Freedom of no religion

[PoPpAScience]

 

I've always thought of deists as people who believe in God but don't believe in a religion.

 

Back in the day I was a deist. I didn't find any objects to be sacred. I followed no rituals. I never prayed or felt my morals came from God.

 

I've always thought that religion involved more than just a belief in God.

 

Very well said.

 

A true philosopher that looks at evidence to the point of seeing the universe as God, but does not connect themselves to the knowledge the evidence came from, is a form of Deists.

Is there any country in the world I can go to where I won't be bothered by religious people.

 

I like to know where in the world I could go to not be around people like fireworks.

In the US, religious cranks are trying to evict science from the education in favor of teaching christian views. They are causing harm to society, not only in schools, but other things too.

 

Very uniformed statement, sniffs of ideology. In the USA the trend has been the opposite. Prayer was in all schools at one time, but is banned in all public schools now. Schools with religion in them are always private, except in some isolated centers. In the higher level schools, religious views are not tolerated (except Muslim, then they will find you a place to pray). Not only are religious views not tolerated(again exception Muslim) but conservative views are frown upon and will cost you scores if spoke in class.

[Strange]

In the USA the trend has been the opposite. Prayer was in all schools at one time, but is banned in all public schools now. Schools with religion in them are always private, except in some isolated centers.

 

That is because you have a constitutional separation of church and state. This was put in place by the writers of the constitution to protect freedom of religion (i.e. to stop the state imposing a religion).

[Phi for All]

Very uniformed statement, sniffs of ideology. In the USA the trend has been the opposite. Prayer was in all schools at one time, but is banned in all public schools now. Schools with religion in them are always private, except in some isolated centers. In the higher level schools, religious views are not tolerated (except Muslim, then they will find you a place to pray). Not only are religious views not tolerated(again exception Muslim) but conservative views are frown upon and will cost you scores if spoke in class.

 

"Uniformed" means the statement is wearing official clothing.

 

"Uninformed" is what you meant, but it certainly doesn't apply to EdEarl. In fact, it applies more to you. Your statements about US schools is VERY uninformed. I don't know what part of the country you're in, but in my district if kids want to pray before a test, they're welcome to. They just can't require everyone else join in. They can do just about anything that doesn't require others to participate, or that disrupts classes (I guess if your religion requires you to loudly chant, they might not be able to accommodate you).

 

It's obvious you have some heavy prejudice regarding Muslims. Christian much?

[LalaOK]

A country who just believes in what they see don't exist. Probably you should be more specific, for instance France is a country who is strict concerning religious practices: Non religious people can live their day to day life without any religious harassment and has all his liberty. On top of that they supported by the french government and the constitution: Liberté - Égalité - Fraternité. Go to France !

Edited April 13, 2016 by LalaOK

[Sirona]

A country who just believes in what they see don't exist. Probably you should be more specific, for instance France is a country who is strict concerning religious practices: Non religious people can live their day to day life without any religious harassment and has all his liberty. On top of that they supported by the french government and the constitution: Liberté - Égalité - Fraternité. Go to France !

It's not just France but a lot of the developed world is becoming less religious. There is a correlation between higher educational qualifications and no religion, for example in Australia 31% of with a Post Graduate degree reported no religion compared to 20% with only a Higher School Certificate (Australian Bureau of Statistics). Also, it's mostly older people who report as religious, approximately half of those who reported no religion in the 2011 census were under 30. If this trend continues, then the children of my generation (millennials) will be less religious still.

[CharonY]

Well, looking at international polls there is quite a bit of spread, but Swede and France rank among the highest if comparing Western countries (China, Hong Kong and Japan are among the highest in non-Western).

According to Gallup polls 2015 asking whether one is a convinced atheist (which could be a bit stricter than the census question), it is reported that Spain is is the least religious of the Western countries (20%).

Worldwide the response is 63% say they are religious (a), 22% consider themselves non-religious (b) and 11% are convinced atheists ©. Looking at regions, as expected Western Europe and Oceania are the least religious (51% and 49% b and c combined). If combining b and c Sweden turns out to be one of the least religious ones (78%). Which is a bit of a change from the 2012 poll.

 

About the age thing there is another interesting aspect looking at worldwide trends. Younger people (34 or less) were more religious (66% response) vs other age groups (~60%). Religious people, while much higher among the uneducated, still make up the majority on all education levels (worldwide). In contrast, higher income has a stronger association with non-religiosity or atheism.

[jimmydasaint]

IMHO, it is a basic human right to have a religion or no religion, regardless of the majority beliefs held by any particular country. Nevertheless, a small proportion wish to convert the world to their religion and make it their duty to "bother" others with their views. As a religious person, I don't wish to impose my views on anyone who is an atheist - I just want to get on with my life and not enter into religious arguments with friends or colleagues. If people do bother atheists, a polite reply of "No thank you" normally suffices with an accompanying smile by you as you ignore a leaflet thrust at your face.

