The challenges facing atheists in the U.S.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ธ.ค. 2024
- Fifty-three percent of Americans say they'd be less likely to support an atheist for president, and almost half say they'd be unhappy if a family member married an atheist. Mo Rocca reports on the many consequences that those who come out as non-believers suffer in a nation founded on religious tolerance.
Being from Europe(UK) its rather sad to see how poorly atheists can be treated in the US, given the country was founded on the freedom of religion.
Reece Clarke Very ironic and hypocritical isn't it? I swear these stupid jesus freaks never paid any attention in American history class.
Im American and I too find this shameful
Correct me if I am wrong but didn't more liberal people move from UK to US in 1700's to escape religion?
@@Bruh-jr2ep No.....no.....not really. The Pilgrims where christian fundamentalists from UK and moved to US to flee from suppression and from the sinfull UK - to found new radical christian communities in US (see witch hunting hysterie in salem - 1692).
They escape from UK because UK was not radical in their faith enough.
@@Redwickderrote Wow, that's interesting. I have to read more about those Pilgrims. Thanks👍
I, as a European, find it odd that someone 'comes out' as an atheist. I also think that zero f**** should be given about what other people think of this, even if it's family members. Hell i told my father i converted to islam for fun so i could mary my wife who is moroccan, he never laughed so hard in his life.
gregory logie Its pretty serious, being an atheist in the US is pretty bad if youre looking for a job. If that employer finds out you arent a religious person (typically christian) they probably wont hire you.
My Christian uncle was fired from a position in upper-management by his atheist boss. I'm agnostic myself, but I do want to illustrate that the problem goes both ways. This is in South Alabama too btw. Heart of the Bible Belt.
TBoMax You mean your uncle was fired by his boss. Unless it had to do with him being christian, and the boss being atheist, thats irrelevant information. If his boss fired him purely for him being christian, thats awesome grounds for a lawsuit, but i feel like it was for other reasons. The "problem" does not go both ways at all. There is no institution affecting peoples ability to get jobs because they believe in a deity, but i assure you being an openly atheist person does limit your job opportunities in a couple states.
In your own imagination.
Prometheus yeah right
But sadly most US americans give a f***
I openly say I'm an atheist, and my grandmother said she is as well after hearing me say it. It made her happy to be open
Matthew Baran, that story has a lot of power. One, by coming out, you gave someone else the strength to come out too. Two, that person was someone who had presumably spent all their life hiding. Three, it was your own grandma, showing that the elderly can protect their young but the young can also protect their elders
Matthew
Courageous 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿
You all need to separate yourselt from the anti-theists.if you are a non = theist, fine.That's just a variety of belief.
Atheists or anti-theists a make thenselves a nuisance, have nothing to offer.
I'd marry an non theist, but never, an atheist.
I always wonder how many people never really had faith but just played along their entire lives.
@@joseacevedo8314 I feel a lot don't
The word Atheist does have bad branding; that's why I just tell people I'm a Satanist. Might as well have a little fun with 'em.
The church of Satan is a wonderful thing.
LaVeyan Satanism is basically atheism:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVeyan_Satanism#The_Nine_Satanic_Statements
The sins of that religion are: Stupidity, Pretentiousness, Solipsism, Self-deceit, Herd Conformity, Lack of Perspective, Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies, Counterproductive Pride, Lack of Aesthetics.
Kevin I always just go by Cosmicist
@@Paciat Sure, lmao.
th-cam.com/video/f4gkpcLitL8/w-d-xo.html
I own a successful retail store. I know for a fact that if it got out in town that I was an Atheist....my business would close. I know of one other Atheist that is a business owner in town......we have to whisper about it. Seriously.
Too late, your businesses are doomed.
Prospecting And Closing Sales Training Videos I can’t imagine that in Northern/western Europe where I live, no one really cares what religion or lack of belief anyone holds. Must be very hard for American atheists.
Pax Humana just keep worshipping your sadistic mass murderer.
I grew up in the DFW area of Texas, so yeah still in the bible belt. I've seen things change. As a kid in the 70s I was annoyed that most stores were closed on Sundays. Now most are open on Sunday. Used to be if we just mention 'I don't believe in God' then chances are high we could be physically attacked. Things changed ... but not enough. I was in my 20s when rest of family outside my mom, sister & grandmom found out I'm an atheist. Out of a large group of cousins, only two were not invited to a cousin's graduation. Myself and one cousin who's gay. Our grandmom had us come anyway... and only ones to talk to us were my sister and grandmom. Of course both were Christians themselves and would still try to 'convince' me to believe. They failedI worked in Wal-Mart in the 90s and 2000s, and down in Texas I still would not mention I am an atheist because I knew that they could find an excuse to fire me.I still don't mention too much of religion on facebook. But then I'm not active much on there at all.
Robbo it's true.
Didn't Jesus say to LOVE your enemies and be good to them...? Oh forgot, great majority of the so called Christians don't READ the bible nor even follow the teaching of their Lord...
#true
Honesty the bible argue its self.Thou shall not kill,o if u have disobeying children stone them to death.
Atheists can't really be classified as our enemies too.
Or they do read it and go completely insane from the poorly written, contradictory, book of blood and guts. It’s often said that the fastest way to turn Christians into atheists is to have them read the Bible cover to cover.
i mean that book is written during times where people didnt know much about the world or how the world works.If there was flood they blame the devil if something good happen they praise god.
Internet fact checking is the greatest threat to religion.
