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It's almost never "are you a Christian?" or a direct question like that. Like you mentioned in a subsequent post, it often comes along as "I see you're not from the area - how are you settling in? Have you found a good way to meet new people, like a new church home?"
Oftentimes, it really isn't nefarious - just small talk - but a religious hiring manager who gets a response of "I don't go to church" or "I don't feel comfortable answering that question" may strike the candidate off the list for that response.
This kind of thing is almost impossible to prove, but I remember the church thing coming up from time to time when we interviewed candidates at the former hospital system, which had no religious affiliation.
I don't advocate my agnosticism, but if someone is directly asking "are you religious?" - I'm not going to pooh-pooh the question either.
But, just as you mentioned, people ask these questions in professional settings all the time. Like folks said, a lot of times, it is innocuous, and the person asking the question really doesn't mean any harm, but it doesn't make me any less uncomfortable personally. If I'm a candidate and have a hiring manager ask me a question like that, I know I'm on eggshells around them.
Are you KIDDING me? The second bolded needs to be reported. That is illegal.
For the purposes of this thread I will say that IMO around this area... to say you were a non believer in such a circumstance would likely cause issues with the patient and family. And would likely jeopardize your job if you did it routinely.
I grew up and live in the central region of Argentina. This country inherited the Catholic religion of our conquerors: Spain.
You can see that even the current Pope Francis is from this country.
My parents were atheists, we didn't celebrate any religious traditions. I remember being ashamed of eating meat during Easter, and I hid that fact because people were horrified. Now that I'm older, I consider myself an agnostic and I don't hide it. No one is horrified anymore even if they eat meat during Holy Week.
Most people claim to be Catholic, but nowadays Holy Week is promoted as a "vacations" and many people travel for that purpose. I see low church attendance nowadays.
I grew up and live in the central region of Argentina. This country inherited the Catholic religion of our conquerors: Spain.
You can see that even the current Pope Francis is from this country.
My parents were atheists, we didn't celebrate any religious traditions. I remember being ashamed of eating meat during Easter, and I hid that fact because people were horrified. Now that I'm older, I consider myself an agnostic and I don't hide it. No one is horrified anymore even if they eat meat during Holy Week.
Most people claim to be Catholic, but nowadays Holy Week is promoted as a "vacations" and many people travel for that purpose. I see low church attendance nowadays.
My parents are immigrants from Argentina. I grew up with the tradition of drinking Yerba Mate every morning which I still do on my own as I spend a little time going over the news and this forum in the mornings. My wife is a vegetarian, and over the years we have had many a conversation speculating how she would do if we lived in Argentina. Reading your comment reminded me those conversations and this article I read a little while ago that you may also find worth reading. An interesting article about what you may already know. How beef consumption has gone down in Argentina, but still the beef consumption there is truly something compared to most other countries. Can you guess the reasons consumption is down?
"But in Argentina, eating meat – and in particular a steak – prepared on the asado, or barbecue, is a cherished national tradition. The typical Argentinian restaurant is a parilla – a steakhouse that can serve a bewildering variety of grilled meat, with some menus offering beef 30 different ways.
Between 1914 and 2021, the average annual figure for beef consumption in Argentina was 73.4kg (162lb) per person. This figure takes in the peak year for beef consumption, 1956, when the average Argentinian ate an astounding 100.8kg of beef, as well as the lowest year, 1920, when the figure was still a hefty 46.9kg. Unsurprisingly, given these figures, beef remains big business in Argentina. The country’s vast pampas grasslands are famous for the herds reared there. The country boasts 53 million cattle – a figure that has remained stable for 50 years – in a country of only 45 million people. Exports of beef and derivatives accounted for £2.4bn in 2020, making Argentina the world’s fifth highest exporter."
Though I still can't resist the opportunity to enjoy the burgers at In-N-Out when the opportunity presents itself, my beef consumption is next to nothing thanks to my wife's vegetarian influence. Something I don't even really think about anymore. A good thing too that there are no In-N-Outs right here nearby where I live and that I don't live in Argentina...
