Atheists “Less Trusted Than Rapists”
- Categories: International, News
- Date: Dec 7, 2011 06:06 JST
- Tags: Bizarre, Canada, Christianity, Religion, Statistics, USA
A study which found North Americans regard atheists as being as or less trustworthy than rapists has been making waves online.
The study, conducted by the University of British Columbia and published in the scholarly Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, quizzed American adults (14% of whom identified as atheists themselves, and 67% as Christians) and Canadian students on their attitudes to various groups.
According to one set of findings, atheists were regarded as even less trustworthy than Christians, Muslims, Jews, feminists and homosexuals, finding themselves only as trusted as rapists.
The study’s authors concluded that “people did not significantly differentiate atheists from rapists.”
The study was prompted by a 2007 Gallup poll which found only 45% of Americans would consider voting for an atheist president (which raises some interesting questions in light of the above findings).
One of the authors noted that it seems many find non-believers “a public threat to cooperation and honesty,” based on a belief that morality is impossible without a belief in god, an opinion expressed by nearly half of all Americans in a 2002 poll.
Japanese objections to these attitudes towards atheists seem to have more to do with hatred of foreigners than any actual religious or irreligious sentiment:
“This is why I hate religion.”
“This is crazy!”
“This is why Japanese will never be trusted by Americans.”
“Japanese are Buddhists and Shintoists, not atheists!”
“Rapists and feminists at least have a chance to be reformed. Atheists on the other hand are beyond redemption.”
“The guy who said Japanese are atheists is obviously a typical filthy Korean dog. Koreans only believe in rape, so there’s no way they could understand Shinto.”
“I think Japanese would be more considered polytheistic?”
“Japanese are basically atheistic. They happily celebrate Valentine’s Day and Christmas. They only go to shrines for matsuri, and temples for funerals.”
“The only people who have any real faith in Japan are cults…”
“This is why you can’t trust Christians. They just use justice as an excuse to go around butchering the non-white races.”
“Looking at this thread it is clear there are a lot of atheists about…”
“Religion is pure fantasy.”
“I think theists are the more dangerous lot for slapping a label on all atheists and distrusting them for it.”
“They believe the same about reds. Commies = atheists.”
“To be secular and without morals is to be like China.”
“Nietzschean atheism is harmless, but Marxist atheism is dangerous. The former is an individual creed, whilst the latter is a radical agenda for totally reshaping society.”
“Christianity is evil. They used to come to Japan and steal women and girls in Kyushu and sell them overseas as slaves. The Tokugawa oppression of the Jesuits wasn’t just to protect feudalism.”
“Slavery was common practice in the Warring States period… although I agree with you about the Jesuits.”
“Unlike Christians, Japanese are tolerant and respectful to other religions.”
“Lies.
Until the Meiji period Japanese were ruthlessly persecuting Catholics.
This is why Japanese are said to not know their own history. Catholic Japanese were killed by fellow Japanese. Japanese are extreme in their efforts to exclude other religions.”
“Japan’s religious repression was worse than ancient Rome’s. Japanese are known the world over for this. People who say Japanese are tolerant of other religions are idiots who know no history.”
“The worst are the ones who just label anything convenient to them ‘god’s will.’ Do Americans really think their precious god would forgive them slaughtering innocents at Hiroshima and Nagasaki using nuclear bombs?”
“If you believe you need to be constantly supervised by a higher power in order to stop you committing evil deeds then you really are scum, aren’t you?”
“West = culture of sin, afraid of God’s eyes
Japan = culture of shame, afraid of other people’s eyes”
“Anime otaku can be thought of as a religion. They believe they can interact with fictional characters, and go on pilgrimages to holy sites. All very religious.”
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Let It Die Trailer Unforgettably Fierce
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Kashiwazaki Sena Ero-Cosplay An Immense Tease
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Alice Margatroid Ero-Cosplay by Hiyo Nishizuku Full of Cheer
Sheryl Nome Bunny Girl Cosplay by Mike Super Scandalous
Marvelous Madoka Mizugi Cosplay by Mashiro Yuki
Marie Rose Cosplay by Mike Undeniably Sexy
Tasha Tracer Cosplay Truly Tantalizing
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Kaine Cosplay by Yuricha Flawless
Kasumigaoka Utaha Cosplay Pretty Pure
Maybe it's because atheists don't know to shut up about their lack of religion as if it's a religion itself.
And they are the most easily offended groups by Christmas trees and such. Their idiocy is offensive to people who actually have a religion, I guess those people are not "smart" enough to be offended and their opinions don't matter. Double standard whoring just like every other special interest group.
This is why I never call myself an atheist even though I don't have a religion.
I have never met an atheist who was offended by a Christmas tree. I suspect that you haven't, either. Indeed, the only people who have met such atheists seem to be sensationalist Christian journalists on Fox News and in tabloid newspapers.
But this atheist *is* offended by your mockery of evolution. Your post has proven that humans, in fact, did not evolve from monkeys.
