Comment by graylights | Hacker News Reader

Comment by graylights | Hacker News Reader

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I'd be curious too but there is a big gap between no religious beliefs and Atheist. Many people just don't care about religion at all, some have mild beliefs, and some are devout, it's a broad spectrum. To some, their religious identification is more a statement of their lifestyle then their actual belief. For example my dad labels himself a Christian, despite admittedly having no actual belief because he adheres to Christian morality and it gives him a group to belong to. I've also known people identify as Buddhist because it fits closest to their lifestyle.

Unfortunately the label Atheist, has some pretty negative connotations to some people in the US.

The questions I'd really like to see: "Do your religious beliefs have an impact on your decision making" "Do you have full confidence in the core tenets of your religion" "How important is it to you to observe Religious rules?"

PS. Interesting stat, 40% of Americans claim to attend church regularly. But only 20% of Americans actually attend regularly. People often respond to polls with a more ideal version of reality. http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_rate.htm

"Unfortunately the label Atheist, has some pretty negative connotations to some people in the US."

I live in a secularized country, where identifying as an Atheist is fairly common. I am curious regarding the "negative connotations" you mentioned. Which are they, and should I avoid revealing that I identify as Atheist when I travel to the US?

It's not an encompassing stereotype but US does have some evangelists and devout Christians that believe that the US is a "Christian Nation". To them Atheists are the ones that took prayer out of school and that want to take the 10 commandments monuments off court steps. So some people view Atheists as troublemakers. It's mostly a political issue.

Realize I'm talking about a small minority, but they're also vocal. I doubt you will encounter them in tourist areas. In tourist areas people are more interested in your money then your religion, it just won't come up.

But in casual conversation with strangers, I personally identify as "Not Religious" instead of "Atheist". For some reason the term Atheist carries extra baggage in US.

I'm going to go out on a limb and be a little controversial here: Just for reference I'm a non-American with a very strong scientific background and also a non-confrontational and personal Christian.

For me, some American and a few European atheists appear to be as devout as the most strongly religious people I know. They are judgemental of others' beliefs, are absolutely convinced that their views are correct and disparage anyone who is even open or agnostic towards philosophical questions like whether there could be anything external to the Universe. These people dismiss any branch of rationality that is not directly measurable or quantifiable, and on one occasion I had to correct one by saying "yes, philosophy does actually serve a purpose, as a guide for which scientific questions we should tackle next".

That's a negative connotation I get when I meet someone who goes out of their way to let me know they're atheist. (This is a generalization which of course needs to be carefully balanced).

"If you don't believe in God then what stops you from murdering people?" is a question that has been asked of atheists I know.

There are students who, having been excluded from school prayers at the behest of their atheist parents, are ostracized by the town.

There has never been an (openly) non-religious President. (And a single digit number of non-Protestant Presidents.)

A political candidate's piety, or lack thereof, is fair game for a political smear campaign.

Of course, reactions vary greatly depending on where you are. Coastal urban areas are generally much more atheist-friendly; an open atheist will, at worst, simply be looked down on by the pious. The inland "Bible belt", not so much. Atheism = devil worship, and exorcisms are a thing that are still performed.

The Carolinas are more part of the bible belt than much of the Midwest.

(I've spent lots of time in Midwest areas that are well described as 'very Christian' and it simply isn't something that comes up. People certainly aren't talking about any exorcisms they have going on. I guess much of that time has accidentally been in areas with lots of Catholics and lots of not so evangelical protestants.)

> (And a single digit number of non-Protestant Presidents.)

If I'm not mistaken, that number is 1 (JFK).

Thomas Jefferson was an unchurched Deist.

Maybe just avoid making a big deal out of it. In my travels over there, it didn't seem to come up and almost everyone was really friendly.

(Also live in a country where having no religion is the norm and there are probably more negative connotations for identifying as religious.)

"The US" is awfully big. Nobody cares if you're an atheist in New York or San Francisco, but it would definitely limit your social life in Nashville.

Then there's my brother who as a young adult filling in some sort of form asked "Mum, what religion am I?"

If you have to ask like that, you'd best put nothing.

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