Does anyone else feel religion is becoming much more "in your face" over the last few years to the point that you feel a social stigma for your nonbelief?
As you well explain in your OP, this is really a function of where you live...
I am forever impressed about how life for some people in some areas/states is so different from people who live in other areas/states. Beginning with the simple difference of living in a Red vs Blue state for example, how you might feel as a result of the people living around you is going to depend on where you live.
I feel no such stigma where I live now, and I don't think I have ever felt any such stigma regardless where I have lived over the course of my life, but then again my being an atheist is rarely a matter of focus when it comes to how I spend time with the people around me. This is no doubt to some extent because I have lived in California most of my life, and because I don't do much that involves other people's religious beliefs.
If I lived in some of these areas where it seems religion is much more a part of the local culture and way of thinking, as seems more prevalent in Red states, I suppose I might feel differently and experienced more in the way of the stigma you are asking about. I am glad I don't have that issue to contend with in my life.
In this forum on the other hand, it is often suggested that to be an atheist is to be "closed minded" or cold hearted, or somehow lacking the ability to know what religious people know. This can be frustrating, because what follows from that sort of thinking or perspective is a sense you are not as worthy in some important respects as compared to people who believe in God.
Fortunately, I don't encounter that sort of thinking or perspective much at all outside of this forum. Perhaps mostly because the subject or issue rarely if ever comes to light for me or others around me outside of this forum.
Though I still can't resist the opportunity to enjoy the burgers at In-N-Out when the opportunity presents itself, my beef consumption is next to nothing thanks to my wife's vegetarian influence. Something I don't even really think about anymore. A good thing too that there are no In-N-Outs right here nearby where I live and that I don't live in Argentina...
Thanks for this post and the link. What they say there is true; your wife would not be alone in today's Argentina. Meat consumption has dropped in recent years. Mostly because of the tremendous economic crisis, but also because of many people who adhere to vegetarism. Weather for health reasons, for new lifestyles and also because new generations are awareness about animal rights.
Anyway, as you say, the "asado" is a deep-rooted tradition here. You meet old friends and it's always said "tenemos que hacer un asado" meaning we have to meet together. And you don't forget another great tradition here is "fútbol" (soccer). You have to be fan of any club; otherwise you'd look like an alien.
As to the claim of some here that the "Nones" are religious, that's a pretty uninformed statement. That's the whole point of claiming 'noneness'.....not being religious. As in not being a part of any organized religion. Not following any religion that tells them how and what to believe. It's a spiritual thing or it's not a thing at all.
Also, the numbers are not going down as far as 'nones'. The word itself was a buzz word like from 50 years ago and you're old if you use it. They call themselves 'spiritual' or not religious. So basically a none is just that....nothing. Or just spiritual.
It's wishful thinking that belief is on the rise; it's not. All you have to do is walk into any church and ask how far down their attendance is. Hell, all you got to do is just look at all the empty pews. Young people are wising up to these ancient fairy tales.
What I find weird is that anyone would even KNOW your personal beliefs. I don't get how this is just common knowledge. I would absolutely detest living in such a place where your religion (or lack) is anyone's business but your own. Creepy. If I had to live in such a place, I would outright protest all of that nosiness.
I don't know where you live, but in some places......you protest "nosiness" or claim atheism, you die. You must be aware that nosiness is a problem in general, not just with religious people? Imagine living in a place where everyone is religious. If a person is not a believer, they would never be able to admit it. Never. Why?
Because their entire life has been built upon it, intertwined with it and they are trapped. Is it more important that you "protest" (lol, that's a good one) and shout that you're an atheist? Is it that damn important for people to know you're living a lie? YES=my neck of the woods. You said you don't get how it becomes common knowledge....really?