*Truth and knowledge* are the greatest threats to religion.
jimmy jam which is why questioning it is "blasphemous" and forbidden. If you even say, well maybe since we know human lifespans don't reach hundreds of years maybe the Bible isn't the most reliable source of information, it's heresy and you are wrong for even thinking it.
Historical Biblical Research I swear all it takes is one Google search
A creator is just as rational as a random explosion creating a universe to me. We dont know for sure how our universe was created. It's all speculation. Cant we just get along regardless? Rationally, where does conciousness come from? Good vs. Evil? Why aren't we all empty beings who's only purpose is to survive and reproduce, like most animals? These are all question religion provides an answer for, but science is still unsure about. People have reasons for their faith, dont assume they're all blind idiots
Joebonic the ‘big bang’ was not an explosion
To all Atheists, please come out of the closet .
Tonia Housnick...we stay in closets on Sundays only.
Tonia Housnick
But it’s warm in here.
And get ostracized by everyone? No I'll stay put.
It is tough, but the day is coming and all are going to change, because the truth ALWAYS have a way to come up .there is no god. Understand how you feel also.
Tonia Housnick It's not that easy we can't just tell those in the LGBT community regardless of their situation to come out to their family. Same with us Atheists ei if I came out to my family I would not have much of a family afterwards. They will not be near an atheist or they'll either try to convert me. I told my biological father this and I've been kicked out of my father's house for such a reason and told not to come back. I will not have such a thing happen again.
I wish this was a satire. Believing in a fairy tale is the norm, being logical is considered crazy.
The lunatics are running the asylum
And use of terms like 'fairy tale' is considered assholery. I'm agnostic by the way. We're never going to achieive acceptance, much less representation in government, with secularists talking like that about believers.
Gasssolo theres logical reasons for believing in God. Don't think you're better than people simply because you don't believing in one certain metaphysics.
Liam Dyer What are the logical reasons?
Exsel well if you look into the philosophy of religion there is pretty interesting arguements for the existance of God. Theres the kalam cosmological arguement that is informed by modern day cosmology. Theres the modal ontological arguement that follows from Modal logic. Theres the teleological arguement that follows from modern day science showing us certain constants in the universe. Theres the moral arguement that follows from metaphysics and thousands of years of ethical debate. Theres the arguement from evil that argues due to the state we have in the world God is needed. Theres historical evidence for the existance of biblical figures including Jesus (that does not necessarily entail divinity however).
Theres pleanty of rational and logical arguements presented by religion.
I stopped believing in god when I was about 12. None of it makes sense.
The weird thing is, as soon as I realize I’m an Atheist I truly start to realize how religious everyone around me is
start believing again
@@chrisjackson-zu1rn Do you have a good reason for him to start believing again?
Im 13, and did it since i was 10
I have NO IDEA about how to tell people, here in my country, BRAZIL, the official religion is CATHOLIC CHRISTIANISM, and, people would judge so much if i say anything.
So i stay in secret, just living my life, trying to not explode when obrigated to go to a church........
@@chrisjackson-zu1rn but WHY
Thank you for one of the first objective pieces on atheists I've seen in public media in a very long time.
They don't report on the exact same thing happening to Christians 50x more often.
markevens Yes! This was a very good piece.
Layback Studios and your evidence
@@ArmyRangerSJ because it doesn't.
@@ArmyRangerSJ Look at the US population! Who is doing anything to Christians? 90% believe in a higher power or God!
I bet you’re crying because someone said, ‘happy holidays’ to you, lol.
I am an Atheist and very proud.
P.L.A.Y. = Proud Loud Atheist Yeah!
I am atheist because I am honest!
Atheism is dishonesty at its core, Matt Holton.
Pride goes before the fall of a person and spirit of arrogance goes before their destruction.
Pax Humana, Atheism is just not believing in a god or gods. Are you suggesting we are lying when we say we do not believe in any gods.
I've never believe in gods. I told my parents at 12 that I didn't believe in gods, they changed from Catholic to United Methodist, but I told them it wasn't the church, it's the believe. At 20 I came out as gay, my parents were very accepting, but they never accepted me being an atheist.
Paul Andrews congratulations on coming out, in both senses. I'm glad your parents accepted the more important of the two aspects of yourself, and sorry that they don't respect your choices as much as they respect the way you were born.
My parents are the same way. I told them I was an atheist 2 years ago, and they still believe:
A. That I'm angry with God
B. That someday in the future I'll see "the light"
Frustrating to no end.
Tom Riddle Yes, it's very frustrating. My parents, at least to me, never thought I was angry at god, in coming out as atheist, I said you told me that there was a Santa Clause, then an Easter Bunny, a tooth fairy and now you tell me about this thing called a god? Eventually when I was 14 they stopped dragging me to church. Good luck in the future and god be with you....oops! 😂😂😂
They don't accept it because it is an irrational belief.
Astro Mars
Can't tell if serious or a joke
They have been brainwashed to believe the lies, and can not accept the reality, there is no god.
I'm so disappointed in over half of our country.
***** I'm so jealous of that.
I want to leave the United States. It would be awesome to live in a country with more like minded people.
Please come to a nice country in Europe, then.
David Sommen Yes, come to Europe, the U.K., Skandinavia etc where no one gives a hoot about fairy tales, it's no big deal to understand there's no tyrant in the sky watching your every move and controlling your thoughts.
Rick C-137 Come to France,home of free thinking
It really irks me that Christians think that non-christians need to be saved, even though they have lived perfectly moral lives.
If these Christians actually read their book, they'd know that it's a mortal sin to try to convert people. It literally says that in Deuteronomy.
