America does not trust me. Hey!

American’s increasing acceptance of religious diversity doesn’t extend to those who don’t believe in a god, according to a national survey by researchers in the University of Minnesota’s department of sociology.

Even though atheists are few in number, not formally organized and relatively hard to publicly identify, they are seen as a threat to the American way of life by a large portion of the American public. “Atheists, who account for about 3 percent of the U.S. population, offer a glaring exception to the rule of increasing social tolerance over the last 30 years,” says Penny Edgell, associate sociology professor and the study’s lead researcher.

“It seems most Americans believe that diversity is fine, as long as every one shares a common ‘core’ of values that make them trustworthy—and in America, that ‘core’ has historically been religious,” says Edgell. Many of the study’s respondents associated atheism with an array of moral indiscretions ranging from criminal behavior to rampant materialism and cultural elitism.

Edgell believes a fear of moral decline and resulting social disorder is behind the findings. “Americans believe they share more than rules and procedures with their fellow citizens—they share an understanding of right and wrong,” she said. “Our findings seem to rest on a view of atheists as self-interested individuals who are not concerned with the common good.”

I feel that saying Atheists are less moral then their religious counterparts is like saying Baptists are going to heaven and Catholics are not. Or that Jews killed Jesus and are destined to go to hell. It is hateful and unbelievably intolerant in this day and age.

I can only speak for myself because I don't belong to any Atheist group or organization (I am also a lifelong non-conformist). However I find myself usually much more ethical then the people around me. I never steal. I never cheat. I do not lie. I never cause harm to people who are not actively trying to harm me. I do not want to destroy religion I just don't want religious people to tell me how to live my life.

The idea that religious people are by definition more moral then non-religious people is demonstrably untrue. There are Catholic priests raping alter boys, Muslims blowing people up, Protestants cheating on their wives, Baptists abusing their children, Hindu's killing a mentally ill person for damaging a statue, Episcopals descriminating against homosexuals, and so on.

The idea that you can determine somebodies character by their faith is ridiculous. It is also harmful. If you don't trust me does that mean you place less value on my life? Am I not as worthwhile a person as the person sitting next to you in the church pew? Are we living in a caste system?

In my opinion the reason that this prejudice still exists is because it is the lie propogated by the religious leaders of these churches. In order to keep their flock attending they continue to point out how superior they are to the rest of the world. And they are especially superior to anybody who does not accept the Lord as their savior. Yep we just suck!

Now let me tell you how my immoral little mind functions.

• I want justice for all people.
• I do not want to impose my will on anybody.
• I am suspicious of any group who identifies themselves as superior to any other group.
• I trust science over faith.
• I consider myself a lifelong student and find myself constantly altering my opinion based on new information.
• I do not impose my values on other people especially the children who I work with. I often avoid questions concerning God and heaven so as not to confuse them concerning their own beliefs.
• I do not think less of people who are religious, I just think they are wrong. I assume they think I am wrong as well.
• I have spent many years studying religions and find the subject constantly fascinating.

See? I am not so scary. I am just like you. Except different.