The most despised group

poopsiecakes

I stumbled across this blog today...very interesting! I'm not sure if anyone else has posted this or not - I couldn't find a thread...sorry if it's a duplicate.

Atheists are the most despised minority in America

Mar 25th, 2009 by Cindy.

A 2006 University of Minnesota study revealed that atheists are the most despised minority in America. But this is not news to atheists, it’s just the most recent in a long series of surveys showing that Americans are very bigoted and prejudiced against atheists. For as long as organizations have been asking Americans about atheists, Americans have been responding that they wouldn’t treat atheists as equals to theists and Christians.

Sample question from this most recent survey:
This group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…

Atheist: 39.6%
Muslims: 26.3%
Homosexuals: 22.6%
Hispanics: 20%
Conservative Christians: 13.5%
Recent Immigrants: 12.5%
Jews: 7.6%

There is a lot of anti-atheist bigotry in the US and around the world, in spite of the fact that atheists are among the most moral people. Statistics consistently show that atheists (on average) are smarter and display more tolerance toward others than theists. They are also more likely to stay married and are less likely to end up in jail or commit crimes.

Divorce rates by religion (1999):

Jews: 30%
Born-again Christians: 27%
Other Christians: 24%
Atheists, Agnostics: 21%

The Federal Bureau of Prisons keeps statistics on religious affiliations of inmates (1997):

Catholic: 39.164%
Protestant: 35.008%
Rasta: 1.987%
Jewish: 1.773%
Church of Christ: 1.744%
Pentecostal: 1.463%
Jehovah Witness: 0.890%
Adventist: 0.831%
Orthodox: 0.502%
Mormon: 0.399%
Atheist: 0.209%

Atheists consist of about 10-15% of the US population but are only 0.21% of the prison populations. So, the vast majority of atheists are morally sound without the need of a supernatural watchdog. It is important for atheists to stand up and be recognized in order to break the negative and wrong stereotypes of atheism.

More about the University of Minnesota study
University of Minnesota Study on American Attitudes Towards Atheists & Atheism
Gallup Polls & Other Surveys on American Attitudes Towards Atheists

Blue Grass

This group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…

Atheist: 39.6%
Muslims: 26.3%
Homosexuals: 22.6%
Hispanics: 20%
Conservative Christians: 13.5%
Recent Immigrants: 12.5%
Jews: 7.6%

I get the feeling "Blacks" were intentionally left out to support the author's hypothesis that atheist are the most hated group in America when historically "blacks/African Americans" were the most hated group in American history. This fact makes me question the integrity of this report.

Atheists consist of about 10-15% of the US population but are only 0.21% of the prison populations. So, the vast majority of atheists are morally sound without the need of a supernatural watchdog. It is important for atheists to stand up and be recognized in order to break the negative and wrong stereotypes of atheism.

This statement doesn't take into account parole and prison gangs. A person who is up for parole will try everything possible to get out of prison early, one of which we see so very often is people claiming to find God in prison and promising the judge they are now a good person and won't commit any more crimes. 99.99% of the time it's total BS. Also prison gangs run prisons and in order to stay protected a person would have to join a gang and accept whatever traditional religious views those gangs have, i.e Mexican Mafia(catholic)aryan brotherhood(protestant),multiple black gangs(nation of Islam)etc.With these two factors individuals who never read the Bible or koran a day in their lives claims to be religious which manipulates the stats.

Of course all of this is irrelevant because people who live by the teachings of Christ wouldn't break the law or commit adultery. This article is comparing atheist to people who claim to be Christians, not actual Christians.

teel

If they're the most hated it means they have the Truth, because the Bible said so, right? Oh the paradox...

poopsiecakes

Thanks for your take on this, Blue Grass. Studies and statistics can be skewed to support the point of view you're trying to prove, but I just found it interesting that this study was done in 2006 - after 9/11 with all of the anti-muslim paranoia around. Recent stats also show that atheists have the lowest divorce rates and in countries where there are a high proportion of atheists, the crime rate is proportionally low.

