General Discussion

basselope

(2,565 posts)

96. Let's see if we can lead you over the finish line here...

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 08:31 PM

Jun 2016

70%+ of the population SAYS they believe in some sort of Christianity. Why? Because there is a STIGMA attached to NOT believing.

I have met many MANY church goers who if polled would tell you they are believers.. but get them drunk and have an actual conversation with them and you find out they don't believe a damn word of it, but they HAVE TO, because if they didn't they would be ostracized from their social group.

There was a time 70%+ of the population thought homosexuality was a horrible sin and homosexuals horrible people, probably child molesters.

years of gay pride parades and "special treatment" as you put it, made it less of a stigma and people are actually now willing to come up and be themselves without as much fear as before.

Do you get it now???

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Penn Jillette: Time for atheists to stand up and be counted [View all] Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 OP

Be counted for what? Egnever Jun 2016 #1

Right, we should just stay in the closet. Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #3

You aren't a group Egnever Jun 2016 #5

I got my ass kicked by older kids at age 7 at the school bus stop because i answered Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #15

So you have turned into the same people you met when you were 7 Egnever Jun 2016 #18

How the everloving fuck do you get that? Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #25

Cause now you are ready to assault people that don't believe in atheism Egnever Jun 2016 #31

Did you maybe miss the words "self defense" in that post? Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #39

What comes through quite clearly is your contempt for people who believe in religion. Egnever Jun 2016 #50

My atheism is a trait. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #57

right and if that imaginary friend suddenly came down and performed miracles Egnever Jun 2016 #78

If that does happen, please let me know. nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #85

Me, too. Then I can stop holding my breath. lindysalsagal Jun 2016 #134

Yep. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #136

Huh? maddiemom Jun 2016 #122

I grew up in the church with conservative parents, I am an Athiest and Liberal and did not find... Matt_R Jun 2016 #141

I had the same thing happen at the same age. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #144

It was mostly going along with what my parents wanted. Matt_R Jun 2016 #150

What comes through quite clearly is that you are making shit up to grind your axe. Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #58

That is so not what he said! tblue37 Jun 2016 #138

Damn straight. bravenak Jun 2016 #142

There is no God, this past month I've had 3 cousins murdered, JRLeft Jun 2016 #148

I agree bravenak Jun 2016 #157

Thanks! JRLeft Jun 2016 #162

Not a group but a demographic. GuestCheck Jun 2016 #110

Fair enough Egnever Jun 2016 #114

Yes, we are a group awoke_in_2003 Jun 2016 #117

So only people who claim to believe in GOD passiveporcupine Jun 2016 #120

Not sure where you get that Egnever Jun 2016 #121

Every person in this country deserves recognition and protection passiveporcupine Jun 2016 #124

Nor do we believe that creationism belongs in the classroom. LiberalAndProud Jun 2016 #139

Except, they do. ladyVet Jun 2016 #145

Atheist groups are becoming more and more organized... TipTok Jun 2016 #151

Well, as long as we stay in the closet, they can feel safe Warpy Jun 2016 #8

What nonsense Egnever Jun 2016 #16

You're the one making up straw men. Warpy Jun 2016 #19

aww you have a sad Egnever Jun 2016 #21

"Don't you dare suggest my magic sky-friend isnt real" Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #28

I would agree Egnever Jun 2016 #33

Oh please. Which is more likely? nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #51

If you read this board? Egnever Jun 2016 #53

I meant existence or nonexistence of a "god." SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #61

you can 'suggest' anything you want. Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #64

I think you're the one spouting nonsense. ladyVet Jun 2016 #146

What you deserve is respect basselope Jun 2016 #4

in the form of what? Egnever Jun 2016 #6

Not to be dismissed from the "Conversation" basselope Jun 2016 #9

What conversation? Egnever Jun 2016 #11

I'm actually not an athiest. basselope Jun 2016 #26

You find that surprising? Egnever Jun 2016 #37

No, I don't find it surprising at all. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #63

