Reply #108: Geez, for supposedly being a member of a religious minority, [View All]

[trotsky]

I would have expected a little more sympathetic perspective from you, okasha.

I can address most of your questions by saying that while there is no "official" discrimination per se, it's mainly because most atheists keep quiet about their lack of belief, especially in their public lives. Just for one example, you don't think the fundie asshole that owns an apartment building and won't rent to homosexuals wouldn't also refuse to rent to an atheist? But the atheist can "hide" is atheism, while that option is not available to the homosexual couple.

Only 52% of Americans would vote for an atheist if they otherwise agreed with the atheist's policy positions - you don't think that attitude carries over into whatever position of power they might hold? Whether it be landlord, boss, community leader, you name it - the motivation and pattern of intolerance is there.

Taxed inequitably because you're an atheist?

This one, I can directly address. You bet I am. Churches aren't taxed, which benefits churchgoers because they don't have to give as much to their church. But since I don't have a church, my tax burden is higher to support the institutions of believers. Secondly, with President Dumbshit's faith-based programs, I'm taxed specifically to fund churches and their proselytization programs disguised as social services.

I find it sad that you think just because discrimination against atheists isn't an official, enshrined part of American society (and apparently almost comparable to the Holocaust) that it doesn't affect our lives to a significant extent, which is all that CarbonDate was saying. The fact that so many of us have to keep quiet in our real lives is a testament to the discrimination that can and does occur. As someone who is not a Christian yourself, surely you have run into similar situations?