Are there any other Atheists that live in the Bible Belt and face discrimination?

[averygamerdude]

I'm an 18 year old agnostic-atheist young man that lives in the Bible Belt region of the United States (Arkansas to be precise) and in my past, I have faced discrimination for my lack of beliefs and my interests. It started when I was a freshman in High School, even though I resigned my faith when I was in 8th grade, I openly admitted it in freshman year. That's when things started to get dicey. Everyone except for a small select few had a chip in their shoulder because I was not Christian, but it only got worse once I said that I was a liberal. People called me names like "baby murderer" and "communist". Later that year, however, I tried to start an anime club at my school, but I was refused it by the principal because I was not a "devout, moralistic conservative christian", and because anime is "basically porn". Then, my interests in anime made things only even worse for me. Because people started calling me "wapanese" and "weeaboo". I had a really rough time during my high school years. It was then in fall of 2012 I decided to try and cope with my sadness by going on 4Chan and doing silly stuff.

I bet it couldn't get worse, right? Think again. It was when I was a junior in High School that I first watched My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and became a huge fan of it. Then everybody believed that I was "evil and homosexual" because of me being a brony. That's whenever everybody started calling me a "weeaboo brony faggot". It was pretty rough! All I can say now is that if I didn't go to a much more liberal art school, I probably wouldn't have even gotten my diploma. Does anybody else face discrimination like this?

[Eisdrache]

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

but it only got worse once I said that I was a liberal. People called me names like "baby murderer" and "communist".

Sorry I do not comprehend.

That's this black and white thinking pattern that is getting more and more popular not only in the bible belt but globally as well. And yes it's disgusting. When will people understand that IT.DOES.NOT.MATTER which religion you believe in (if you believe in one to begin with). Whether it be Buddhism, Christianity, Catholic, The Worship Of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli or whatever, if someone tells you that one of them is better than the other then that person does not understand religion at all.

Imagine your life as being on one side of the river and your desired afterlife on the other side of it. Across the river there are several bridges, representing religion/atheism/etc. They all look different but all of them will take you to the other side. It doesn't matter which bridge you take as long as you're comfortable with your choice.

[averygamerdude]

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

Sorry I do not comprehend.

That's this black and white thinking pattern that is getting more and more popular not only in the bible belt but globally as well. And yes it's disgusting. When will people understand that IT.DOES.NOT.MATTER which religion you believe in (if you believe in one to begin with). Whether it be Buddhism, Christianity, Catholic, The Worship Of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli or whatever, if someone tells you that one of them is better than the other then that person does not understand religion at all.

Imagine your life as being on one side of the river and your desired afterlife on the other side of it. Across the river there are several bridges, representing religion/atheism/etc. They all look different but all of them will take you to the other side. It doesn't matter which bridge you take as long as you're comfortable with your choice.

Thank goodness someone understands. And I don't comprehend either. Conservatives are just stupid.

[Ravagerblade]

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

Thank goodness someone understands. And I don't comprehend either. Conservatives are just stupid.

Don't blame the whole for a select few. Your doing no better than those few who are.

[averygamerdude]

Originally Posted by Ravagerblade

Don't blame the whole for a select few. Your doing no better than those few who are.

Well, it's not that conservatives are stupid, it's just that they probably don't understand liberalism... or communsim. :/

[monster]

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

I'm an 18 year old agnostic-atheist young man that lives in the Bible Belt region of the United States (Arkansas to be precise) and in my past, I have faced discrimination for my lack of beliefs and my interests. It started when I was a freshman in High School, even though I resigned my faith when I was in 8th grade, I openly admitted it in freshman year. That's when things started to get dicey. Everyone except for a small select few had a chip in their shoulder because I was not Christian, but it only got worse once I said that I was a liberal. People called me names like "baby murderer" and "communist". Later that year, however, I tried to start an anime club at my school, but I was refused it by the principal because I was not a "devout, moralistic conservative christian", and because anime is "basically porn". Then, my interests in anime made things only even worse for me. Because people started calling me "wapanese" and "weeaboo". I had a really rough time during my high school years. It was then in fall of 2012 I decided to try and cope with my sadness by going on 4Chan and doing silly stuff.

I bet it couldn't get worse, right? Think again. It was when I was a junior in High School that I first watched My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and became a huge fan of it. Then everybody believed that I was "evil and homosexual" because of me being a brony. That's whenever everybody started calling me a "weeaboo brony faggot". It was pretty rough! All I can say now is that if I didn't go to a much more liberal art school, I probably wouldn't have even gotten my diploma. Does anybody else face discrimination like this?

I can't speak for other religions, but people who call themselves Christians should not be harassing other people like that, especially if only out of a stated lack of faith. Sadly, many so-called Christians probably are doing this somewhere in the world.

It's an unfortunate part of human nature and people get harassed for different reasons, not just over a particular religion or lack of one.

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

Sorry I do not comprehend.