Well, you might be using "Christians" in too broad a term, perhaps painting all of them with the evangelical fundamentalist brush -- although I agree, as a non-Christian myself, the doctrine of no salvation outside of that religion is powerfully ingrained, and has been since the Council of Nicea.
Now, having been involved many years ago in my youth with some Evangelical organizations, I would say at least that stripe of Protestant Christianity places far too much emphasis on St. Paul's doctrine of salvation by grace alone. (And how Paul's writings ever got to be viewed as the literal, inerrant Word of God is a whole other matter, but I digress.)
St. Peter and St. Paul apparently contended over this. I think St. Peter, handpicked by Jesus as first among the disciples, was probably more correct. Hence, you might see more of an emphasis on salvation through works in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox faucets of Christianity -- which are likely more influenced by Peter -- whereas Evangelical fundamentalism is arguably more influenced by Paul than even Jesus Himself. Consider, for instance, how often they tend to quote Paul, as opposed to quoting Jesus.
I prefer to go straight to the source, Jesus, as His teachings are portrayed in the Sermon on the Mount. If you read that -- perhaps the most important and comprehensive summary of His faith and call to humanity -- clearly, Jesus states in no uncertain terms what you profess to believe basically amounts to squat. What you DO from a position of pure and sincere motive is the key to the Kingdom, so to speak.
Therefore, the doctrine of salvation by grace alone strikes me as pure bunk.
That's my 2.5 cents.
You did not read the comment.
It said that non-christians lived perfectly moral lives.
Therefore they were not sinners.
Another case of christians not getting their act together.
So why do you Christians take the moral high ground, when you are all sinners?
Why can't you live a perfectly moral life without the promise of heaven?
wow, didn't know it was this bad in the US. I from Germany and I don't know anyone my age (18) who openly says that they believe in god
Alex Stock I know some but yeah, religion doesn't matter as much here.
Alex Stock
The good news is that these things are even discussed openly like this and the tide is definitely turning against these toxic belief systems in America. Both Church attendance and crime are near all time lows. It's a slow process but it's moving in the right direction.
I'm moving in with you please....
America is a huge place. Some regions, like the Bible Belt mentioned in the video, are very Christian, whereas others are more diverse in different types of religion and atheism. I come from a place where devout Christians are quite uncommon.There are many regions that experience these effects differently.
The US does have the largest population of Christians in the world, but remember the US is third in population (after China and India). When it comes to the percentage of the nation that is Christian it's over 70% Christian. Germany is over 58% Christian.
Only in the US: Being an atheist is worth a news story 😄!
Wow. Lmao. Only you are this uneducated. Watch some news about islamic countires.
A B you have no clue, the community is very small and the mix between church and state is a constant frustration and detriment to our lives. I haven’t come out yet. I don’t know if I ever will to my family. Some friends understand though
A B You probably mean that the US is just about the only country in the western world (North America, Europe and Australasia) where being an atheist is a news story. In most other western countries it is a complete non-issue, and in many of them a majority of people have little or no interest in religion. I hope that in this respect the US can become more mature, one day.
Not only in the US. Many parts of the Philippines are same or worse. It's completely insane.
What are you talking about? Anything lifting up anything against God, the news is all over it portraying them as victims. Even in this report they show history of this.
Listen to the commentator's voice cues, this a propaganda piece.
You can always tell who grew up hardcore Catholic; they're all atheists.
Anyone who's read ANY religious text, especially the Bible or Qur'an, is an atheist. That's why Christian churches don't want their members reading the Bible without a guided study. The Bible is the #1 cause of atheism. I 100% guarantee if everyone sat down and read the Bible, cover-to-cover, and absorbed what it says, they'd be atheists before they finished it. The most devout Christians have no idea what that book even says. Muslims are different, they actually are instructed and expected to read their text, but the difference is they are taught to reject that screaming voice of reason in the back of their mind. Christians, generally, are kept ignorant so they don't ask questions.
I disagree. Take the issue of abortion, for instance. Numbers 5: 11-31 EXPLICITLY describes a procedure for aborting a pregnancy...and yet Christians oppose abortion. This necessarily means one of two things. 1. (most likely) They don't even know that passage is in the Bible, or 2. They know it's in there and willfully ignore it. Either way, they're ignorant.
The Test for an Unfaithful Wife
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure-or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure- 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah[a] of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder-offering to draw attention to wrongdoing.
16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”- 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse-“may the Lord cause you to become a curse[b] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”
“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”
23 “‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her. 25 The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial[c] offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse. 28 If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.
29 “‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.’”
Man, the old testament was barbaric.
A_Disciple, while you are correct that the verses in question have nothing to do with abortion, but instead are about testing the faithfulness of a man's wife. Going around using terms like, "true atheists" doesn't help your cause. Either you believe in a deity or you do not. There is no true atheism and separating yourself from renowned atheist thinkers does not make you any more a free thinker than agreeing with them does. Atheism is not about dogma, it's about whether or not you believe in fictional mythological beings, nothing more, nothing less.
Speak for yourself. I read the Baha'i sacred writings and Qu'ran daily, the Bible frequently, and am neither compelled to turn atheist, nor suffering at odds with my God-given reasonable intelligence.
It's always unwise to project one's own perceptions, because you won't get too far without hitting walls.
Raised as atheist, I was very perplexed every time I heard the 'moral' argument. moral and religion just don't connect in my mind, it sounds like 'today will be raining because my coffee burnt my mouth', just gibberish. Now I begin to understand, if that's the case for me, it is only natural for people to associate those two things together if they are brought up being taught that moral comes from religion. Nevertheless, it is still amusing to me that this discussion is still going on. It's so simple to debunk. Look at all those atheist society, we don't just run around murdering people, do we? That's the only argument you need
Did you ever think what a waste this life of sin brings us? You spend a whole lifetime mastering a career or a trade and then death comes to all. Does not matter that we became a famous brain surgeon or a master carpenter. We all end up with nothing in the end. Logically this is tragic. Spiritually it makes sense for the wages of sin is death as God has portrayed.
