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Atheist Etiquette

I recently started a new job and eveyone seems very religous. While discussing with a co-worker that i recently quit smoking she said "i bet your family and god are smiling down on you for that". i just smiled and continued my lunch. Should i have said different?

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Permalink Reply by Bradford Peartree on November 4, 2010 at 3:16am

Personally, if someone straight out asks me what I believe in I tell them. I also give my opinion when it comes to discussions on the topic of religion. However, when very small things like what you're presenting here come up I generally do just as you did to avoid looking like an ass. It's a 'pick your battles' kinda thing. Don't back down about your beliefs, but don't take every opportunity to whip them out either. There's my two copper, hope it helps. :)

Permalink Reply by Bradford Peartree on November 4, 2010 at 3:46am

I supposed I should qualify my statement with the following facts:
1) I am a relatively new atheist and I tend to be more passive unless directly asked about my beliefs.
2) I have been recently fired from a job not for any outburst, but (I suspect) because several of my coworkers were uncomfortable working with a "heathen atheist" (I live in the bible belt). That wasn't the official reason of course (there really wasn't an official reason /shrug) but in any case it has made me more cautious.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Terence Meaden on November 4, 2010 at 4:07am

If the origins of losing your job are traceable to colleagues being "uncomfortable working" with you as an atheist, it's a terrible thing that is coming to pass in the workplace.
Atheism is the highest intellectual condition when it comes to matters of interpreting the real meanings of life and the Universe---and you can take pride in having it.

Permalink Reply by Bradford Peartree on November 4, 2010 at 4:35am

Oh no doubt I do take great pride in my atheism and my ability to think critically about various issues. Their issues with my atheism stem from their own misconceptions about reality and their misguided notion that I "served Satan". Quite sad indeed. However, I do not think it's a societal norm, just my bad luck to be working with such a group. It is probably more prevalent here in the 'deep south'.

Permalink Reply by Barry Manther on November 4, 2010 at 7:09am

I'm afraid that you are a little wrong about it not being a societal norm. Being an atheist is like being gay in the military. Don't ask don't tell attitude. I work at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the other day we were setting up the sales shelves with Christmas decorations. One of the women saw a nativity scene and said to me, "Wouldn't you love to have that in your home?" I replied I wouldn't have anything like that in my home because I am not Christian. The silence was deafening, followed by someone saying that I was a heathen and damned.

Some of the other employees will not talk to me and avoid being in the break room when I am there. Now, that is at Habitat for Humanity an organization dedicated to doing good things. And I am not from the deep south.

Permalink Reply by Sigmund on November 6, 2010 at 6:53am

yup - from a european perspective, this is scary shit...

Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on November 9, 2010 at 7:23am

I guess I've lived in a magic bubble all my life.
I've been an Atheist all my thinking life (and I was always up front about it) and I have never encountered a negative reaction such as the ones mentioned here. I have cousins in Louisiana and So. Carolina who are solid Christians and they treat me like everyone else. All the people I worked with were either Atheist/Agnostic or lukewarm theist. My wife, brother, 2 daughters & spouses, 4 grand kids, niece, nephew and my dog are all Atheists.
I guess I just lucked out - or I'm totally oblivious to the world around me.

Permalink Reply by Edward Becker on November 12, 2010 at 10:48am

I think it's harder for people to ostracize you if they know you very well.

Permalink Reply by Shannon on February 15, 2011 at 9:00pm

This is all very true. The military has a whole section on 'spiritual fitness' that soldiers are required to take. Atheist fare poorly on this test and are often sent to chaplains for 'evaluation and guidance.' This is very much against the US Constitution. The vast majority of Chaplains in the military are Evangelicals. The Army has bibles sent to them covered in camo colors. These were burned once it became public knowledge, but the wholesale indoctrination of soldiers is widespread and rampant. Some are preaching to the Afghans and Iraqis in direct violation of an order not to. One of the manufacturers of guns going to Afghanistan has bible verse nuimbers stamped into the metal as a serial number. The Afghans noticed this before it came to light in the media. All of this is fodder for the Islamist. The Air Force Academy has been overrun with evangelicals who promote others in their 'church group' and discriminate against people who are protestant, catholic, or jewish ( lots of overt anti-semitism, too) This has lead to the formation of The military Religious Freedom Foundation

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/

which defends and protest against religious/atheist persecution in the military. Most of the members and complaintants are Christians who are not the 'right' kind of evangelical and are being stomped on. They are working with atheist, catholics, jews, moslems, and whatever else to prevent this kind of discrimination.

Do not be fooled. American Theocracy is on it's way. People just don't think it can happen here. You call yourself the land of the free enough and people start thinking it's all true even as your freedoms are being drained away.

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/

Permalink Reply by Hollyn on November 4, 2010 at 12:51pm

This knowledge leaves me with little else to do but shake my head.
After an encounter like that, I would question the ethics of your co-habitatees.
If their only motivation for being there is by guilt of god, then bravo to you.

Maybe one day you'll have the opportunity to remind them that everything they've done, is exactly what Jesus wouldn't do.

Thank their god we have those compassionate xians to keep us damned atheists at bay. Without them, who would build houses for the needy? Who would give a shit then!?

Permalink Reply by Tom Hampton on November 23, 2010 at 7:04pm

Holy crap...

Permalink Reply by obfuscate on January 30, 2011 at 6:09pm

Although the odds of running into unfortunate situations like this might be likely given any environment in the US where you're around people (I don't know much about demographic analysis or the statistics that have been found with it.), maybe your odds are better because you work for a Christian organization; despite what they say about their open-door policy.

In my teen years I went on quite a few Habitat for Humanity summer trips with church groups, and, unsurprisingly, there was a fair share of Christian dogma in the atmosphere.

I'm not sure how the ReStore functions, though. Is it volunteer work you're doing or a paid job? As an aside, I'd be interested to know how many individuals in the administration are Christian, and how that compares to the population in your city.

I've now become lost in wonder.

In short, that sucks dude and I'm sorry about that!