It just makes me further question everything I've learned growing up - about our innate need to worship something, which I now believe is total crap; the need comes from societal pressures. Personally, I don't consider myself an atheist...I'm in the 'hell, I don't know' stage so I guess that makes me an agnostic. It does seem though, that hatred - more often than not - comes from religious belief, whatever that may be.

So true, teel! Things that make you go hmmmmm

WTWizard

This is especially true in the Bible Belt. Outside the Bible Belt, atheists and agnostics are pretty much left alone. In the Bible Belt, they are usually persecuted by Christians.

Yes, atheists tend to be more moral than Christians and Muslims. Atheists tend to have a selfish view on life, and hence value their lfves more than Christians and Muslims. Typically, they also afford this same right to others. Religious people, on the other hand, have a destructive altruistic viewpoint, sacrificing to higher causes (that do not deserve such sacrifice). This is very wasteful. And, they also tend to devalue the present life--so they devalue the present life for everyone else at the same time. Result: They start wars, repress knowledge, and create all sorts of laws that dirtify natural body functions.

Also, religion forces people to turn their backs on science. Anyone that uses science could disprove something that hinges on the existence of a loving God. The loving God is the foundation of most religions, and anything that undermines that is not tolerated. When science undermines the "loving God" doctrines, science has to be pushed out of the way or most people are going to leave the religion. And the religion goes belly up.

Since when do we see atheists flying planes into buildings or blowing up night clubs and subways just to make a reliigous statement? Have you ever seen an atheist or Devil worshiper (or agnostic) flying planes into buildings or blowing things up to force whole nations to become agnostic, atheist, or Devil worshiping? Or, starting a whole major portion of the world into a Dark Ages?

Brocephus

The only thing that article proves is there are no atheists in Prisons as well as in foxholes. Regardless, of my opinion I will say in my experience Atheist are usually pretty decent people even though I am not one and I have no problem respecting their right to not believe.

JWoods

Since when do we see atheists flying planes into buildings or blowing up night clubs and subways just to make a reliigous statement? Have you ever seen an atheist or Devil worshiper (or agnostic) flying planes into buildings or blowing things up to force whole nations to become agnostic, atheist, or Devil worshiping? Or, starting a whole major portion of the world into a Dark Ages?

Usually not, but there have been some bad behaviors - like the "gay atheist activists" who crashed a Catholic Mass dressed as nuns in San Francisco. Such groups as the old Madelaine Murray O'Hair "athiest church" here in Dallas also seemed to be almost witness-like in trying to create contraversy.

I think the Atheists/Agnostics of the world have more dignity and make more sense when they refrain from rabidly anti-religious behavior.

undercover

Atheists are the most despised minority in America

If they're the most hated it means they have the Truth, because the Bible said so, right? Oh the paradox...

I thought the same thing when I saw the full title. So much for the persecution of JWs proving they're on the right path...

Mad Dawg

WTW said:

Since when do we see atheists flying planes into buildings or blowing up night clubs and subways just to make a reliigous statement?

The 20 th century saw numerous terrorist act by atheistic communist regimes.

Have you ever seen an atheist or Devil worshiper (or agnostic) flying planes into buildings or blowing things up to force whole nations to become agnostic, atheist, or Devil worshiping?

YES!! Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and others murdered in excess of 100 million people in order to cram their atheistic communism down the throats of entire nations equaling ¼ the population of the entire world.

Or, starting a whole major portion of the world into a Dark Ages?

The Dark Ages began as a result of the collapse of the Roman Empire followed by plagues and famines. If anything, the Roman Church preserved society and knowledge. Oppression was a result of the feudal system.

It is easy to claim to be more moral than the next guy when you are the one defining what is moral.

The most despised group

Atheists are the most despised minority in America

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