How Americans feel about religious groups (and atheists) (Buddhist, quote, Satan)
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Doesn't surprise me. I grew up down in the Bible Belt in a very religious family, and met my first Catholic at 14, my first Jew and first gay man in college, and my first Muslim at my second job when I was 25. When I was a kid, I was suspicious of "exotic" religions like Episcopalians and Lutherans!
Once I moved up north, it got a lot more diverse very quickly...
-NoCapo
Yes, it's definitely geographical! Just running through my workplace in my head, I have Catholics, one Greek Orthodox, one Russian Orthodox, various Baptists and other Protestant denominations, a Jehovah's Witness, a couple of Jews, one Muslim, one Jain, several Hindus, and at least a few atheists and others I have no idea about. (Many of these people I have worked with for years and we just got to know thing about one another over time--it's not as though I took a survey, lol.)
But, when I grew up, 30 miles from New York City, there was only one Jewish kid in town. Once I started commuting to the city, I met all kinds of people. And I LIKE meeting all kinds of people. Everybody is a story!
Hmmm...just wondering in the next poll how the Buddhists will fare. Seems their 'street' popularity has to be declining in that they have been according to some in NYC as going a little too far in getting 'donations' when on the street among the crowds. Previously when one saw orange robes it was a signal for contemplation. Now it could be 'oh nos!' I do not think devout Buddhists would be pleased.
Atheists did make for one of the largest margins of error at nearly 11%. Also, notice that "unaffiliated" and "nothing in particular" thought of Atheists rather highly (compared to the others) which could be one of the chief factors in us even scoring that high. On that note, as an Atheist, I actually find some of these numbers somewhat encouraging. A decade ago I'd bet we'd be in the teens.
That margin of error applies to the views held by atheists, not the way they are viewed
The question should be is why should atheists care about a country that think they don't have any rights?
Eh, like GCS said, this poll is a sign of progress, believe it or not. I don't care about country any more than I have to in order not to be arrested for treason, but American public opinion could be/has been worse. Note also the clear age-related trend towards greater acceptance for atheists in the table that breaks the responses down by age group
About 60 miles east on I-90 from where I am, this happened on Tuesday, which is nice to see (a different Supreme Court ruling on the relevant case would've been nicer still but I am mostly resigned to displays of idiocy from that panel of lifers):
I have never known an Evangelical. I have seen the obvious ones, passing out bibles, calling college girls whores, and such, but never met one socially.
Likewise with atheists, you never 'meet' one, you just see the ones shouting about how stupid you are for believing in fairy tales or otherwise being obnoxious.
In reality, we all know a bunch of Evangelicals, Athiests, Presbyterians, Jews, Catholics, etc. but they, unlike their few bloviating compadres, don't feel the need to share their private feelings about religion with you.
I noticed for the Republican side of the graph, it measures knowledge and ignorance even more than their views on religious groups.
You can tell because the further "east" a religion is, the less they like it. In other words, the more ignorant of a religion they are, the more they view it negatively (because they haven't been exposed to it).
It follows along the old adage of that which we do not know, we fear.
It's the same for atheists - most of them, I'm sure, think atheists are the immoral dregs of society who eat babies and sacrifice goats (or whatever).
Muslims, heh, 13 years after 9/11 and they're still scared to death of 'em.
Hmmm...just wondering in the next poll how the Buddhists will fare. Seems their 'street' popularity has to be declining in that they have been according to some in NYC as going a little too far in getting 'donations' when on the street among the crowds. Previously when one saw orange robes it was a signal for contemplation. Now it could be 'oh nos!' I do not think devout Buddhists would be pleased.
Buddhists aren't pleased. There was an article on that in the New York Times. Buddhists don't go up to people and badger them for money. The people wearing the orange robes seem to be flim-flam artists working the streets.
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When I was a kid, I was suspicious of "exotic" religions like Episcopalians and Lutherans!
