Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Thu Jul 3, 2014, 12:27 PM Jul 2014

7 Lies We Need to Stop Telling About Atheists

http://mic.com/articles/92747/7-lies-we-need-to-stop-telling-about-atheists

By Meredith Bennett-Smith 50 minutes ago

Atheist — does the word give you pause? Make your eyes narrow a bit? Conjur up images of immorality and pungacious heathens? For a surprising number of Americans, the answer is still, well, yes.

According to data from a recent Pew study, while political polariziation is at its highest intensity in 20 years, the person Americans really don't want their family members bringing home for dinner is neither a Republican nor Democrat. It's someone who doesn't believe in God.

Yes, according to Pew, while less than 10% of Americans said they would be displeased if a family member married someone from an opposing political party, nearly half said they would be unhappy if a non-believer joined the family. Atheists are in a fairly exclusive club. They draw more negative attention than approval ratings for gun owners (19%), people without a college education (14%), those of a different race (11%) and born-again Christians (9%).

Atheism acrimony is not a new thing, but it's becoming more and more visible due to the rapidly rising number of atheists. Between 2007 and 2012, the number of respondents Pew classified as "religiously unaffiliated" increased from just over 15% of the American population to close to 20% of all U.S. adults (13 million of whom are self-described atheists and agnostics, and nearly 33 million people say they have no particular religious affiliation).

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5 replies

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7 Lies We Need to Stop Telling About Atheists (Original Post) cbayer Jul 2014 OP

We also need to dispel the myth skepticscott Jul 2014 #1

Advice I'd like to see many in this group take to heart. trotsky Jul 2014 #2

I think all would benefit from recognizing and valuing diversity and the spectrum of personal POV's pinto Jul 2014 #3

I agree that the "myths" are presented skepticscott Jul 2014 #4

Yeah, it could have been more nuanced or expanded. I got the bullet points, though. pinto Jul 2014 #5

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)

1. We also need to dispel the myth

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 3, 2014, 01:02 PM

Jul 2014

that everyone who tries to write about atheists and atheism on the internet is a clueless dickhead. Anyone who spends any time reading OPs in this group will have no trouble understanding how that myth arose, but it just ain't true.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

2. Advice I'd like to see many in this group take to heart.

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 3, 2014, 01:41 PM

Jul 2014

Especially 2 and 4-7.

pinto

(106,886 posts)

3. I think all would benefit from recognizing and valuing diversity and the spectrum of personal POV's

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 3, 2014, 02:00 PM

Jul 2014

I don't see any constructive value in black/white, either/or framing. Or in the hyperbole noted in this 7 myths piece. Some are simply laughable and most are of the broad brush approach.

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)

4. I agree that the "myths" are presented

Reply to pinto (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 3, 2014, 02:08 PM

Jul 2014

for the most part, in a somewhat exaggerated and strawmannish way. Not a particularly well-written piece.

pinto

(106,886 posts)

5. Yeah, it could have been more nuanced or expanded. I got the bullet points, though.