Well said.
@@JCisSAVIOR If you feel that way, I suggest reading Ecclesiastes. The Jews also came to that conclusion, even with faith in God.
@@Jake-rs9nq I’m just the messenger. This is a test to see who will keep Gods commands and who will disregard them while He is hidden. When the teacher leaves the classroom, you quickly learn who the troublemakers are.
@@JCisSAVIOR And if there never was a teacher? Are you so arrogant as to presume you aren't the troublemaker?
It's so odd to see Americans react to Atheists like they're aliens.
I'm American and I agree.
Not all parts of the US
Well, after several years of discussing/debating with them I see they are not aliens.
But i also see that they have no foundation in place.
I dont care if you are theist or non theist, to work together, everyone needs their own foundation.
If you dont, you will look to government to do everything, i.e. depend on the group too much.
Socialism seems like...a good thing.
@@stephj9378
Irrelevant answer with a thinly-veiled agenda.
@@theoneonyoutube4925
whatever...
TH-cam started randomly started playing this video from the auto playlist... As an atheist, I didn't expect to get so emotional...
The Mad Atheist Unfortunately that is true
I live in the southern texas region of the bible-belt. It is tough. I went to a christian private school from kindergarten-9th grade. They are the reason that I am atheist. The school flooded during hurricane harvey, and the next thing I knew they were thanking god for their school flooding. I still have not told a single person about me being an atheist, except for my online friends. My grandma met an atheist and immediately threatened to call the police. I am terrified to come out as one for the fear of her throwing me out of her house. I plan to tell her when I am an adult and out living by myself, with no financial support from any of my family members.
September 2020 Edit: my entire family knows I am an atheist. They don't like it, but they just have to live with it. My grandma doesn't like it when I talk about it with her. My grandpa just debates me all the time. My mom knows, but she will literally have a heart attack if she hears anything about it again because of her heart problems. My brother is still religious but seems to really not care. My sister doesn't know, my mom thinks she's too young to know. (I think 12 is old enough to know about these things) Anyways, I'm biding my time waiting to graduate college and move out of the country. I just graduated high school 2020.
coocoodog123 That's horrible that you need to live in that fear. I came out as atheist to my parents at 12, they didn't like it, but they accepted it, reluctantly. They had a far easier time accepting me being gay.
If i were to come out as gay, my grandma would bring in the airstrike.
Why did they thank god for their school flooding ?
Because it brought their community together in a way that their petty football (american) games couldn't.
You need to write a book!
Myself and my children are nonbelievers, we live in Oklahoma. The younger of my two children is my daughter. When she was eight, she was mercilessly bullied for not attending church by students in the school she attended at the time. She is a super sweet, highly intelligent, and kind soul who only wanted to make friends. The mental impact of three classes of third graders taunting someone for their differences in belief is immeasurable. Now, she attends a science academy but if anyone asks her if she goes to church, she tells them, "I attend the church of how to be a good human, and it is located in my heart." In our house we follow the golden rule, support our community, and do no harm. For those reading this who are religious, please teach your children to be kind to everyone, like your Jesus was attributed to have been, and don't fear what you do not truly know. We have so many divisive issues in our world, agreeing we all should oppose loathing and mistreating others for their ideas is one place we can start to pull together the schism.
There is no shame on valuing, reason and evidence.
Which is why there is shame in being Atheist
Bruh I am in the same situation. I live with a my Hispanic family and when I told them I might be an atheist, they told me it wasn't an option. To this day I am pretending to be a Christian and still go to church with my family. I just can't wait to be 18 yrs old and be able to make my own choices.
Do you plan to go to college? I remember that once I was in college, I stopped going to church and I started looking at foreign exchange opportunities. :)
@@LucareonVee yes I am planning to go to college so I can be free from my family.
Unfortunately, that’s what it’s like in Black and Latino families. There’s no arguing with them. You must abide by their rules until you’re 18 and out of the house. Even then, they’ll just guilt trip you to manipulate you into doing something that you wouldn’t like.
Brainwashed religious people cannot be reasoned with
4 years later, I hope you’re situation has improved!
Great piece, I only wish it was longer. Hope to see more like it someday. Two thumbs up!
This is something that Faux News definitely wouldn't do with an open mind. Thanks, CBS.
I can imagine the FOX piece: Why do Atheists want to rape Santa, NEXT on Hannity!
Exactly
There's quite a few documentaries, with the same feel and themes, on Cnn, msnbc and even the freakin history channel. Care to take a wild guess of what network wouldn't touch this "atheist are humans too" theme with a ten foot pole?
@@jomsthejomtheff1644
It is a pun.
this makes me grateful that I live in a civilised western European nation where the majority of people do not care if you are not religious.
It is ironic that US is founded by Europeans too but still their people are so backward compared to Europeans.
for me, i am French, i cannot even understand why being atheist could be a problem, especially because usually in my culture religion is a part of the personal and private part, it is not the definition of what you are
Peter Kazavis ummmm no?
Depends on whether you are an plain old atheist or an anti-theist.
Natural/Universal law is what is important.
When you have a code that reflects those, then we can actually BUILD our communities.
Otherwise, we cant.
Matters not what deity you accept or dont accept.
