Hacker News Reader

Comment by hhastings | Hacker News Reader

> "But Johnson is far from unique. As I found out when I travelled across the US last year, atheists live in isolation and secrecy all over the country."

That statement makes me sick. So horribly incorrect.

I'm tempted to guess that the author spends a lot of time around religious groups and churches, and thus, doesn't see many atheists on a daily basis.

I, on the other hand, spend almost no time around churches, and when I traveld across the USA 4 times in the past 3 years, I met a lot of atheists - and they definitely weren't in isolation.

View on HN

It's not incorrect. Just because you and some people you met were open about it doesn't mean that others keep it secret for various reasons.

When I was in the Army and in Bosnia I would eat in the chow tent every night. I was a private and there was a sergeant that worked there that I would chat with almost every night. Keep in mind that I was a private and he was a sgt, so he had a lot of power over me. One night he asked if I was a "good christian boy", and I said "nope, I'm an atheist". He never spoke to me again and would give me dirty looks if we ever made eye contact.

I learned pretty quick to keep my atheism to myself in the military. I've also learned that the same is true in many parts of this country.

You meeting some atheists that weren't isolated doesn't mean that isolated atheists don't exist.

The author isn't saying that all atheists are isolated, but rather that there are many atheists that are.

It's like me saying:

"I saw a lot of black cats when driving across the country."

and you replying:

"Nonsense, I drove across the country and saw plenty of white cats but no black ones, therefore there cannot be black cats all over the country."

You said you spend no time around churches. Isn't a church exactly the kind of place an "in the closet" atheist would feel most isolated, and have to maintain the most secrecy?

If you assume good faith that statement can't be incorrect. All the author claims is that there are atheists living in secrecy and isolation all over the country. He does not claim that all atheists do that.

And there are no gay people in the closet, based on all the gay people we meet who are out.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com