Apparently, they are still stuck at the "throwing their own shit at people" stage.
i have met plenty of atheists who are easily offended. there was a ~5 year highly public legal battle to remove a cross from a war memorial funded and supported almost entirely by atheists. not to mention they pressured balboa park to rename their holiday event from "Christmas on the grotto" to "December Nights" because according to them saying Christmas automatically offends everybody who isn't christian
Links please.
Stories like this tend to be bullshit.
6:39
Here most of the highly offended atheists attack the schools and kids who believe in religion because they are too cowardly to go up against adults.
I think the worst so far was the guy who started downing kid's grades in his class if they said "Bless you" if someone sneezed, even if only out of learned behavior.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Soledad_cross_controversy
for the cross
no real news articles for christmas on the Prado(correction), was mostly out of the papers. they claimed it was changed "to reflect the cultural diversity" of the event. most san diego natives still call it by it's old name
You only proved her point. Talking down to people because they don't agree with you.
How about "talking down to people because they're full of shit"?
Never mind that "Achiuakuna" didn't exactly take a civil tone.
You're just double standard whoring.
to be fair ultimate, your no better, and your actually comming off as someone full of erm "shit", how about you learn the true story instead of taking one side like your life is depending on it?
@anon 07:23
How about you make an account so we can see what comments are made by you?
And how about you tell us what this "true story" is?
whats the point of anon 07:23 makin an acc? its the same comments, only with an acc
Lets make an example:
I claim, 100% serious, that there is a pink, invisible unicorn that eats moonlight as shits rainbows. I have no evidence whatsoever for my claim, and no reason whatsoever to actually believe this is true.
Result: I would get ridiculed and laughed at.
Another example:
I claim, 100% serious, that there is an omnipotent being, that created everything, sent down his son to earth, who actually was himself, and then sacrificed himself, to himself, to cleanse the sin of one guy eating an apple from the whole of humanity... oh and if you don't accept this guy you will burn forever in hell, who the all-loving and really nice omnipotent guy created for all non believers....
I have no reason whatsoever to actually believe in this, but I take it on faith, because that's what a religion is.
Result: I get respected and no one is laughing at my bat shit crazy beliefs, because no one is supposed to treat people badly because of their religious beliefs.
...but they sure offended by the words "in god we trust" and "one nation under god". like either of these idioms have any impact on their daily lives. derp!
how can you make that assumption Ul.Sc. on atheists? their are other religions out their ands its pretty interesting that you believe the only people who met these types of atheists are Christian journalists, perhaps you should consider other groups other than Christians, which to be fair are almost always blamed for many things, while other religions can commit the same crimes and no one says anything, and we all know many otaku/anime fans/videogame fans hate religion other than japans own version of Buddhism and Shinto, basing their hatred on religion -mainly Christianity due to its huge population imo, though their are other big religions- based on one experience and decide all of christianity, or all religions are horrible, or base it on someone elses horribly off experience on a religion like the twats they are. not all animefans etc hate religion, some are secretly very religious, though it can be a somewhat safe assumption that a large chunk of them hate religion based on biased opinions that dont really make much sence, ie priest rapes a child in a baptist church and the anime fan goes SEE ALL CHRISTIANS DO IT -not a fact, just an example- or their too lazy to even bother trying to follow their religions lifestyle/feel their personal desires are more important than the salvation the religion promises/whatever. its sad when you see a bunch of people practicing religions in japan/korea/ any -considered by animefans/yellowfever people- asian country simply due to the fact that they saw it in an anime and though it was cool and abandon their own inherited religion -good or not whatever you want to think of it as- and then go after that one. while it is a sign of respect/admiration in their eyes, and among people who think the way they do, it does not appear that way in everyones eyes, the religions higher ups could find it as an insult due to the fact you were attracted to it by means of it being portrayed by an anime/whatever and not for its true self. it doesnt mean that the anime didnt portray it right, it could have, but you come off as someone mocking the religon, this doesnt apply to every one of course, but you cant rule out that many feel this way/dont whatever, best safe than sorry
my apolagies for this comming off/looking like a rant, it isnt but, i do feel many people base everything off of one little experience and make a whole truth out of it instead of going out their and finding things out on their own. achiou is not far off from the truth, though its a bit biased. i understand u.s. said "seem" instead of are, but it seems they were holding this opinion more of a fact than a possibility. i understand this is long and i again am sorry D: but well, ive been lurking on sancom alot and see many USI opinions based on religion, and on other things, like one where someone commented why would anyone be religions and be on sancom, idk what finding out about japanese polls and our lovely tartlet ayu hirano has anything to do with religion, if they refer to the porn on it occasionally, you dont have to lust for it ._. its in a sence the equivalent of saying i saw myself naked so thats a sin ._. imo and on observations of my best attempt to not be biased, ive seen many people lump diff christian ideals from different sects and lumping them as fact for each and every christian denomination -i.e. nutjob protestants thinking the raptures gonna happen, and older christians like R.C. and i believe E.O. churches dont believe in that, as far as i know- in any case my apolagies as this is a opinion thats based on my attempts to find facts out without biased opinions, though mine is a bit biased on people who lump everything together through other peoples biased ops/ major rumors/ misinformed information. tl;dr have a wonderful day <3
You write too much gibberish.