You become a millstone rather than a functioning citizen.
Does this make sense?
@@stephj9378 none of that is relevant to what he said.
@@stevenicol1
It means that as long as we align to SOME degree and can build
community, it shouldnt matter.
Except that some atheists try very hard to destroy community.
The anti theists.
Is that better?
I
@@stephj9378 what do you mean by trying to destroy a community and how do anti theists do this? It's all very vague.
wow I didn't know it was this bad, I live in England and I don't believe in God and I call my self an atheist and everyone is fine, heck alot of people I know share my opinion so to see this in another country and hearing that mine and other people's views are viewed as evil and hated really makes me horrible I side, so much for the land of the free :'(
Greetings from an atheist in the Bible Belt.
+Self Fulfilling Prophet fair enough
+Gadget Guy 64 please invade us.
It's all England's fault America is obsessively religious, you lot had two bites of the apple to win and save us from this madness- in fact, please try again, the 3rd time may be the charm. ☺
BeachsideHank Lol. The irony is that the original American settlers escaped Britain in order to be free to follow their faith as they wanted - now it is a place where people cast judgement on others for their faith all the time.
" Doubt is the key to knowledge." Persian Proverb
"Doubt is as important as faith,for doubt leads to inquiry and inquiry leads to truth." Pierre Abelard,11th century monk,astronomer and Logician.
Wow that really hurts, his wife left, so much for better or worse..
Karl Buttler that's the problem with religious idiots they have very low moral, I mean no wonder they are worshipping a sadistic mass murderer.
Karl Buttler she obviously didn’t follow the words of Jesus. What “god” put together let not man put asunder. But of course professing Christians violate the scriptures way more than atheists, believe it or not.
Nothing was said in this report about her divorcing him due to atheism. Unwarranted assumption.
She wasn't much of a wife then huh
0:56 seems like it though.
How bizarre that being an atheist is such a big deal in the US. One characteristic I always felt comfortable about being an atheist is that I don’t need to talk or join with others about my lack of faith or have any opinion about other people’s faith. Live and let live
American Christians view it as their RIGHT to engage you about their faith. If I had it my way, I wouldn't ask anyone. But since they make it a point to flaunt their faith to everyone, I make it a point to tear them down.
BTW sending prayers does absolutely nothing.
Putting a double tap into your skull and telling you to go save yourself when you are powerless to do so might change your view on that, Jakob Smith.
Pax Humana First of all that made no sense 2nd of all you believe in fair tales just because its in a book and your parents told you its right.LEARN TO THINK FOR YOURSELF
Jakob Smith thank you! Drives me crazy when people say I will pray for you. Um thanks?
Cassie I always respond by saying "I'll think for you".
If prayers existed we’d have the cure for cancer by now
*Edit is grammar mistake*
Trust.This is so true! I'm 41, agnostic, from Indiana, and STILL in the closet. A friend told my mother, her dying wish.. Was that I would find Jesus. Lord knows, I've TRIED. I'm not even sure my 4 boys know, I tell them they can believe whatever inspires them.. I'll love them MADLY regardless. If you tell someone, they look at you with sickening pity, akin to terminal cancer of the soul.
sunnylilme If life is meaningless, why should it matter what you believe? Who are you trying to impress by openly going against what makes your family cohesive? Stick with preserving your gene pool.
Just because there is no God life isn't meaningless. Meaning is a human coined term, animals don't contemplate years for "meaning". Everyone can find his own meaning. Even admitting that not all values of religious people might be necessarily bad. Loving your neighbor, integrity, truthfulness etc lead to a bette rcommunity and better people, no need for religion.
Acelya Summer That's a stupid suggestion. They are not openly going against anything. They are standing up for who they are. The family members that can't accept someone for being who they are are the problem. Your kind of thinking is backwards and oppressive.
I feel bad for you I know the pain of Indiana having so many Christians that if you don’t say it at a young age young age your practically in the closet forever
There is meaning though meaning doesn’t mean being more than a single spec in the universe
An atheist often has far higher morals than a theist.
Morality is hardly limited to a theist. Prior to believing as I now do I actually thought/felt a type of prideful superiority for being moral without needing religion or God to do it.
Indeed, you don't need a god to be good.
Well... we know for a fact you don't need to believe in God to do good. If there is a God however, then, the common morality that mankind shares could come from our creator. I do realize how big of an 'IF' that may be to you however ; )
Stan Stevens STALIN
Almost always dose.
Be thankful!
I live in saudi arabia and the situation is WAAAAAY worse!
Hello Again ! I'm sorry...
Equinox2149 Thank you for the supportive comment
Hello Again ! We can recognize that your situation is worse while also working to make ours better.
I hope you dont get executed. Atheist from Greece here. Peace and Love fellow humans
Islam doesn't execute non-believers. There's absolutely nothing in the Qur'an that forbids non-belief. Apostasy, on the other hand...they'll lop off your head for that. You can be openly atheist all you want in an Islamic fundamentalist country like Saudi Arabia, but if you tell someone that it's amazingly great, you're dead.
Sad that being atheist and honest cost Neil Carter his marriage. Being ostracized is something all religions and cults have in common. (Makes me question their morality) The most extreme manifestation we have seen recently is with IS (ISIL, ISIS) killing people of different sects of Islam as well as the Christians. It certainly takes a lot of courage to be atheist in the USA.
How would America feel about a Scientologist (who worships Xenu and thinks people are possessed by thetans) being in the White House? How about a Mormon, who thinks that God lives on planet Kolob, wears temple garments with embroidered nipples, thinks the next coming of Jesus will be in Missouri and baptizes dead people? America has people who are actually wishing for the world to end - the rapture. People like this with apocalyptic weapons are a real worry.
