In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
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Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#2The connection between science, spirituality and emotion always make me think of Carl Sagan - largely as I was exposed to Cosmos at an early and impressionable age. In the "Demon-Haunted World" he says:
“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#3I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America.
Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#4I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
From my experience as an agnostic I've been heckled more by my own family than anyone else. My world view is basically opposite of theirs and I've learned to just not open my mouth when they begin talking about it (politics, religion etc). It makes for very uncomfortable family gatherings for me :/
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#5I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
No they don't. At least not anywhere that I've lived for an extended period of time (NJ, NY, NC, PA).
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#6I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
This article doesn't actually make it to be all that hard.
I mean, let's be reasonable. You are part of a community that strongly identifies with a set of beliefs and activities. You become disillusioned with said set of beliefs and activities. How are you going to stay part of that community? Doesn't matter if its NASCAR, hacking around in python, DIY bioengineering, whatever.
What happens is that there are situations where entire physical communities (in the sense of the set of people you will likely run into) also form a single actual community (in the sense of some sort of in-group), which is really unfortunate. I mean, no matter how welcoming and polite that ingroup is, your going to feel left out and somewhat alienated.
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#7I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
Visit Poland (or other ex-Warsaw pact countries, excluding Czech Republic). You're going to change your mind, fast.
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#8I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
I was in US only 6 months and it was in Mississippi. But my experience was very similar. Even more radical I could say.
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#9The usefulness of the sense of community found in religious groups can be very powerful. People willing to help one another with things like taking care of children and elderly, having a group you can simply ask for help whenever there's a need, being aware of the lives of others around you, a place where your kids can meet other kids. It's a network you can depend on. A place to volunteer and be appreciated. I'm an atheist but I actually still participate at a church at non-religious church events for all of these reasons, although I think everyone knows my family is atheist. They also happen to have a very good Japanese language preschool, which is why we started going there. It's a wonderful place filled with wonderful people. In my opinion it's great not because of any spiritual reasons, but because of the community and the willingness of people to help each other.
Re: In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
#10I really don't like it but I can't shake off my smug European sense of being weirded out when I read about how atheists are seemingly treated in America. Is it really as bad as it's made out in this article or on Reddit? Do your neighbours really get into your hair because you don't have a faith?
I've never really experienced any type of heckling, however, where I live (Missouri) most people just assume you are a Christian of some form. I do feel like if my employer knew I was an atheist I'd see some discrimination at work. Not to mention that, for the most part, you won't get elected to public office if you are a atheist. In fact in Texas an atheist can't run for public office.