I say it does prove that humans evolve from apes. Even when upright, we are still tards.
Atheism is not the absence of religion. It is simply the absence of belief in gods. No more no less. As long as you do not believe in any god you are atheist.
so Buddhists are atheists?
Some of them
What I meant was that if being an atheist is simply that you do not believe in any god, then Buddhism can't be a religion, since it has no god.
You'll find that many of them seem undecided as they do have a form of heaven.
Buddhism is still faith in an abstract pseudo-scientific world order. Atheism is an ideology which claims that the universe is inherently physical and only the observable exists, so yes, it opposes Buddhism too.
However, do keep in mind that atheism is an opposite ideology, not an ideology of opposition as some arrogant twats would like to believe.
'Buddhism is still faith in an abstract pseudo-scientific world order. '
Buddhism is not monolithic.
Even in Asia, the ancient Buddhist congregations can't get perfect consensus on what Buddhism is.
Everyone's atheist in regards to thousands of deities.. "Atheists" just go one god further :)
Buddhism allows for the existence of gods, by extension you can say they do believe in gods, but Buddhists do not place as high a value on them as in other theists religion.
Taoists don't seem to have any god existence, only universe energy as the closest thing to a deity.
There are loudmouth offensive twats in all groups. Not all atheists make a big stink about everything, but its the noisy ones that people see.
And that goes for people with religion. Which is where the hypocrisy comes on.
Which would be true except the odd "pain-in-the-ass" atheist is mostly an angsty 13 year old kid on the internet, while "pain-in-the-ass" fundamentalists are plentiful and all too willing to take their moral crusade offline.
7:10
Hypocrisy is hypocrisy, and is dangerous regardless of forum. I won't go easy on hypocrites, on or off the internet.
Well, sure, both sides have their asshats and douche-bags, but only the religious have the suicide bombers and the abortion doctor murderers...
You are an idiot.
I have to agree with this. Agnostics I understand. They actually seem by far more scientific because they require evidence but won't automatically disbelieve due to lack of evidence.
Atheists are always trying to push their beliefs on people by trying to prove a negative, which makes no sense. In the end they are just as annoying as anyone who has religion trying to push their beliefs. I've known plenty of people who had religion but who didn't push it get the same treatment from Atheists that they refused to push on others.
So if I don't automatically disbelieve a flying spaghetti monster I am trying to push atheism on everyone else?
Atheism is the idea that there is no reasonable evidence to assume the existence of god, not that there isn't one. Your petty attempt to vilify atheists under a very narrow minded negative definition betrays your intentions.
You need to talk to more atheists.
I am atheist and i really don't give a fuck what anyone thinks. I'll believe when i have proof.
Also. Last bible thumpers that knocked on my door got shot in the ass with my pellet gun. They didnt turn the other cheek... so...
If you're shooting people in the ass with pellet guns I'd wager to say you care a hell of a lot more than most people.
He said he didn't care what anyone thinks (presumably not including himself). He DOES seem to care about people pestering him, though.
Watch out Guys, we're dealing with a badass over here.
Atheist outrage is mainly an American phenomenon, and a direct result of the re-emergence of biblical literalism and evangelism into the centre of society during the 70s or so. I imagine being concerned about religious influence on public life makes them more likely to feel outraged by the stupidest things to make them look silly.
The US constitution technically requires any event or action sponsored by the state to be completely neutral about any religious stances. It isn't usually strictly enforced, and in my opinion shouldn't be - as ridiculous as religious faith is, it is a notable influence on western culture and traditions and should not be sweeped under the rug.
'Atheist outrage is mainly an American phenomenon, and a direct result of the re-emergence of biblical literalism and evangelism into the centre of society during the 70s or so.'
Atheist outrage is a side effect of the USA coddling anything and everything that pretends to be a religion.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster scum at least try to make their jokes semi-entertaining, but they are just wildly neurotic assclowns, annoying other people and claiming that it's high-minded satire. In fact they're just as bad as the the Christians they hate, if not worse.
I prefer non-religious.
Aethism isn't a special club it's a simple belief. Anyone can have that belief and no one represents anyone else unlike say Religion where that isn't true.
Most Atheists are the hipsters of religion which really sucks because they ruin it for all the other guys that aren't assholes.
Word up! All the atheists they get on TV and shit are the wost kind.
You prefer that we stay as hermits while the believers spread nonsense?
Agnostic coward.
Religious and the Irreligious can't you see how stupid both sides are?
That's because their human so do the smart thing and vote for Skynet or Robot-Nixon in 2012 some Final Solutions you can believe in!
You do you realize that except for some really confused people, everybody falls under one of the two definitions?
You're either a retard or a child unable to grasp the concept of atheism or religion.
1. lack of a religion is not a religion its the lack of it (you're so lame).
2. I never heard of an atheist being offended by christmas trees.
3. If not having a religion is offending to people having a religion then that says all one needs to know about them
4. I never heard of atheists burning anyone at the stake or stoning people so religious nuts can stfu.
That's why agnostics are indecisive morons.
Next time when some religious nutcase world leader declares new laws that can affect your rights or declares a holy war, don't complain about atheists.