The deeply religious republican side of the country does not like deeply religious Iran and it's outspoken disdain for Israel, yet I can only assume that they would support a Mormon Presidential nominee. Admittedly Mormons are not presently threatening, but the level of irrationality is the same.
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, Scientology - just different flavors of the same nutty ice cream.
Time to think! Time to think for yourself! Time to think rationally! Time to make sure that we as individuals NEVER relinquish our critical thinking in favor of a conceptual entity, the existence of which we cannot validate.
No need to "question their morality", Abrahamic religions are toxic and these American churches and school districts would be FAR worse if they could get away with it. Hat's off to this man, none of us can afford to be silent against these evil religions.
well said!
yes ,you are correct. takes courage all over the world we live.
Tolerance and acceptance are two different things. Tolerance of ideology is legally mandatory in the US so long it doesn't interfere with someone's rights. What you think is wrong is that people have the ability to self-determine their own morality. Very Stalinist!
RATIONALMIND001: Keep thinking!
I am British and non-religious. Virtually everyone I know is non-religious. It just is no longer a big part of British society. I feel we still act mostly morally. I am continually amazed that Americans are so militant about religion. It makes you seem as conservative as most muslim-majority countries.
Ironically 100% of Americans are atheistic toward the thousands of other gods they choose to negate.
Nope
Yep
Yeah! So glad this was featured.
You can be a believer if you want to. I stand up for your right to do so, and to practice your religion as long as it doesn't force me to subsidize your belief with my tax dollars or be confronted with any government entity professing your belief before me. I'm an atheist. Respect me and I'll respect you.
I'm a proud atheist..we ALL NEED to come out about our atheism!!!
Using logic instead of faith is something to be proud of
Come to the UK and EU. No judgment, no ostracisation.
32% of Americans think the Sun orbits the Earth. We're a lost cause.
With all the smug science denying clowns in the Trump administration (such as the head of the EPA and the unqualified clown now heading NASA) we need more reasonable people in the US. Come to the US and save our country from the stupid people.
The moon orbits earth and the earth orbits the sun.
if you must worship something? worship the sun ... at least it truly gives you life .... lol
And can be seen
Ah... George Carlin
PRAISE THE SUN
Why do you think orthodoxy puts the sun behind Christ's head?
wayne montgomery No think critically and worship nothing. Time for humanity to grow
"doubt is a part of faith" ..........okay, dude.
Id say that'd more describe faith than religion.
by definition, it's not
^^
my comment was on the "doubt is a part of faith" thingy
Paul Tillich was a theologian who had similar thoughts. His book Dynamics of Faith says it much better than I ever could. And I agree
I am a retired airline pilot, Atheist. I bet that would have freaked out the hundreds of thousands of passengers I have carried safely solely on skill and education. Overall I'd like to think the passengers would like the idea of a pilot that didn't use prayer in snow storms, thunder storms, engine failures etc.
I've forgotten the year, but I was 8 to 10 years old, when one day is became ok for a catholic to eat meat on a friday, where as it wasn't for more than a thousand years. I asked the nun in my caticism class if Jesus had arose and if so why wasn't it announce everywhere. She called for the pastor and made me ask again. He stated that Jesus has of yet not returned and that it was the pope who changed it. I asked how it was a man regardless of his title and influence could change the word of GOD. And was expelled, my parents informed, and got a heal of a beating when I got home.
It seem a simple question, and shouldn't have cause such a halabaloo. But from that day forward, I started down the path which increased in width every day until finally accepting the fact that I am an stone cold, 100 percent bonafied, card carrying, Atheist. And to this day, some 60 years later, still am.
The churches are usually worse than god. And I'm not saying this to get you back somewhere. I'm an atheist myself. I'm just continuously stunned by the discrepancy between what they preach and what they practice.
Morten Kristiansen I agree fully, my deceision to become an Atheist didn't happen over night. But like you state, when the church profess's one thing and then does another and justifies it the way they do. Anyone but an idiot can see there's issues. Thus I stopped go to my church long before commiting to Atheism.
Getting expelled for curiosity how stupid can the church be
Even years later, it's really sad how much prejudice there is against non-believers
As agnostic atheists, my wife and I are growing stronger with owning it, but it can be hard. Family is the hardest, and we sometimes have to be vague or fake it a bit. This is my manifesto: "Eat garden tomatoes, be nice until it's time to not be nice, learn, question and appreciate, spread some love. Peace and chicken grease." And most importantly: "This above all; to thine own self be true" ~ William Shakespeare
You should really re-read Hamlet because that quote in context is not as beautiful as everyone thinks it is. It's the bad guy giving hypocritical advice to his son.
As a Mexican Catholic, I've always been rather surprised at the sheer amount of power religion wields over the United States. My country, having a higher percentage of Catholics (78%) is far more entrenched in separation of Church and State, to the point that a presidential primary ran on a platform of religion and he didn't even get 2% of the signatures to become a candidate.
Morality does not come from religion
Morality comes from being raised right
Indeed, morals have existed long before any human ever has
People don’t lose their faith, they free themselves from self delusional belief systems.
Yeah I’m not going to raise my kids on hate and fear that’s why I’m a atheist
I am happy, that I live in 70% atheist country. :D (Czech Republic)
"At some point you have to just own it or else you are just not living." Great closing line.
It's hard to believe that (lack of) religion is such a big deal in the US, a country whose constitution specifically takes religion from public life.
