Hm. Apparently I am deeply distrusted by most Americans just because I don’t need mythology to get through the day.
American’s increasing acceptance of religious diversity doesn’t extend to those who don’t believe in a god, according to a national survey by researchers in the University of Minnesota’s department of sociology.
From a telephone sampling of more than 2,000 households, university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below 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.
Those are the first few paragraphs from a UMN News Release about the study. I love the next bit:
Even though atheists are few in number, not formally organized and relatively hard to publicly identify, they are seen as a threat to the American way of life by a large portion of the American public.
A threat to the American way of life? I guess that’s true in so far as you describe the American way of life as requiring submission to irrational superstitions, and active ignorance of the last several hundred years of philosophy and science.
Edgell believes a fear of moral decline and resulting social disorder is behind the findings. “Americans believe they share more than rules and procedures with their fellow citizens—they share an understanding of right and wrong,” she said.
Oh, you’re not going to make me bring out that map that shows the extrememly high correlation between regions with a highly religious populace and teen pregnancy, divorce, family violence, etc. are you? Or bring up the fact that religious people are, say, much more likely to favour torture?
Speaking of that red state – blue state map:
The researchers also found acceptance or rejection of atheists is related not only to personal religiosity, but also to one’s exposure to diversity, education and political orientation—with more educated, East and West Coast Americans more accepting of atheists than their Midwestern counterparts.
Shocking.
Of course, if you think I’m shrill on the subject, you can go read Myers, who makes me look diplomatic:
It’s easy to be an atheist in America
All you need is an IQ greater than a turnip’s. Most Americans lack the qualifications, though.
