3 simple questions to atheists (believe, funeral, soul, Christ)

[Mejsito]

1. Some voting poll places take place at church on Election Day - as a nonbeliever; would you be OK/comfortable walking into a church to vote?

2. Would you rather live in officially Christian nation but still with freedom of religion (such as England, Norway, etc.) that has higher rate of atheism and less Christians/religious people, or officially a secular nation (such as the U.S) but with high rate of Christians/religious people?

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If you celebrate Christmas; do you attend church service (whether for cultural, traditional, or fun reason, or because of spouse/family member)?

- Recently added:
4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

Thank you

[Wild Colonial Girl]

Why would I be uncomfortable in a church?

Freedom from religion is much greater in non-US countries, so yes. They're also more ethical countries (better welfare, healthcare for all, etc), which is more important.

Not thanksgiving because I'm not American (and you do realise it's not a religious celebration, don't you?), of course Chrstmas, I'm Anglo-Saxon. Christmas is not even celebrated as a christian thing by christians anyway

There could be plenty of space in church pews on Christmas Day which falls on a Sunday this year, while many Americans will be putting top priority on opening gifts and family time.

Even though nine out of 10 pastors plan to host Christmas Day services this year, that doesn’t mean their church members will be filling up the scheduled times of worship, leaders of the faith-based LifeWay Research organization said.

A recent LifeWay Research study of 1,000 Protestant pastors shows that 91 percent of Protestant pastors plan to have services on Christmas Day while 69 percent said they plan to host Christmas Eve services.

[EA]

1 Are you thinking I'm going to burst into flames?
I'll go into a church to vote, no problem. Will be third party.

2 You can not have freedom of religion with a national religion, thus, we do not have freedom of religion in America. A deity is featured on MY money, in my pledge, and in my national motto. The 1st amendment was violated by those things.
I'd rather live in numerous countries over America. This place is full of idiots.

3 I wouldn't call it celebrate, but I will not pass up an opportunity to eat a bunch of turkey. I love some turkey.
I would not celebrate giftmas at all if not for my kids. We don't lie to them. They were not fed the santa lie. Giftmas is merely a day for them to get gifts. Honestly, if it wasn't for the commercialization of the holiday, I wouldn't partake at all. I can;t have my kids sitting there watching everyone else get gifts every year and they get nothing. I do not go to church, and I will only attend a service if it was/is a relative/close friend's funeral or wedding.

I was raised in church, by the way. It was a good way to have some fun and meet people, until the preaching starts, anyway. I was smart enough at 5 years old to ask the preacher questions he could not answer.
I didn't officially quit church until 15 when a friend and I, after 2 years of attendance, were falsely accused of breaking into the church storage shed out back. I was 90 miles away the entire day, with my friend and mother, school shopping. I was on security cameras at the time the shed was broken into.
Even back then, I knew, in the back of my mind, that it was all bull****. This led me to do research into religion.
I wasn't surprised to find that christianity was invented for specific purposes and has been working perfectly for nearly 2000 years.

[dsb62574]

1. Yes. I have no problem voting in church. A church is just a building--no different than any other. I would prefer to vote in a coffee shop. I usually vote early, and I have a penchant for coffee and fresh muffins.

2. I agree that freedom from religion in the USA is a stretch. We are forced to see some reminder of religion on a daily basis. I think the European nations have a better handle on this issue and many others; however, the United States of Americia is my country and my home. I would not relocate.

3. I celebrate every holiday possible. I enjoy gathering with my family and friends. Thanksgiving has absolutely nothing to do with religion. Please know that or I may be forced to change my answer to number 2. Christmas is a holiday stolen from the winter solstice celebration. Like the Christians and countless other pagans before them, I celebrate Christmas in style. I would be as likely to be found in church as I would be a part of making an offering to Zeus or sacrificing some poor soul at the direction of the magi to welcome winter. We can say it's a 50/50 chance.

[tilli]

I would be uncomfortable walking into a church to pretend to worship, but I have voted in a church. It was a Christian Korean church and although I would definitely rather vote in a secular location, I still appreciated the church making itself available for this purpose. Especially since there was no proselytizing. And I did enjoy seeing it since I had always wondered how it would look inside. (Answer - it looked like pretty much any other church, except there was a distinct Asian influence in the proportions of the wood work.) I would do it again if that's what was required to vote, but I'd rather vote in a secular location such as a community center.

I'd love to live somewhere with more atheists as I have lived as a vilified minority for so long, it would be a nice change of pace. Conditional of course on the attitude of the government in question. If there were lots of atheists, but they were regularly being beheaded in the town square, I'd pass.

I don't celebrate Christmas, I celebrate Yule. Which predates Christmas. You know, all the pagan traditions about celebrating the deepest winter in anticipation of spring? I like that. As for Thanksgiving, I'd prefer not to, for personal reasons. But since Thanksgiving is a family holiday, not a personal one, my personal feelings are basically irrelevant and so I do.

As for your last question, yes I would seriously care if the government favored one religion over another, including giving special place and treatment to Christianity. Would you seriously care if the government favored Islam? I surely would.

[TroutDude]

Originally Posted by Mejsito

1. Some voting poll places take place at church on Election Day - as a nonbeliever; would you be OK/comfortable walking into a church to vote?

2. Would you rather live in officially Christian nation but still with freedom of religion (such as England, Norway, etc.) that has higher rate of atheism and less Christians/religious people, or officially a secular nation (such as the U.S) but with high rate of Christians/religious people?

