New study links Christian nationalism to increased prejudice against atheists

[Nevilledog]

https://www.psypost.org/2023/12/new-study-links-christian-nationalism-to-increased-prejudice-against-atheists-214829

New research has uncovered a significant connection between the belief in Christian nationalism and negative attitudes toward atheists in the United States. Intriguingly, this connection tends to be weaker among Black Americans who live in states with higher levels of Christian nationalism. The findings, published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, provide insights into the complex relationship between race and ideology in shaping societal attitudes.

“Despite being one of the fastest-growing groups in the U.S. religious landscape, atheists are still confronted with more negative prejudice than many other religious groups,” said study author Fanhao Nie, an assistant sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) who is also an affiliated faculty member at UML’s Center for Asian American Studies.

“This is particularly the case in an era when Christian nationalism, an ideology that integrates Christian identity with American identity, has been building more boundaries and instilling more distrust in an already highly divided society. With these in mind, I have become interested in examining how public opinions toward atheists may change when their social environment becomes more Christian nationalistic.”

“Particularly, given Christian nationalism’s racist connotations, I have been interested in exploring how racial minorities may react when their surrounding social environment becomes increasingly Christian nationalistic. Will they be assimilated into such a social context so that they also hold more negative opinions toward atheists, indistinguishable from Whites in the community? Or will individual agency, such as a growing sense of subcultural identity, insulate racial minorities from Christian nationalism’s influences on attitudes toward atheists?”

*snip*

[msongs]

1. 2000 yrs of history show us the truth about that religion nt

[2naSalit]

2. That's the truth!

But this is what it was like in the 50s and 60s, at least in my experience. If you didn't have a religion to declare, you were suspected of all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly things. And the religion you declare had better be xtian.

Things only started easing up in the 70s and beyond but it's been a long road.

[TlalocW]

3. Everything going on right now

In regards to the SCOTUS and other courts' decisions, surge of evangelical activity, false prophets, etc. is in regards to the religious right seeing the writing on the wall. Nones have leapfrogged over Evangelicals (and Catholics) being at 14% of the population in 2013/4 to 28% today while the C's and E's stayed stagnant at 20%. More people support abortion and LGBTQ issues - especially the younger generations who aren't hating on anyone. They need someone in the real world to blame, and atheists make good scapegoats.