Let's see if we can lead you over the finish line here... basselope Jun 2016 #96

LOL good try but no Egnever Jun 2016 #99

Do I need to slow it down even more. basselope Jun 2016 #133

You say you don't get it Cartoonist Jun 2016 #38

Except there isn't a large group Egnever Jun 2016 #42

Whaaaa? SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #48

now you are claiming being atheist makes you a minority? Egnever Jun 2016 #56

Sigh.... SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #66

My argument is politicians pay attention to the majority. Egnever Jun 2016 #79

Never said they didn't. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #88

What civil rights are you denied as an atheist? Egnever Jun 2016 #90

Well, in Texas I could not, theoretically, be elected to any public office. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #92

Well I am sure that could be challenged pretty easily. Egnever Jun 2016 #94

Oh good grief. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #97

except it has already been ruled on. Egnever Jun 2016 #106

I give up. On talking with you. nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #108

Let's see how big it is. Cartoonist Jun 2016 #52

Cool! Egnever Jun 2016 #62

That's a BS number. basselope Jun 2016 #98

Non religious Egnever Jun 2016 #113

Again.. try to follow. basselope Jun 2016 #132

You didn't bother to read frogmarch Jun 2016 #10

Ok I will read the article. Egnever Jun 2016 #12

Ok read the article and it appears to be an endorsement of a third party candidate. Egnever Jun 2016 #14

CLEARLY I discounted the Gary Johnson endorsement... Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #22

Wasn't responding to you Egnever Jun 2016 #24

One deserves respect... Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #30

Huh? SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #47

My husband has asked me to please not tell his east Texas family I'm an atheist, mountain grammy Jun 2016 #112

Ain't that the truth. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #115

We should get atheist-based federal funding and tax exemptions valerief Jun 2016 #55

Well, ffrf actually did. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #70

Thanks for the link! nt valerief Jun 2016 #87

Is there any reason an atheist church would not qualify? Egnever Jun 2016 #82

There is no such thing as an atheist church. Church = magic thinking. nt valerief Jun 2016 #86

Says you Egnever Jun 2016 #89

Hi! It isn't called church. It's called assembly. Church is where Christians gather to worship. GuestCheck Jun 2016 #118

Call it what you will Egnever Jun 2016 #119

You can be a Unitarian-Universalist and be an atheist, agnostic or pagan. Manifestor_of_Light Jun 2016 #128

Sounds like something my wife would love Egnever Jun 2016 #129

They're community centers. Nothing wrong with that! nt valerief Jun 2016 #137

"I detest this I am special nonsense." .99center Jun 2016 #71

I think the whole point of politicians pandering to them Egnever Jun 2016 #84

not special compensation passiveporcupine Jun 2016 #116

Wow. I expected better. Iggo Jun 2016 #147

But how can that be done without believers telling us we are mean? HuckleB Jun 2016 #2

In 2014 Pew found 3.1% of those polled called themselves Atheists NightWatcher Jun 2016 #7

That's the reality. HuckleB Jun 2016 #13

Yet still there's a untrustworthy stigma applied to non believers NightWatcher Jun 2016 #20

It won't happen in my lifetime. HuckleB Jun 2016 #23

I think it'll get better. The American Taliban has peaked and are on the way down NightWatcher Jun 2016 #32

In terms of numbers, I think you're right. HuckleB Jun 2016 #40

I don't care how many there are or aren't. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #72

I've never met another atheist Fumesucker Jun 2016 #81

Now that you mention it, SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #91

Sounds like they've already been counted. Nt hughee99 Jun 2016 #29

Meanwhile on the other side of the pond: Spider Jerusalem Jun 2016 #59

we have to remember that Non Religious does not usually mean Atheist JI7 Jun 2016 #140

That's a common point of confusion. kentauros Jun 2016 #159

When I am asked about religion I just say I do not believe in magic or miracles. I don't mention god Monk06 Jun 2016 #17

