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As I've stated before, I had fun debating with the two young LDS guys who came to my house. If I'm not in the mood to do it, I just ask them to leave literature. I got the Book of Mormon that way...what a tale.
Fortunately, my neighbors are refined enough not to ask me what church I go to (I don't). I get a lot of brochures stuck in my door announcing various nearby revivals and such, but they are promptly recycled.
I just don't go around with it stamped on my forehead. I've only told my close friends, several of whom are religious and they have all been accepting of it. But I'm probably never going to tell my family, who are all very religious.
Any atheist here that are from an very religious community such as an town or country or even if your family are? If so what are the experiences in it? Are you open to your beliefs there?
Yes, I lived in rural south Georgia which is deeply religious. I never experienced any personal bigotry but I did here them speak of "atheists" in general and they didn't have kind words for them.
Any atheist here that are from an very religious community such as an town or country or even if your family are? If so what are the experiences in it? Are you open to your beliefs there?
I'm in Idaho, which is pretty much like a little island of the bible belt. Maybe it's the hardcore social conservatism (not that I have a problem with the rightys, but they're pretty hardcore here) or the overt religious influence or both here, but I feel a lot like an endangered species might.
A few years back an atheist contested a HUGE cross being on a hilltop of the foothills here. He received death threats and if I remember right, he had some windows broken in his home. All for saying that a huge cross overlooking the city might not represent all the people in that city.
If an atheist of even secularist writes into the opinion section of the local paper, they can't use the same tone or choice of words that the followers get to use. If we try to use the same tone, they just don't run our piece. But religious folks can say some pretty caustic stuff and it slides. I wrote something to the opinions section about gay rights and received threats in the mail. So I moved and offer a false address to the local paper every time I send a piece.
There are plenty of people here that will accept an atheist, I am friends with some very religious people and we get along great because we respect one another and don't put one another down for not sharing the same opinions. But by and large, you tell someone here that you aren't religious and they'll look at you like you just threw a baby against a brick wall.
While 90% of the religious folks here either will accept my position, or just not care either way, there is a fairly sizable minority of hardliners that make me feel less than safe and secure about my position. So I try and keep it on the down low to avoid death threats and broken glass. The sad part with this minority is that they are the ones who create so much tension between the believers and the non believers. After being startled by threats to my life I began to despise religion, and I pretty much lost all respect for it. I will still respect a respectful person, religious or not. But I can't respect a religion that turns people into boobs that threaten everyone who doesn't march in lockstep with their ideals. I don't think that will ever heal...
Here (a middle sized city in southern Alabama) I was expecting a bible to be thrown at me everyday, to my surprise that wasn't the case. Most people here have a deep faith in god but most won't push it at you publically or ask. There are a few but they've all seemed to be baptist, and this one religion where they talk to god in tounges . But here I find that most people have sympathy and say they'll pray for me, and god will call me or prove himself to me eventually. I kind of laugh but they are as serious as heart attacks when they say things like that. Overall it's a incredibly religious place, but not nearly as hostile religious as I was expecting.
other99: As for what it's like being an atheist in a very religious community, you could go make an atheist post in the Christianity forum. But I wouldn't recommend it.
Whats it like being an atheistin an very religous community?
Liberating!!
It can even be fun at times, the deeper their delusion, the easier it is to play with their mind
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. But here I find that most people have sympathy and say they'll pray for me, and god will call me or prove himself to me eventually. I kind of laugh but they are as serious as heart attacks when they say things like that. Overall it's a incredibly religious place, but not nearly as hostile religious as I was expecting.
