hated and mistrusted, or articles of this sort are exaggerating a bit?

[U R Face]

Plenty of atheists aren't thinking with their heads, either. Most of the atheists I know (but not all) are dumbasses who blindly accepted some dogmatic views that were at certain point of time handed down to them on a plate.

Obviously all those philosophers and scientists who are believers are "primitive" and "uneducated" and don't think with their heads, according to your ignorant view of things (which doesn't correspond to the social reality at all), only you are, I guess, so very "educated" and "enlightened".

I guess you are such a supreme mind to come to such sweeping generalizations.

Few philosophers subscribed to denominational beliefs. They simply conceived of a "God" in the broadest possible sense. The "God" of Hegel, Kant, and Spinoza are all different from each other, and certainly different from that of the average believer. Had they lived in a different age, they would have coined a different term and left the word "God" and all its baggage by the wayside. The "God" of philosophers was more akin to a synonym of "absolute existence", as defined by their particular philosophical systems, and nothing they would pray to or worship. A don't see any link but a semantic one between their God and a theologician's God.

But, I actually agree. Atheists who are atheists simply because it's normalwould be Christians or Muslims in a society for which Christianity or Islam was normal.

You know nothing about cultural pressures, because situations in many countries are very different. At any rate, no country in Europe today forces people to make profession of some faith and to believe, or to go to church. There is no legal pressure. And that's the only important thing. Everything else (but, ya know, cultural pressures etc) vain conjecturing.

I was talking primarily about the socio-psychological pressure to be 'accepted into the fold' which is common to all humans and other social species.

[SuuT]

But, can you, as someone who has lived in America, say it's really so, that they are truly so hated and mistrusted, or articles of this sort are exaggerating a bit?

It depends on the state. Also on who/where they (article person/people) sampled (I don't remember if the article made such mention). It is probably pretty accurate, over all; or, if considering the probable average. But it should be noted that even though much of the religious diversity that exists in America exists within Christian sects and denominations, the diversity that lives side-by-side in America - peacefully - is quite the enigma, and not just for the Western world. I think this religious tolerance spills-over into 'putting up with' Atheists, much the same way that Europe now 'puts up with' devout Christians.

In short, I don't think the numbers provided tell the whole story, but numbers never do.