I'm not really an atheist. I do yoga. That's kind of a religion. Gomez163 Jun 2016 #27

The precised definition of "Atheist" is without God (or gods) Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #34

Well, that is true. HuckleB Jun 2016 #36

I've been told I "shouldn't tell people that" for merely declaring I'm an agnostic ProudToBeBlueInRhody Jun 2016 #35

You win post of the day! HuckleB Jun 2016 #41

As an Ex-Atheist I have come to detest the "New Atheism" movement Odin2005 Jun 2016 #43

I'm a humanist, which is based on Atheism... Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #45

I was not refering to traditional Humanists in my post. Odin2005 Jun 2016 #65

Simply, I'm cool with what anyone believes to their core... Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #68

That's part of the point... TipTok Jun 2016 #154

I'm a STEM person, and I have no disdain for the humanities. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #93

Good grief. I've not encountered that mindset in the secular community. LiberalAndProud Jun 2016 #149

It would be better to criticize individuals who end up with that tag. HuckleB Jun 2016 #54

By "scientism" I was referring to a naive attitude that... Odin2005 Jun 2016 #73

I find the idea of an ex-atheist difficult to swallow. You must have been an AINO. nt valerief Jun 2016 #60

Of for fuck's sake, I hate the "you were never a REAL atheist" BS. Odin2005 Jun 2016 #67

As I understand it, SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #95

That's true Arazi Jun 2016 #107

Buddhism has god-like beings (devas and asuras), supernatural beliefs like Karma and Rebirth... Odin2005 Jun 2016 #131

Which is equally as silly as any of the big 3 religions... TipTok Jun 2016 #155

Right, because there should be no blowback from the fact religion is fucking a lot of things up..... ProudToBeBlueInRhody Jun 2016 #75

I'm a Buddhist, so I doubt that I am "privileged and protected" in most parts of the US. Odin2005 Jun 2016 #77

True, it's not just the non-organized-religious. nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #109

Rec'cing for the "be counted" part Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #44

Thanks Warren! Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #46

OT: I think we've had this conversation before Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #49

Penn Jillette is a libertarian douche tenderfoot Jun 2016 #69

But he's an Atheist so he has a bit of redemption Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #74

Well, if he's a libertarian then I don't, now that you mention it. nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #76

Not that many true atheists TrappedInUtah Jun 2016 #80

To me, and many (like 10+) I know in my tiny sphere, don't believe in a "God" Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #83

I should move there. nt SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #100

He moderated the last Libertarian Party debate oberliner Jun 2016 #101

isn't Penn Jillette the Powell Memo on two legs? MisterP Jun 2016 #102

I got a Yip Harburg (atheist) thread sitting at four recs - SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #103

Diddly-done-erino! Cooley Hurd Jun 2016 #104

. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #105

Gave you a 6th rpannier Jun 2016 #123

. SusanCalvin Jun 2016 #125

Penn Jillettte dancing for the Cato Institute. rug Jun 2016 #111

also advertising non-flying toys MisterP Jun 2016 #126

And he doesn't believe in infinity or beyond. rug Jun 2016 #127

He may be right about this, liberalnarb Jun 2016 #130

I'm not religious, but I am spiritually out there. Onlaketime Jun 2016 #135

He may be right. JustABozoOnThisBus Jun 2016 #143

I never talk sex, politics or religion out among the general population, but if someone... Tikki Jun 2016 #152

Not a fan of Gary Johnson. My atheism did factor into my support for Bernie. backscatter712 Jun 2016 #153

Oh please....whatever. Fine, your counted frankieallen Jun 2016 #156

Fine Mendocino Jun 2016 #161

As a fellow atheist, fuck Penn Jillette Matrosov Jun 2016 #158

In CT 54% said they believe in an all-powerful god, so 46% are atheists. lindysalsagal Jun 2016 #160