Atheists - the most hated minority

[_Hoops]

So atheists are disliked because they speculate about why they are disliked?

I don't recall writing that. For me, I ususally dislike most people who are so insufferably haughty. And most atheists, in my experience, have the added advantage of being incredibly wrong. See below:

believers get so emotional over atheism,

and why believers, who are normally at each other's throats on points of doctrine,

will unite in anger

[_Panopticon]

Except the title of this thread, and many of the ensuing comments, doesn't read anything about distrusting atheists. It reads they are hated. Please document that phenomenon.

This is a good summary for why many Americans hate atheists:

1. Atheists are viewed as immoral. While this is undeniably true, it really doesn't answer the question of why we are hated as much as it does shift the question to one of why we are mistakenly perceived as immoral. Moreover, I suspect that the main reason we are viewed as immoral is that we are hated.

2. Our government has spent decades demonizing atheism by associating it with Communism. This one is also true. Once our leaders decided that they were threatened by Communism, they embarked on a massively successful propaganda campaign to turn the American people against Communists. Demonizing atheism was - and to some degree still is - an important part of that. Thus, one of the reasons many American theists hate atheists is that they continue to associate us with what they were taught to fear.

3. Atheists may lead religious people to question their faith. I have long suspected that this may be one of the most important factors in maintaining hatred of atheists. Our very presence seems to make many religious believers (especially fundamentalist Christians) deeply uncomfortable, and I suspect this is because we are living reminders that they may be wrong.

4. Atheists are perceived by many American Christians as trying to ruin tradition (i.e., the privileged status Christianity enjoys in the U.S.). I suspect this is another big one. We are often perceived as spoilers. If it was only a matter of us spoiling cherished traditions, the reaction might be one of annoyance. But it is manifest as hatred because "tradition" is really just a stand in for Christian privilege.

[_Nightlion]

Atheists are indeed the most hated group in America. Per LDS persecution complex doctrine, I guess that means we're the most favored by God, too.

Surprisingly that is nearly right.


Revelation 3: 16
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

That's why I love them. The damn lukewarmers are all organized religion in my book.
The world in a mouthful: Zion, atheist and
vomit

[_Buffalo]

Atheists are indeed the most hated group in America. Per LDS persecution complex doctrine, I guess that means we're the most favored by God, too.

Surprisingly that is nearly right.


Revelation 3: 16
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

That's why I love them. The damn lukewarmers are all organized religion in my book.
The world in a mouthful: Zion, atheist and
vomit

We love you too, Nightlion!

[_Panopticon]

Wth is extreme intolerance? As opposed to medium intolerance? or light intolerance?

What is intolerance anyway?

Still, the title claims atheists are hated. There has been no evidence of that. So let's move the goalpost to: "Well, we didn't really mean hate, we meant intolerance."

I think the evidence from the polling does show "hate." Perhaps you disagree.

Let's change the language somewhat and use "Blacks" instead of Atheists. Blacks are the most distrusted group in America. Blacks are the least likely group to be voted for. Blacks are the group that no white person would want their kids to marry.

Do you consider this to be hate speech?

[_Panopticon]

I don't recall writing that. For me, I ususally dislike most people who are so insufferably haughty. And most atheists, in my experience, have the added advantage of being incredibly wrong. See below:

believers get so emotional over atheism,

and why believers, who are normally at each other's throats on points of doctrine,

will unite in anger

You don't think religious people get emotional over atheism? Read the studies that I posted.

You don't think believers are often "at each other's throats" (metaphorically not literally) on points of doctrine? Seriously?

[_Hoops]

You don't think religious people get emotional over atheism? Read the studies that I posted.

I did. Now we've moved from hatred to emotional. Pick a pejorative and stick with it.

You don't think believers are often "at each other's throats" (metaphorically not literally) on points of doctrine? Seriously?

No, I don't. I'm sure you'll claim that since there are doctrinal differences and that those differences are discussed, sometimes vehemently, at various times among various groups that they are "at each others throats." I just don't see it.

In fact, there is very little doctrinal difference among the mcs.

[_Panopticon]

You don't think religious people get emotional over atheism? Read the studies that I posted.

I did. Now we've moved from hatred to emotional. Pick a pejorative and stick with it.

You don't think believers are often "at each other's throats" (metaphorically not literally) on points of doctrine? Seriously?

No, I don't. I'm sure you'll claim that since there are doctrinal differences and that those differences are discussed, sometimes vehemently, at various times among various groups that they are "at each others throats." I just don't see it.

In fact, there is very little doctrinal difference among the mcs.

I refer to emotion because I'm trying to understand the origin of the hate.

I'm sticking with hate because, if you said the things people say about atheists to blacks, gays, or other groups, they would most certainly consider it to be "hate speech" (see my post above). Atheists feel the same way.

[_Hoops]

I refer to emotion because I'm trying to understand the origin of the hate.

You first have to establish hate, which you haven't done.

I'm sticking with hate because, if you said the things people say about atheists to blacks, gays, or other groups, they would most certainly consider it to be "hate speech" (see my post above). Atheists feel the same way.

Except, practically, you could wake up tomorrow and not be an atheist (though technically, it's more complicated than that). Thus, the comparisons don't work.

[_Buffalo]

Hoops is patient zero for anti-atheist hatred.