It's sad when people shun you for not having the same imaginary friend as them
yup
stupid people aren't sad. Just look at all the religious people. They are so happy - not
@Izuku Midoriya Deku Atheism is a religion like baldness is a hair color. Atheism doesn't have dogma, it is just a lack of belief in the supernatural. NOT believing in Bigfoot is similarly not a religion. Anyway, to answer your question I don't believe in God for the same reason I don't believe in vampires or werewolves or the thousands of gods I could believe in: because there's no physical evidence. I also find secular morality to be superior to dogmatic morality. There is morality and wisdom in the Bible and various other holy books, but you have to understand what morality is first before you can separate the bad and the good parts of those books. Plus I've seen too many bad things perpetrated by religion to blindly support it.
This is a great piece. I am from North Dakota and it is hard sometimes to be around a majority of people who may view me differently because of my lack of faith. I will say though, for the most part, people here are still polite about religious disagreements
A few years ago a friend in small-town Texas told me a business shut down because the citizens found out the owner was an atheist. The day before everything was fine and the next day he was shunned. My friend who was a Christian ( she has since passed way) was bragging about how "they don't like their kind here". It reminded me of how certain folks talked about Black people not being wanted/accepted. I do go to church and I got knots in my stomach hearing it. Unfortunately most of the people in her town think just like she did.
Christian’s are very welcoming and understanding people - people who have never met a christian
"Every man is a creature of the age in which he lives, and few are able to raise themselves above the ideas of the time."
~Voltaire
im so glad i live in the most non religious country in the world. To us, when someone says "i go to church" we kind of react as if someone in the usa would say i am an athiest. It's unusual and looked down upon at times.
More and more people are realizing we don't need God anymore. Hundreds of years ago during medival times it was though for people and it makes sense why they created religion. It was comforting for people back then but now in 2018 with modern technology and medicine we don't need God anymore. God doesn't cure disease, scientist do. God doesn't perform life saving surgery, surgeons do. God is basically useless.
@@thenoicemango1827 You're useless.
@@scottkrafft6830 Go cry about it and grow up
“ It’s really difficult to not feel at home in your own life”.... wow.. what an authentic statement
My name is Staks Rosch and I am Openly Secular! I am an atheist.
Mo Rocca did a damned fine job on this report, very straight from the shoulder, and as an atheist, I very much appreciate his work. I should also mention that I've had the opportunity to meet Mandisa Thomas. She is a sharp, well-spoken woman whom the black community should listen to more.
Finally, someone talks about how it's harder to be atheist than gay
Tony Lotus people are killed for being gay ... kids are murdered by parents when they come out... i don’t think so
Think of what it's like to be gay AND atheist.
I’m an atheistic lesbian metalhead, so needless to say I got a lot of stuff to keep secret here in the south 😂
Yeah “southern hospitality” to the people that are the exact same as us, nobody different
lol
As someone who was never a Christian and went from agnostic to atheist I can’t understand why people think where immoral and discriminate us we just don’t believe in gods
Im an atheist and I was raised in Puerto Rico by my father and his side of the family is all out evangelical fundamentalist and believe me i studied the bible from cover to cover and more than finding truth with the help of other athiest the bible its self will make you an atheist when you really come to know all its flaws and errors... Proud to be athiest
When you get away from religion for a long enough period, it becomes easy to see it for the sheer and utter nonsense it is.
I could see that when I was IN a church --- *_before I was 12 years old._*
Religion is manmade has nothing to do with God
@@laurastrobel718
Can’t “go to heaven” without accepting Jesus into your life as your divine savior, which by extension necessitates adopting a belief in the divine, which literally qualifies as religion. Sorry, mate.
@@theoneonyoutube4925 That's what you think, if it works for you, good
@@laurastrobel718 Lol, do you even hear yourself? Religion by definition is belief in a supernatural creator(s)..deities of sorts.
As an Atheist I 100% agree that ALL religious views MUST be kept out of school even atheism.
As open and outspoken as I am if I was a school teacher I would not speak of it in the class room.
If I were a school teacher and asked what I believe in the level of religion, my answer would be "not an issue I would discuss in a public school".
atheism is not a religion
I think ALL religions should be studied in school. Existing and ancient. A mythology course/class.
Parents should teach their kids of religion and atheism science and faith and them let them make a decision without any judgement
@@Afternoondreamers i think you should teach all religions and atheism or do not teach any i am in 8th grade and in my country we have 5 classes we have 5 classes every school must teach: math, seince, home language, english and the bible
It's a tough price to pay to be sane, logical, and sensible...but it's worth it! #proud2beatheist
Proud 2 beat heist :D
We need more news like this on TV.
USA 2015: still one of these countries trapped in a sick detrimental bubble of bigotry.
As an Atheist in Texas, I can agree with that.
+FattMatt 890 Same
Atheism is the root of bigotry, Olivier Bussard.
“Doubt is a part of faith” depends on your definition of faith.
This can only happen in USA and places like that. Believing in a god is like believing in fairies.
And the middle east, I'd rather be in the U.S. tbh at least I won't be killed...
Yawn.
The thought of a black atheist just sounds unusual to me. I know they exist, but still. All the black people I've met are either Christian, Muslim or agnostic.
Tsolaye Wagbatsoma agnostic means weak atheist. yes
I’m a black atheist and I’ve met no others. That’s one of the main reasons I haven’t come out to my family
Master Sphinx is Royal
Someone who is agnostic cannot be a theist. Agnosticism is someone who doesn't believe the nature of God's existence can be known, or someone whom is sceptical of God's existence. The term agnostic, is short for agnostic atheist. Generally the term is misused to mean someone who is on the fence and by Pascal's wager could still adhere to a religion.
