General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What can you guys tell me about Humanists? I've never dealt with one before. [View all]Bigmack
(8,020 posts)The problem comes when the religious people simply will not stop proselytizing and codifying their beliefs into laws.
When Catholics take over hospitals (state of Washington) and install their beliefs, when religious groups determine what is to be taught in our schools, when churches tell their parishioners how to vote.... it's easy to develop a variety of bigotry.
I feel that I don't have to respect religions...I find them irrational. I do respect the adherents as fellow humans.
I'm not a militant atheist, but an atheist nonetheless. Atheists are the most persecuted minority in America... in at least seven U.S. states, constitutional provisions are in place that bar atheists from public office and one state, Arkansas, has a law that bars an atheist from testifying as a witness at a trial.
The idea that the overwhelming number/percentage of theists in this country bear any burden of bigotry against them is laughable.
Atheists, on the other hand... "A new study finds that atheists are among society's most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances."
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1