That's this black and white thinking pattern that is getting more and more popular not only in the bible belt but globally as well. And yes it's disgusting. When will people understand that IT.DOES.NOT.MATTER which religion you believe in (if you believe in one to begin with). Whether it be Buddhism, Christianity, Catholic, The Worship Of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli or whatever, if someone tells you that one of them is better than the other then that person does not understand religion at all.

Imagine your life as being on one side of the river and your desired afterlife on the other side of it. Across the river there are several bridges, representing religion/atheism/etc. They all look different but all of them will take you to the other side. It doesn't matter which bridge you take as long as you're comfortable with your choice.

I'm not sure how your post has to do with what you quoted.

Also, a religion is centered on some truth claims, which would contradict other truth claims made by other religions or atheism. So your river analogy is misleading because, at most, only one, or maybe even none, of the bridges would actually take you across. (I'm including agnosticism/atheism as one bridge as well.)

In other words, in the face of differing truth claims, none of them may be true, or only one of them may be true, but not more than one of them (let alone all of them) can be true at the same time.

[Top Sergeant]

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

Well, it's not that conservatives are stupid, it's just that they probably don't understand liberalism... or communsim. :/

A great many conservatives have seen communism firsthand in those third world hellholes they get deployed to in the military; no wonder they dislike it.

[Draco Spirit]

It's funny, because I'm a Athist and lean more toward the right if anything, especially if it's economics (through I'm a bit of a lefty when it come to medical matters), which I guess make me a Fascist if were going to extremes of left and right insults.

As a British Atheist however, my lack of faith hardly even gets noted. I'm sure theirs nicer parts of the states you can move to which are less crazy intolerant as well.

Also if they enjoy calling you a Communist, feel free to make sarcastic remarks about free religion being a democratic right, and how being a obvious commie you want to crush every other religious viewpoint but your own... like them.

Anyway on a general note, life after compulsory education tends to improve, since if people are going to be a dick at any point, it's likely going to be then. I found after school it was way easier to find none arses in life myself.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

I'm an 18 year old agnostic-atheist young man that lives in the Bible Belt region of the United States (Arkansas to be precise) and in my past, I have faced discrimination for my lack of beliefs and my interests. It started when I was a freshman in High School, even though I resigned my faith when I was in 8th grade, I openly admitted it in freshman year. That's when things started to get dicey. Everyone except for a small select few had a chip in their shoulder because I was not Christian, but it only got worse once I said that I was a liberal. People called me names like "baby murderer" and "communist". Later that year, however, I tried to start an anime club at my school, but I was refused it by the principal because I was not a "devout, moralistic conservative christian", and because anime is "basically porn". Then, my interests in anime made things only even worse for me. Because people started calling me "wapanese" and "weeaboo". I had a really rough time during my high school years. It was then in fall of 2012 I decided to try and cope with my sadness by going on 4Chan and doing silly stuff.

I bet it couldn't get worse, right? Think again. It was when I was a junior in High School that I first watched My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and became a huge fan of it. Then everybody believed that I was "evil and homosexual" because of me being a brony. That's whenever everybody started calling me a "weeaboo brony faggot". It was pretty rough! All I can say now is that if I didn't go to a much more liberal art school, I probably wouldn't have even gotten my diploma. Does anybody else face discrimination like this?

Nope, but then again I can't recall ever having to talk about what my religious preference were back in high school either, it's simply not something high school kids care much for around here (Michigan).

TBH, your experience basically boils down to the stereotypical outlier to the norm scenario. It sucks, but unfortunately it's just part of life. Frankly, what happens in high school doesn't matter out in the real world anyway.

Originally Posted by averygamerdude

Well, it's not that conservatives are stupid, it's just that they probably don't understand liberalism... or communsim. :/

The point is that you're engaging in the same stereotyping and generalization that you were a victim of yourself. There are just as many idiots and asshole who are liberals as those that are conservatives. Political leaning by itself has little bearing on the character or intelligence of the person, to claim otherwise is nothing more than anti-intellectual mudslinging.

- From an agnostic independent.

[averygamerdude]

Originally Posted by Draco Spirit

It's funny, because I'm a Athist and lean more toward the right if anything, especially if it's economics (through I'm a bit of a lefty when it come to medical matters), which I guess make me a Fascist if were going to extremes of left and right insults.

As a British Atheist however, my lack of faith hardly even gets noted. I'm sure theirs nicer parts of the states you can move to which are less crazy intolerant as well.

Also if they enjoy calling you a Communist, feel free to make sarcastic remarks about free religion being a democratic right, and how being a obvious commie you want to crush every other religious viewpoint but your own... like them.

Anyway on a general note, life after compulsory education tends to improve, since if people are going to be a dick at any point, it's likely going to be then. I found after school it was way easier to find none arses in life myself.

The reason your lack of faith never gets noted is because Britain isn't obsessed with Christianity as the U.S. But there are much more tolerant and free-thinking states here, yes. It's just mainly the south that is conservative and close-minded. I've heard that the Los Angeles area is pretty liberal, plus I can probably relate to people a lot better there than I can here, so I plan on moving there in a few months... if I can find a part time job... :/

[Kafriel]

Discrimination against religious beliefs is medieval. It has been proven by history that zealots have spilled more innocent blood than any atheist...and believing in anything or nothing at all has been a constitutional right since 313 A.D. - but also in the U.S. since 1948 and the Vatican since 1965.

