Atheists - the most hated minority

[_Hoops]

Hoops is patient zero for anti-atheist hatred.

Except I don't hate atheists. I can't think of anyone I hate.

[_Buffalo]

Hoops is patient zero for anti-atheist hatred.

Except I don't hate atheists. I can't think of anyone I hate.

Just admit it. You hate us. You hate us because we're beautiful.

[_Hoops]

Just admit it. You hate us. You hate us because we're beautiful.

Lol. You caught me in another lie. :)

[_EAllusion]

Scientific American had an article on this recently:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... e-distrust

This is a short summary of a hypothesis to explain why atheists are so distrusted with a clever experiment providing some support. The idea is that in order for people to feel trust in someone else, they must feel they are beholden to some authority. "God" acts as this authority for people, and since atheists don't believe in that, distrust is more likely. The article goes on to explain how subconsciously reminding people of the existence of secular authorities causes them to reduce their reported distrust of atheists.

[_Hoops]

Scientific American had an article on this recently:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... e-distrust

This is a short summary of a hypothesis to explain why atheists are so distrusted with a clever experiment providing some support. The idea is that in order for people to feel trust in someone else, they must feel they are beholden to some authority. "God" acts as this authority for people, and since atheists don't believe in that, distrust is more likely. The article goes on to explain how subconsciously reminding people of the existence of secular authorities causes them to reduce their reported distrust of atheists.

So the thread is about distrust now? I thought it was about hate? Or is it that we should conflate both so that the points made here can remain in effect.

So, okay, as a general rule I would distrust an atheist more than one with religious worldview. But that presents several problems that the atheists have to addrress before they can claim bigotry. Namely, I have no idea how I would know if that guy with whom I'm about to enter a business relationship is an atheist. I don't ask. He may offer, but if he does, then it's his problem what my reaction is. It's not as if I would offer that I'm a Christian (I'm hopeful he would figure that out all on his own). And if he decides to not work with me because of that - that is fine with me.

I'm quite confident that I am not unusual. So what is the point?

[_Buffalo]

So the thread is about distrust now? I thought it was about hate? Or is it that we should conflate both so that the points made here can remain in effect.

So, okay, as a general rule I would distrust an homosexual more than a straight person. But that presents several problems that the homosexual have to addrress before they can claim bigotry. Namely, I have no idea how I would know if that guy with whom I'm about to enter a business relationship is a homosexual. I don't ask. He may offer, but if he does, then it's his problem what my reaction is. It's not as if I would offer that I'm straight (I'm hopeful he would figure that out all on his own). And if he decides to not work with me because of that - that is fine with me.

I'm quite confident that I am not unusual. So what is the point?

Edited to provide greater context.

[_Panopticon]

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.

Not true. What I believe is not under my conscious control. I can pretend to believe something, but I would know that it is a lie. I can no more wake up and be a believer than I could wake up and grow six inches or change my hair color.

What you appear to be saying is that atheism is not an immutable characteristic, so the attitudes expressed against atheists is not "hate," whereas if a person said the same thing about a different race, it would be hate. What about gay people? There is some dispute about whether that is an immutable characteristic (I think it is, but others disagree). Is it okay for people to hate gays?

Bigotry is bigotry, regardless of which "out group" is the target.

[_Hoops]

Not true. What I believe is not under my conscious control.I can pretend to believe something, but I would know that it is a lie. I can no more wake up and be a believer than I could wake up and grow six inches or change my hair color.

Of course it is.

What you appear to be saying is that atheism is not an immutable characteristic, so the attitudes expressed against atheists is not "hate,"

No, that's not what I'm saying. Atheism is, indeed, not an immutable characteristic, but that's not why the attitude expressed toward atheists is not hate. It's not hate because it's not hate.

whereas if a person said the same thing about a different race, it would be hate.

What about gay people? There is some dispute about whether that is an immutable characteristic (I think it is, but others disagree). Is it okay for people to hate gays?

It's not okay to hate anyone. Really? This is your position? That atheists should be afforded the same protections against hate as races or sexual orientation - or be given some sort of special consideration (regardless of whether or not that's a good thing)?

Bigotry is bigotry, regardless of which "out group" is the target.

It is indeed. Is your position that all bigotry is bad? If so, I'm quite sure you have some sort of bigotry that we can attack. Interesting, that your bigotry against my alleged bigotry is somehow ok.

So now the question becomes: is my bigotry against atheists (however that is manifest) somehow worse than yours?

[_Hoops]

So the thread is about distrust now? I thought it was about hate? Or is it that we should conflate both so that the points made here can remain in effect.

So, okay, as a general rule I would distrust an snake wrangler more than a non snake wrangler. But that presents several problems that the snake wranglers have to addrress before they can claim bigotry. Namely, I have no idea how I would know if that guy with whom I'm about to enter a business relationship is a snake wrangler. I don't ask. He may offer, but if he does, then it's his problem what my reaction is. It's not as if I would offer that I'm not a snake wrangler (I'm hopeful he would figure that out all on his own). And if he decides to not work with me because of that - that is fine with me.

I'm quite confident that I am not unusual. So what is the point?

Edited to provide greater context.

Edited to show lunacy

[_Buffalo]

Edited to show lunacy

Do you think snake wrangling is analogous to belief or unbelief?