You haven't ever lived in a small town apparently. They will drag the truth out of you at first meeting. "So where do you go to church?" If you don't want your entire life, work and family torn apart then what do you say? This is the South and Christianity is everything. It is front and center.
And then there's the gossip. You can't tell a single soul or it WILL get out. They can't comprehend someone who doesn't go to church, much less that they don't believe in their god. You will be shunned, abandoned to wallow in your evilness. Good gracious it might rub off.
You're right, it's creepy and I'm so tired of it. What do I say when asked where I attend church? I just say I can't sit throught it, I have narcolepsy.
I don't know where you live, but in some places......you protest "nosiness" or claim atheism, you die. You must be aware that nosiness is a problem in general, not just with religious people? Imagine living in a place where everyone is religious. If a person is not a believer, they would never be able to admit it. Never. Why?
Because their entire life has been built upon it, intertwined with it and they are trapped. Is it more important that you "protest" (lol, that's a good one) and shout that you're an atheist? Is it that damn important for people to know you're living a lie? YES=my neck of the woods. You said you don't get how it becomes common knowledge....really?
You haven't ever lived in a small town apparently. They will drag the truth out of you at first meeting. "So where do you go to church?" If you don't want your entire life, work and family torn apart then what do you say? This is the South and Christianity is everything. It is front and center.
And then there's the gossip. You can't tell a single soul or it WILL get out. They can't comprehend someone who doesn't go to church, much less that they don't believe in their god. You will be shunned, abandoned to wallow in your evilness. Good gracious it might rub off.
You're right, it's creepy and I'm so tired of it. What do I say when asked where I attend church? I just say I can't sit through it, I have narcolepsy.
I have heard that it is that way in the US - or some parts of it. It just isn't that way here. Nobody gets asked about their religion or where they go to church. It would be considered very weird if someone did.
As to the claim of some here that the "Nones" are religious, that's a pretty uninformed statement. That's the whole point of claiming 'noneness'.....not being religious. As in not being a part of any organized religion. Not following any religion that tells them how and what to believe. It's a spiritual thing or it's not a thing at all.
In fairness, I'm not sure how clear / unambiguous the definition is. You could for instance not be part of an organized religion and still follow it. In other words if the criteria for "religiously unaffiliated" is no active membership / involvement in a house of worship, it's completely possible to decide you don't like the vibe / people in your local church for example and not attend but not substantively change your beliefs, either.
It is also possible for a person with iconoclastic beliefs to be even more given over to unsubstantiated ideas than a member of some organized religions.
To determine exactly how opposed someone is to organized religion and what one substitutes for it (if anything), you run into the problem that people don't always honestly answer questions in surveys. The canonical example given in the classic book How to Lie With Statistics, is asking people if they read this or that magazine. If the magazine is lowbrow, a guilty pleasure, they might not admit they read it. If it's highbrow, they might well claim to read it when they don't. This renders all such surveys basically meaningless. Even if you physically inventory the magazines in a person's home, you're only determining what they might have read or been exposed to, not what they actually read or how closely or regularly they read it.
So imagine a stranger appearing on your doorstep somewhere in the Bible Belt South asking if you have a regular church home or not. How honest an answer would one get? In such areas, this would understate the percentage of 'nones' that would be projected. I can think of scenarios that would exaggerate it.
It's even harder to determine the more useful association of "the unchurched" with what sort of beliefs they have about reality, about intersubjective truth, about their theory of knowledge ... which might be more instructive than their metaphysical beliefs because it would speak to how closely held such beliefs would even be.
I regard "nones" as a rough estimate of people who aren't church / mosque / whatever members and don't attend but perhaps rarely for a funeral or something. But to conflate those with atheists or even "spiritual but not religious" is not a good idea, IMO.
and how often has that happened to you personally in job interviews?
I've never had it asked of me personally, but I have been on multiple interview panels where it was asked of a candidate. Most were confused or taken aback the question. The organization doing this had no religious affiliation.
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