1/3 of Democrats think Atheists are changing things for the worse

[MellowDem]

And here's how us atheists are compared to other groups in general (the worst).



The 33% figure comes from page 23 of the survey:

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/reports/2013/03/21%20immigration%20survey%20jones%20dionne%20galston/download%20the%20report.pdf

We got a long way to go, but the same survey shows 13% of millenials identifying as atheists, so rapid change may be around the corner as more of us come out of the closet.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

1. That means 2/3's think we are okay

I can't get too bummed out by that.

[MellowDem]

4. I'm glad a majority thinks we are "OK"

but the fact that 1/3 of Democrats think we're not is actually a pretty big bummer and shows we have a ways to go, though I'm optimistic for the future.

[enlightenment]

2. I don't think that's just Democrats, is it?

Why would so many think the TeaParty is changing things for the better?

ON EDIT: Sorry, yes the 1/3 is Democrats . . . I failed to read through paragraph below the chart. *blush* My error.

[cbayer]

5. It's not just democrats, but they do a further breakdown in the study.

59% of republicans and 33% of democrats say they think atheists are changing things for the worse.

Not surprisingly, further breakdown shows that these are mainly older, southern and religious respondents.

[longship]

3. And it doesn't help how media portrays atheists.

The news media always puts an atheist against some wackaloon fundementalist Christian of some sort. There's almost never any reasonable dialog in such a contrived situation. Then, they inevitably label the atheist as strident, militant, or some other label.

There are atheist characters on TV these days that are portrayed in what I would call honest. Bones comes to mind. As does The Mentalist, if you ignore the character, Patrick Jane's quirky conspiracy theories.

So things may be improving. The only way to improve these numbers is for more atheists to be open about their lack of god beliefs. That's certainly why I am open about mine.

[cbayer]

6. I agree that the press is not helping here.

However, I think the most vocal and visible atheists don't do the movement to decrease discrimination and prejudice a lot of favors. When the person who gets the most press (Dawkins) defines himself as an anti-theist, he doesn't win a lot of friends.

I think some reasonable dialogue and debate would go a long way. Also, the growing number of interfaith groups which include non-believers on college campuses is a very good sign.

[Leontius]

9. Reasonable debate doesn't make coin, so there is no reason for the media the general public

access to feature it .

[cbayer]

14. Agree. One way to get more positive media attention would be to include

atheists in formats when different religious views are discussed.

Bill Moyers has done some good work with this, but he is generally preaching to the choir.

[longship]

11. Well, I am more or less anti-theist as well.

I just don't always broadcast it, so to speak. I think religion does much harm in the world and wish it would just stop doing such.

What stops me from doing what Dawkins does is that there are many religious people who are decent folk and who would agree with me. Also, thinking we could rid the world of religion is likely delusional.

Regardless, I like Richard Dawkins, however I realize that being openly anti-theist does harm his case.

[cbayer]

13. You can describe yourself however you wish, but I don't really see your

views as anti-theist. What I have heard from you is a wish for religion to stop doing harm, as you state, not for theists to not exist.

As you have said, you are a realist. But you are also tolerant and civil towards those that disagree with you.

[dimbear]

18. It looked pretty hopeless when Rachel Carson set out to rid the world of DDT. A century ago, few

would ever have believed that tobacco would be recognized for the poison that it is. These movements take time, enthusiasm, and education.

Hang in.

[skepticscott]

26. You're an anti-theist too

Calling creationists "a bunch of dumbasses" and ridiculing people for their deeply and sincerely held religious beliefs puts you squarely in that category.

[RGinNJ]

7. I am tired ...

of people telling me that I have no morals. A storybook will not make me a better citizen.

[cleanhippie]

8. Rapid change. That's what is coming. And right soon!

Hope I'm alive to see it. It will be beautiful.

[rug]

23. Amen! I have seen the Promised Land!

[EvilAL]

10. I always figured non-religious and atheist

was the same thing. What's non-religious? Believe in god but no religion?

[longship]

12. I guess one would call that deism.

Wouldn't that fit the description of belief in god but not religion?

[EvilAL]

15. yeah, never thought of that,

thanks.

[cbayer]

16. I think it includes the very large group of people who define themselves as

unaffiliated (the nones). This group is often composed both of believers, non-believers and those who say something like "spiritual but not religious".

[EvilAL]

17. Thanks, I just found it weird,

Just a strange listing, you could add to the atheist category by combining the atheist and non-religious categories together, since the people polled might not have been able to make the distinction.

[cbayer]

20. It is very confusing. Some polls include non-believers in the non-religious category,

while others make a distinction.

I think it's probably more enlightening to make a distinction, as it show how the number of those who say they are atheist is growing.

It remains unclear whether that number is growing because people feel more comfortable identifying themselves as atheist or whether there really is a shift in the actual numbers who personally identify that way.

[EvilAL]

22. I can see how people would

feel more comfortable saying they are non-religious instead of atheist. It's not as much of a label.

[trotsky]

19. Ignorance.

A disturbingly large number think "atheist" means "devil worshiper" or "communist" or whatnot.

They honestly don't understand that it just means you don't believe in gods.

[EvilAL]

21. Ya, that too,

I just found it odd that they would make the distinction between the two without really saying what the difference is.

[rug]

24. Techinically, atheism, the absence of belief in a god, changes nothing.

Whatever changes occur must be motivated by other things.

[Phillip McCleod]

29. i think that's a discussion that still being had..

..though i mostly agree. atheism is not a philosophy and explicates no ethics, but some.. for instance in the atheism+ movement.. who argue that there are ethical implications of choosing non-belief (aka, 'seeing reason') in the current sociopolitical environment. in the context of these times, that is, for some atheism.. as a meme rather than concept.. *implies* certain ethical principles. the most obvious such implication of sociopolitically-oriented atheism is a steely dedication to secular humanism.

i would further argue that the atheism of those who lean this far left has further implied ethics.. such as the notion that morals are a natural extension of individual empathy to day-to-day decision-making.

i imagine there are a couple others that, stretching a bit, one could *read into* the way atheism is being expressed, though as you say, not into the concept itself.

[hrmjustin]

25. Well I love you Atheists!

[Apophis]

27. I'm looking forward to the day when archaic beliefs are no longer the majority.

[cbayer]

28. I look forward to the day when whether one believes or not is irrelevant, unless

those beliefs (or lack) impinge on the rights of others.