Steven Bowman im in houston, black atheist.
An agnostic is an atheist who isn't sure if a God exists or doesn't exist. An Agnostic just knows that there is no proof that God exist and as long as there is no evidence God exist he or she will continue to believe one doesn't exist.
I'm an atheist and people have a right to what they believe in!
One of the reasons why my first marriage ended in divorce
After the events of 9/11 and over the course of the next couple of years i watched my father who was in his 60's become atheist. It was a real grieving process for him. The loss of his old way of thinking and the realisation and acceptance of the new. Witnessing Dad's rocky ride to atheism prompted my brother, sister and myself to all admit to each other that we were also atheist and probably had been for some time. It was a turbulent time for our family. We had gone from a family who went to church every Sunday, said prayers before dinner, Catholic school education. All the extended family were Catholic. Mum even said prayers to help her find a car space! Now we are a quietly atheist family but passionately anti Catholic.
I can NOT reveal my atheism at work. I live in west Michigan, which most in other parts of the country would not believe it, this is an EXTREMELY religious area. A good number of the high people at my work place, are EXCEPTIONALLY religious. Everyone likes me, I do a great job. And I am 99% certain I would lose my job if they found out.
Then why would you post this online for all to see? Chances are one of your bible thumping, atheist hating coworkers may stumble upon your comment and get you fired.
Here in Austria you´re generally accepted as an Atheist. I would say about 90% of all Christians here are halfway Atheists anyway, hardly anyone goes to church. A lot of people actually quit being Christians officially in order to not have to pay the church taxes.
As a person from the Netherlands, I cannot believe that this is happening in the western world. It seems more like a theocratic country thing to be this opsessed with religion.
piccolo917 yeah I mean. With the internet it's harder to do it than it was but basically 70% of the population was religious from birth. They were gonna be raised in a religious home by religious parents, they would only be exposed to religious people and religious identities, they never meet athiests they stay in their bouble they have like their own versions of TH-cam and Facebook. Litterally going through great lengths to make sure these children grow up only knowing good from christains . Now a days 25% of us are irreligious or not identifiying which is a good number, it was 3% 25 years ago and the internet has helped greatly. Christains are flailing at this point it's kinda funny.
that's a good explanation, thanks! Still it's weird that people completely ostracize people they have known their entire lives, simply because they renounce their believe in a god. They are still the same people and won't start killing their entire family or something. I'm also very happy to see a world with a dwindling influence of religion, should turn out to be a much more peaceful and progressive world (I hope)
piccolo917 well again it has alot to do with indoctrinated beliefs. Studies on believers who started out athiest then became believers of their own accord, those people end up believing harder and joining cults of personality. So it's certainly not a done deal.
This is still super relevant in 2018.
I remember back in middle school, the first time I got in real trouble in seventh grade and had to sit in the vice principal's office, one of her first questions was what church I went to. I could only answer truthfully so I said that I didn't go to any at all. Then she asked me if I worshipped at home, no. how long have you been this way, my whole life Since then I got in trouble a lot more for minor things and each time she would try to convince me to go to her church and "repent for my sins". Each time, no thank you, and then i'd get punished more than I should have.
That's good, if you identify as an atheist then you in effect claim to have no rights at all
I feel lucky my parents were very accepting they told me “that doesn’t change the fact that your my son” coming from a Hispanic Catholic household I’m not sure about my grandma but at least my parents say they still love me
It is something obscure and baffling that when a person in America comes out or states they're atheist, all of a sudden they are deemed as lost souls who lost their way.
I was 14 when I had declared myself an atheist, although I didn't come out to my parents until I was 16 or 17, and as you might have expected, was seen as the black sheep of the family (majority of my mothers side) and was repeatedly questioned.
I am an atheist and yes it’s took me a long time to say it. Yes, it took me a while to be able to say it because of all the questions and looks that I was going to get from family and friends. It started with I don’t believe in the Bible (that was a moth drop) then it was I don’t believe in Jesus Christ (another is mouth drop)then it was I don’t believe in god( even people who don’t follow religion and who say that they don’t believe thought I was crazy) I think it took a total of 5 years to say I am an atheist. I feel so much better now, so much more authentic.
I was never really religious but I came out as an athiest in high school and everyone was shocked. I wasnt ashamed.
Year by year, it's changing for the better, especially among young people. It will take a couple of generations, especially in the South, Mountain West and Midwest, but secularism is rising.
It’s really sad, and this is really scary too. I have very religious family, and I feel like telling them would cause them to shut me out.
the only challenge I feel being an atheist in the USA is having religion buried so deep in politics.
I'm a teacher in the Netherlands and I regularly discuss my lack of belief with students.
Neil Carter is the man!
Though I am a RELIGIOUS HINDU.. EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR RELIGION..!!
Or not to chose a religion. Let faith be a personal choice. But do not use it to repress other viewpoints and ignore facts and certainly do not make any religious idea into law.
the longest running con in human history = religion
Yeah, talk about a Ponzi scheme!
Omg I was just thinking the same thing!!!!! I wonder how they will address it in history books? The most devastating deception? The longest running con? I just can’t wait!
*Religion is the con ---- **_forced onto societies by the churches._*
Theists, please stop telling atheists what “we” do and do not think or believe. We each think for ourselves.
Wow U.S
This country supposed to uphold liberty and freedom
Japan do this WAY better and they are technically not even a secular country
Preacher: "I can't say. I'm not God"
Atheist: "Well what does your book say?"
Preacher: .........
The book doesn't say each and every case