Atheists Identified As America’s Most Distrusted Minority

[scottkursk]

The last time I was chewing on a thread like that I realized that the Indian festival of "Divali" was actually pretty good from a philosophical perspective. It is supposed to signify the victory of a good (demi-god like) king over a bad (demonic) over. Like XMas, people spend a lot of money on gifts, cards and decorations. Houses are illuminated; and guess the story that goes with that: the Goddess of wealth does the rounds on that night, and if your house is lit really well, that's inviting for her. No sacrifices! It's also the night for fireworks.

Exactly. I thought it was a fun holiday. When I went to visit a friend, I was kinda surprised by the swastikas. Though the blank stare I gave them was quickly explained they were there for luck. Being from a very redneck area, they have quite a different meaning. So it was a pretty good holiday all in all.

[softwareNerd]

I was kinda surprised by the swastikas...

There are a few million people in India who do not know that the Nazi's used the swastika; they also don't know what a Nazi is! There's a minor difference though -- the "feet" of the Indian swastika (at least the one's I've seen) point in the other clock-direction.

[scottkursk]

There are a few million people in India who do not know that the Nazi's used the swastika; they also don't know what a Nazi is! There's a minor difference though -- the "feet" of the Indian swastika (at least the one's I've seen) point in the other clock-direction.

True. That or they have dots in the "armpits" that make them look differently.

[Toolboxnj]

Why? As long as you meant the religion of Judaism, and not the race, all of those are choices, and one can and should judge a person on the choices they make. It sounds like you're not objecting to any particular judgment of any of those choices, but rather to judging people on their ideological affiliation as such.

In other words, why would you refrain from distrusting a fundamentalist, an Environmentalist, or a Maoist? (i.e. those of explicitly and virulently anti-rational ideologies) You would do so at your peril.

Because you'd fall into the same trap that the folks in this poll fell into. I'm not going to distrust someone solely on the basis of their religion, race or political ideology. As far as Fundamentalist Christians, I have nothing against the group itself even though I disagree with their philosophical outlook; I take each individual at face value and deal from there, innocent until proven guilty. And yes, I may get burned but also I'm not going to miss out on potential profitable ventures with these individuals.

Also, individuals can be driven toward religion, environmentalism, liberalism, etc because of good or noble intentions. A man seeking moral guidance on an issue may turn to God, but does this make him "distrustful". I think not.

[skap35]

I understand the basis for suits against government. I didn;t realize that private firms had been sued to. On what basis? Do you remember?

There was one case about a Jewish woman. She claimed religious discrimination in the workplace and sued the business she worked for. There was another case this past Christmas where an atheist faculty member of a university (don't remember which one) threatened a discrimination suit because of a Christmas tree they put on display. I don't believe any legal action took place though because the school took it down.

I didn't find much when I googled either of those cases though, so maybe I'm be remembering them wrong.

[EC]

Um.... I don't see anything wrong with suing a local government that is illegally diplaying a manger scene on "public" property... especially if said government then tickets me for the <gasp> "crime" of not wearing a seatbelt while driving. But maybe I'm missing the reason why some here think that people who do such a thing are "idiots".

[The Wrath]

A manger scene and a Christmas tree are not equivalent.

[DavidOdden]

A manger scene and a Christmas tree are not equivalent.

Indeed: tree-worship is basically rooted in Germanic and Celtic paganism and was coopted by the Xers in the same way that the solstice was coopted. Whereas, the X nature of the manger is utterly undeniable.

[The Wrath]

So, you agree that Christmas trees should be banned from the public square?

[ex_banana-eater]

This study is shocking to me. Where I live, people I know either admire my atheism or see nothing wrong with it. Of my graduating class in high school, maybe 5 people attended church regularly (of 130). To boot, most of my close friends are not just agnostic or non-religious, but explicitly atheists. Young people who go to church every Sunday are looked at very strangely in my age group. I live across the road from a Catholic church and the average age of the attendees must be 60. I'm happy to be in this type of cultural climate.

[EC]

That raises a point-- I would bet most people involved where significantly older, and older people are generally a LOT more religous and irrational. I think that change as most of the people in the Gen's X and Y group get older. Not likely more rational but likely a lot less religous since most people in the age groups while maybe not explicitly atheist still usually could care less about religion.

[softwareNerd]

...Jewish woman...claimed religious discrimination in the workplace ...

Okay; I was not thinking of employee suit, only of outsiders. I can see that an employee might make a case under our current framework.

[exaltron]

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. “Our findings seem to rest on a view of atheists as self-interested individuals who are not concerned with the common good.” (italics mine)

Truer words have never been spoken.