Expert: Philip A. Stahl - 7/22/2007

Question
Hi Philip,
I'd like to know if you have any suggestions for overcoming the bias of our society in the United States against non-believers. We, as a society, do not accept atheists and I wonder how much research has gone into why? As long as someone claims to believe absolute nonsense then they are OK but if they are strong enough to go thru life with the expectation that this is all there is- must make them more appreciative of life- then we shun them. How in the world do we get past this?

Answer
Hello,

Alas, I had an extensive answer prepared and on sending it "evaporated"! Anyway, will try to re-compose as best I can! Seems like one can no longer trust the All experts site not to have glitches.

Re: the research, one of the more recent studies was reported in March of 2006, (at the University of Minnesota) by Penny Edgell, Associate Professor of Sociology, and co-authors, Doug Hartmann and Joseph Gerteis. Their study, based on a telephone sampling of more than 2,000 households, disclosed that atheists now occupy the bottom rung of social respect for minorities in American society.

The study noted that a significant number of respondents associated atheism with an array of moral misbehavior, including criminality and materialist emphasis. In addition, the findings “seemed to rest on a view of atheists as self-interested individuals who are not concerned with the common good.”   

In none of the places I’ve lived or traveled, even in highly religious third world nations such as Barbados and St. Lucia, have I beheld the venom for unbelievers as in the U.S. It’s as if there’s absolutely no give, no acceptance or even the most minimal respect afforded. Once you declare yourself an atheist, you are immediately the enemy, and not much better than Osama Bin Laden or one of his cohorts.

Why is this?  With atheism a whole new way of facing the cosmos is embraced. It effectively removes supernatural managers, special designs and cosmic purpose from reality.  This is too much to handle for many people and they 'lose it' and take matters out on the nearest atheist, or all atheists in the abstract. They are unable to tolerate someone telling them the "Emperor has no clothes".

Overcoming these problems and the tremendous societal bias is a formidable task, but the atheist can help himself by:

i) joining an atheist community or organization - say like American Atheists, so as not to feel totally marginalized or isolated.

ii) try to enlighten people about what atheism is, how one proceeds to it and so on. Letters to the paper are excellent for this, and they at least will get the more intelligent readers thinking.

Many other approaches and strategies are referenced in my new book: 'Atheism: A Beginner's Handbook' which is now available at www.amazon.com. If you are interested, I think it would help you immensely.

Meanwhile, hope this info I have provided here is a start!