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Anti-Atheism on Campus

By Ben Adler - Nov 28th, 2006 at 3:16 pm EST

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Excessive "respect" for the counter-factual spiritual beliefs of others and contempt for those who hold no spiritual beliefs, AKA atheists, is rampant in our society. Non-denominational liberal arts colleges, with their spirit of open inquiry, have generally been safe havens for free thinkers of all stripes, including atheists. But some would say atheists are under attack even there, as in the case of an atheist student in Portland, OR who was recently expelled from the Art Institute of Portland. He claims it was because of his beliefs, the administration says it was more the manner in which he stated them. The Portland Mercury has the whole story.

Reader Comments

Thanks for the link.

By mattbors Nov 28th 2006 at 5:21 pm EST

Hard to believe at an Art Institute. I went to one in Pittsburgh and it seemed like the majority of people were non-religious. But I guess the girl he was talking to was new age-y anyway.

Well, we are the most revilved group of people you know. Link

Glad you brought this up,

By timeforimpeachment Nov 28th 2006 at 5:30 pm EST

...because this is a very important issue. Polls show that Americans view atheists in a more negative light than any other social group. Specifically, I have heard about serious discrimination against non-Christians at the Air Force Academy.

Its ironic that Christians tend to be the most discriminatory, as they are the most paranoid. Seriously, evangelicals have this intense persecution complex, thinking that everything is "anti-Christian."

Re: Glad you brought this up,

By RaoulDelano Nov 28th 2006 at 6:03 pm EST

...and yet you have no trouble casting universal aspersions on 'Christians' and 'evangelicals' everywhere...

Re: Glad you brought this up,

By timeforimpeachment Nov 28th 2006 at 8:27 pm EST

*COUGH* CONSERVATIVE!! *COUGH*

To me, hardcore evangelical Christianity is pretty much discriminatory in nature. The idea that everyone has to be converted or else is inherently bigoted. So I don't regret my statement.

Re: Glad you brought this up,

By Hoosierpharmer Nov 28th 2006 at 11:43 pm EST

Yep, Christianity contains a system of ethics and as such, the practitioners spend a whole lot of time DISCRIMINATING between right and wrong.

Get used to it.

In addition, Atheism is a spiritual belief. The default supposition of the Religion of Atheism is that the universes are self generating and self maintaining. The characteristics ascribed to Deity by believers in the Creator, are ascribed by atheists to the universes.

Anyone who knows the scientific method knows that this belief about the universes is completely unprovable, and is outside the realm of science.

For that reason, and the reason that the characterstics of the Creator are transposed to the created things, the atheistic belief will remain categorized as a spiritual belief.

Get used to that too.

Re: Glad you brought this up,

By RaoulDelano Nov 29th 2006 at 12:16 am EST

Roughly 100 million Americans characterize themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians. 100 million! Yet you have come up with a stereotype that attaches specific, negative characteristics to ALL of them. Nice job.

The more one studies the words and behavior of committed atheists, hardcore Christianists and fanatical Islamists, the more one is amazed at how much they actually have in common. If you don't follow, then I think you need to bone up on your understanding of the word 'bigot'. ( Link )

Re: Glad you brought this up,

By timeforimpeachment Nov 29th 2006 at 3:51 pm EST

I was referring not to Christians as a whole, but the nutso Jerry Falwell Christian Right. You know this; I was clearly criticizing the extreme wing of evangelical Christianity, not the Jim Wallis and Bob Edgar types. Sure, maybe I wasn't specific enough? But who cares? We all KNOW that Christians can't be stereotyped and pigeonholed into one foul group.

hmm

By tjolsen Nov 30th 2006 at 10:39 am EST

I'm an agnostic which is pretty close, at a catholic university in New Jersey. I've never ever faced any real trouble with reguards to my lack of faith, even though i'm very open and o outspoken about my feelings on catholicism. This really surprises me, howebver i've noticed a level of hyper-sencitivity with young-artistic types. Theres this level of tension when it comes to any group except for the one whos most previlent.

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