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If you celebrate Christmas; do you attend church service (whether for cultural, traditional, or fun reason, or because of spouse/family member)?

- Recently added:
4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

Thank you

Although not an atheist* I hope I'll be allowed to put forward my answers.

1. Some voting poll places take place at church on Election Day - as a nonbeliever; would you be OK/comfortable walking into a church to vote?

Pretty sure most atheists aren't vampires, flinching at the sight of a cross. Voting in a church or school basement/gym is pretty common in my neck of the woods and probably most.

Not a problem.

2. Would you rather live in officially Christian nation but still with freedom of religion (such as England, Norway, etc.) that has higher rate of atheism and less Christians/religious people, or officially a secular nation (such as the U.S) but with high rate of Christians/religious people?

The former.

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If you celebrate Christmas; do you attend church service (whether for cultural, traditional, or fun reason, or because of spouse/family member)?

Yes, and yes.

And no. Although I used to occasionally. I love choirs and many of the Christmas hymns are wonderful to listen to when sung by a good choir. But for most of the past 40 years, I listen to them on various media during the Christmas season, rather than in a church setting.

4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

Yes, I most certainly would seriously care.

I'd care enough to leave the country if such a stupid idea became law.

Thank you

You're welcome.

*But as an Animist, you'll note several similar letters.

[Unsettomati]

Originally Posted by Mejsito

4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

Yes.

I actually like the First Amendment. All of it. And I actually like the Bill of Rights. All of it.

[Grandstander]

1) Some time back I found my polling place was inside the building belonging to the local chapter of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. I managed to vote without feeling pressured to support agricultural issues or become a farmer, so I suppose I could handle voting in a church.

2) I prefer the US setup where the government has declared itself out of the religion business. When something important crops up, like creationists trying to hijack the science curriculum, it is good to have the law on the our side. The religious manage to be annoying no matter how much of a percentage of the population they represent.

3) I'm indifferent to holidays, to whatever degree that I can get away with, I treat them like any other day. If I find myself in a situation with a group which is celebrating, I'll join in, the reason for the holiday not making any difference. I've gone caroling with a neighborhood group because I enjoy singing, but it could have just as easily been folk songs or the national anthems of eastern European nations in terms of my attitude toward the material.

4) Of course. Why would you even ask?

[Nozzferrahhtoo]

Originally Posted by Mejsito

1. Some voting poll places take place at church on Election Day - as a nonbeliever; would you be OK/comfortable walking into a church to vote?

Why not?

Originally Posted by Mejsito

2. Would you rather live in officially Christian nation but still with freedom of religion (such as England, Norway, etc.) that has higher rate of atheism and less Christians/religious people, or officially a secular nation (such as the U.S) but with high rate of Christians/religious people?

No, I would prefer to live in a nation that is Secular officially AND in practice. The US fails too much too often on the latter for my preferences. Why is it when people offer a "Would you prefer A or B" they specifically hand pick A and B to be neither of the things we actually work towards.

Originally Posted by Mejsito

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If you celebrate Christmas; do you attend church service (whether for cultural, traditional, or fun reason, or because of spouse/family member)?

I do not celebrate Christmas. I celebrate AT Christmas. And no, no churches are even remotely involved in anything I do at that time.

Originally Posted by Mejsito

4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

Yes. Many of us work towards a secular but pluralist nation where we live.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Mejsito

1. Some voting poll places take place at church on Election Day - as a nonbeliever; would you be OK/comfortable walking into a church to vote?

This is funny. I was raised Jewish but I think I have been in every denomination of Christian church there is because I have had many Christian friends and have gone with them to their Sunday services. I never thought I would turn into a pumpkin or a pillar of salt. A Catholic friend of my sister's however attended a service with my family in a synagugoe when we were kids and she felt guilty all through the time she was an adult.

Also, when I was in the UK I toured all the beautiful all cathedrals and small village churches. I also do that when I visit large American cities because I am a fan of the old architecture.

2. Would you rather live in officially Christian nation but still with freedom of religion (such as England, Norway, etc.) that has higher rate of atheism and less Christians/religious people, or officially a secular nation (such as the U.S) but with high rate of Christians/religious people?

I am not certain that England has declared itself a Christian nation. There are many different religions in the UK. In any case, I have always been of a minority religion or a non-religous person living in a nation of a differing religious majority so it makes no difference to me.

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If you celebrate Christmas; do you attend church service (whether for cultural, traditional, or fun reason, or because of spouse/family member)?

Are you really that uninformed? Thanksgiving is a national and not a religious holiday. I have never celebrated Christmas.

- Recently added:

4. Would you seriously care if the government favored Christians and Christianity over another religion (such as only Christian presidents allowed, only Christmas and Christian decorations in public, only churches being tax exempt, only Christian prayers, crosses/crucifix in public, etc.)?

You bet I would. I don't want the government favoring any religion. It is against the very principles under which our country was founded not to mention against The Bill of Rights. Have you not heard of them? That is the most unAmerican situation that could happen to this country no matter what religion we are talking about. Our forefathers would be spinning in their graves.

This has nothing to do with atheism. It sounds more like what is happening in the Middle East where freedom of religious worship is being abolished by militant religious fanatics who want to impose their interpretation of the Quran on everyone who does not believe as they do.

Thank you

These are not very well thought out questions. I find them pretty naive. I think it might be a good idea for you to learn a bit more not only about atheism but other religious beliefs in general.