Anyway, since you have to face an entire community of discriminating, just remind them that you're free to believe in whatever you want and that attempts at conversion to ANY religion constitute a direct violation of your human rights. It pains me to read this kind of story taking place in 2015, America disappoints once again.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Kafriel

It has been proven by history that zealots have spilled more innocent blood than any atheist...

Is there a source for this claim?

Anyway, since you have to face an entire community of discriminating, just remind them that you're free to believe in whatever you want and that attempts at conversion to ANY religion constitute a direct violation of your human rights. It pains me to read this kind of story taking place in 2015, America disappoints once again.

Actually, averygamerdude didn't say if anyone ever tried to convert him/her. Mostly, there's just been name-calling.

Also, a human right violation only occurs if anyone tries to prevent one's exercise of faith or lack thereof, not simply for trying to convert someone to a particular belief system. There is a fine line between the two, although sometimes people forget where it is or that it even exists. And that's what may be causing some of these problems.

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by monster

Is there a source for this claim?

Two words, The Crusades .

[monster]

Originally Posted by Konakaga

Two words, The Crusades .

Yeah, that popped up first in my mind as well as an example of a religiously-motivated conflict. But considering the population and level of technology, it seems likely that there would be more deaths from disease than actual killing by zealots, not to mention the killings done for other reasons. And how do those numbers compare to any of the genocide committed by some of those primarily nonreligious ideological groups in the 20th century?

[LowCholesterol]

don't worry about it. i wasn't an Atheist but i know about your feeling.

long ago many fanatics from certain religion call me a liberal, communist, heretic, and whatever they like to say just because they lost an argument on forum. they force their opinion, thinks their words was the righterous

even until now i still called like that sometimes by my universities friends, but the difference is now i just replied it with laugh because i was used to it

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by monster

Yeah, that popped up first in my mind as well as an example of a religiously-motivated conflict. But considering the population and level of technology, it seems likely that there would be more deaths from disease than actual killing by zealots, not to mention the killings done for other reasons. And how do those numbers compare to any of the genocide committed by some of those primarily nonreligious ideological groups in the 20th century?

Sure Disease is the higher, but the comment was for people killing the innocents and Disease doesn't count for any particular group.

The crusades were the death of hundreds of thousands innocents, and claimed in the low millions total.

No war with higher tolls than it could really be credited to atheists.

[Kafriel]

I'd also place the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under religious light (albeit not entirely), but that topic belongs in a different thread.

And how do those numbers compare to any of the genocide committed by some of those primarily nonreligious ideological groups in the 20th century?

The matter I brought up was the negative impact of religion on the world compared to specifically atheistic ideals, not against every other movement that has been formed. Point to be taken, atheists are much less dangerous than religious fanatics, as a worryingly larger portion of the latter do not know how to respect other people's opinions/beliefs.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Konakaga

Two words, The Crusades .

Invasion of Tibet? Cambodian civil war?


Too many to count one way or another. In the end both ends of extremism are just as balanced in the butcher's bill

Point to be taken, atheists are much less dangerous than religious fanatics, as a worryingly larger portion of the latter do not know how to respect other people's opinions/beliefs.

There's a normal, moderate atheist and a normal, moderate religious person....then there's extremists of both. Neither is more or less dangerous than the other per se. Comparing a fanatic to the average atheist is like comparing your everyday Muslim in say...Indonesia...to ISIS

[LowCholesterol]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Invasion of Tibet? Cambodian civil war?



Comparing a fanatic to the average atheist is like comparing your everyday Muslim in say...Indonesia...to ISIS

and do you know what the is the thing that make ISIS worsen day by day?
there is a person who support them, the blind fanatics(in Indonesia you could see the news about this almost every day).

i feel pity and fury at the same time for them since i was Muslim as well. they're claiming that they have a better religion knowledge then me, and then they're supporting a terrorist group which is contradicts the teaching of all religion.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Konakaga

The crusades were the death of hundreds of thousands innocents, and claimed in the low millions total.

No war with higher tolls than it could really be credited to atheists.

When it comes to killing, it doesn't have to be in wars. How many were killed by the atheistic German, Soviet, and Chinese regimes in the 1900s?

Originally Posted by Kafriel

The matter I brought up was the negative impact of religion on the world compared to specifically atheistic ideals

Considering various religions have been around for a long time, it would not be surprising that it would have an impact in the world, both positively and negatively. And I think that's the key thing. Religion, like any other ideological framework, can be used to motivate both peaceful actions and violent actions. I think the important thing is to see whether those actions are reasonably in line with the framework. As a Christian, I would say that the name callings that averygamerdude experienced would not be in line with what is taught in the Bible.

As such, it's probably easier to think that the world would be better without religion. Maybe so, or maybe we'll rally behind other things to commit violence against each other. And then, the next think you know, there'll be someone like Ultron (from Marvel Comics) who thinks the world would be better without humanity.