Atheism in the U.S.: Is It Really That Bad?

One of the more common questions I see atheists who live outside the U.S. asking those of us who live in the U.S. is, "Is it really that bad there?" They ask this question for many different reasons. Some are planning a trip to the U.S. and are trying to get a sense of what to expect. Others are understandably puzzled by how a country with a secular government and Constitution could be so backwards when it comes to religion.

I've addressed this question previously, noting that it is a difficult one to answer with anything other than, "It depends..." In this post, I'd like to try to unpack this a bit more and take a look at some of the things on which it depends.

Region

At the broadest level, the experience of atheists in the U.S. is likely to vary by region of the country. The experience of living on the West coast, for example, is very different from living in the South. Religiosity, the role of religion in people's lives, the social acceptability of discussing religion with strangers, the prevalence of public prayer, the level of education and attitudes toward science and education are just a few of the relevant factors that often vary across regions. In general, atheists living on the East or West coasts are likely to have an easier time than those living in the so-called Bible Belt. But this is too simple because there is often great variability to be found within regions.

Salman Rushdie on Our Perpetual State of Outrage

 During a recent interview with NPR about his new book, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, the interviewer suggested to Salman Rushdie that some people might be upset about some of the contents of his book (e.g., jinn). Rushdie replied,

Everything I write upsets somebody... It's an age in which everyone is upset all the time. All you have to do is look at the Internet. It's full of people screaming at other people for saying things they don't like.

An age where everyone is upset all the time. Yep. That sounds about right. It often seems like we are living in a culture of outrage rather than one of reason.

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Opposing SJW Behavior Without Adopting It

I have been a frequent critic of the behavior of those who can accurately be characterized as social justice warriors (SJWs) for some time. I have explained that I believe their behavior undermines much of the social justice agenda they claim to support, harming vital social justice advocacy. I have compared their petty tribalism with that of Christian extremists. I have highlighted the blatant irrationality and hypocrisy so regularly on display. I have argued that having priorities different from one's own does not make someone a bad person and that we should reject the efforts by some SJWs to silence dissent and punish other atheists for various offenses through self-righteous vigilantism. And I have sought to bring attention to the high cost of driving away potential allies through shaming and chronic outrage.

While I have made my share of mistakes along the way, I have sought to focus on what is objectionable about the behavior of these SJWs rather than making the issue about the individual personalities involved. I have attempted to keep in mind that the fact that someone disagrees with me and engages in behavior I consider detrimental to various social justice issues does not make him or her a bad person. This has been difficult at times, but I think it is important and renew my commitment to working on it.

Writing a Short Post Was Surprisingly Fun

Screenshot of the short film "Milgram". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last November, I wrote a short post called "What Happened to the Short Posts?" in which I lamented the fact that I rarely seem to write short posts anymore like I used to in the early days of Atheist Revolution. I said that I wasn't sure why I had gotten away from this format and indicated that I planned to utilize it more often, especially when time was at a premium.

I seemed to forget all about this post almost immediately after writing it. At least, it sure looks that way given that I have written few short posts (i.e., posts around 3-4 paragraphs in length) in the last year. It suddenly came back to me yesterday as I wrote a very short post about the shaming of Kim Davis. Although that post felt strange to write because it was so short, it was also quite satisfying to realize that I said what I wanted to say and nothing more.

Shaming Kim Davis

I have not had a chance to express my thoughts on the subject of Kim Davis (the Kentucky clerk who was jailed after defying a court order that she issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples) or the manner in which many of the atheists I follow on Twitter and Facebook seem to be responding to her. I am not sure when - or if - I will do so.

Fortunately, I have just read two posts by atheist bloggers I respect that capture my reaction quite well and which deserve to be read:

• The Shaming of Kim Davis (Rock Beyond Belief)
• How to Attack an Anti-Equality Activist (Background Probability)

I get that we do not like what Ms. Davis did. I certainly don't approve of her behavior. Public shaming is not the answer and neither is attacking her physical appearance or her personal life. If this sort of thing is unacceptable when they do it to us (and it is), it is certainly not acceptable when we do it to them. Aren't we supposed to be the reasonable ones here?

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