 

As a religious person, I want restaurant owners and clubs of any sort to stop bothering ME if I walk down the streets of London. I actually don't mind drunks or homeless people - they are usually interesting and devoid of the soulless stare of a person forced to hand out leaflets and cards to passers-by,

[Sirona]

As a religious person, I want restaurant owners and clubs of any sort to stop bothering ME if I walk down the streets of London. I actually don't mind drunks or homeless people - they are usually interesting and devoid of the soulless stare of a person forced to hand out leaflets and cards to passers-by,

They're only trying to sell you a drink and a meal; personally, I think there is a big difference between trying to sway one's choice in dining options and one's religious affiliation. Although, food choice can be a major first world problem, I for one really feel the pangs of regret when I waste my daily calorie allowance on a mediocre meal.

[Chaney]

Yes, I agree freedom of no religion. every men must follow own religion rules then you will be happy.

[Lyudmilascience]

I have the same question, I think people are afraid here to admit they are atheists or agnostic. and I think even if you are not strongly religious your beliefs can greatly impact the things you do. I respect freedom of religion. but i want to be with like minded people,Christians, Muslims and Jews have communities around the country I can join if i agreed there is not really as big or prominant atheist community thats all I want. I m glad that at least atheism is not viewed as morally wrong by the general public, people will treat me the same weather I'm atheist or not.

[iNow]

I think people are afraid here to admit they are atheists or agnostic.

Quick point of order just to clarify: These are not mutually exclusive categories. One is about belief, the other is about knowledge (certainty). I'm an agnostic atheist, for example, but it's also entirely possible to be an agnostic theist.

[StringJunky]

I have the same question, I think people are afraid here to admit they are atheists or agnostic. and I think even if you are not strongly religious your beliefs can greatly impact the things you do. I respect freedom of religion. but i want to be with like minded people,Christians, Muslims and Jews have communities around the country I can join if i agreed there is not really as big or prominant atheist community thats all I want. I m glad that at least atheism is not viewed as morally wrong by the general public, people will treat me the same weather I'm atheist or not.

Atheism is not a belief system so, it follows, that there is no distinct community.

[Phi for All]

Atheism is not a belief system so, it follows, that there is no distinct community.

 

I used to think I'd relate if someone called me an atheist, but the few times it's happened have left me a bit disgruntled. People assume I'm declaring religion and its followers are stupid, instead of not being interested in the slightest. A lot of religious people have an "for or against" mentality that has no room for indifference.

[dimreepr]

 

A lot of religious people have an "for or against" mentality that has no room for indifference.

 

 

Don’t fall into the same trap, true indifference accepts all.

[disarray]

Phi for all: "People assume I'm declaring religion and its followers are stupid,"

 

Yes, similarly, there is a tendency for theists to assume and/or claim that atheists are actually misotheists....that they hate God. Even indifference towards God is interpreted from a theistic standpoint as being an active rejection of Gods love, and therefore, it is assumed, a form of hating God.

 

But whether they assume atheists hate God, or hate theists, or assume theists are stupid, or are possessed or worship the devil, or are possessed with evil, or have no morals, or whatever, the bottom line is that they take a theocentric, "for or against" judgment by assuming that they are superior and good, and non-theists are inferior and bad.

 

But look at it this way, its a long way from the attitude of Spanish inquisition....There is a lot more tolerance for atheists these days. Even in the 1950s one could be heckled and harassed for being an atheist, and atheism was seen as being much more of a bizarre stance than it is today.

 

Many people still take the attitude that this is a Christian, or at least, religious nation, in the sense that if one does not subscribe to Christianity or at least believe in a single God, then one is not a proper person or true citizen. It is similar to the assumption that America is essentially a White nation or a heterosexual nation and that, if we let things slide, before we know it, America will have too many atheists, colored people, and homosexuals...Years back, people who had such attitudes were referred to as WASPS.

 

Along with the elitism of Americocentrism, theocentrism, Europocentrism, and heterocentrism, comes a certain amount of phobia that one must be vigilant in order to maintain a degree of purity in the population. As, says Weber, a main purpose of religion is to provide social unity and cohesion, it is only logical that there will be a degree of atheophobia, if I may coin another term, particularly amongst conservatives.

 

But from a Constitutional standpoint, I don't think that it is a stretch at all to suggest that the principle of Freedom of Religion include Freedom of No Religion, given, for example, that Jefferson himself, being more of a deist (though he though Jesus a wise person and passed out Bibles with what he thought were the superstitious and supernatural elements) was frequently heckled and harassed by those who assumed that he must be a bad person because he did not espouse standard Christian beliefs, and therefore must be an atheist.

 

As an aside, there is a similar intolerance of those who are asexual (e.g., an estimated 1% of the population) in that they have little or no interest in sex, as well as those who are non-reproductive (i.e., don't get married), so that it used to be and still is to some extent disreputable to remain single all ones life (e.g., presumably wild bachelor, odd spinster, etc.).

 

Be it in the atmosphere of a bar or conference room, there are still a lot of, perhaps instinctual, prejudices that still play out in day-to-day social interactions, even when such prejudice has been legislated against. Some say one can not eliminate intolerance entirely through legislation, but history has shown that it certainly can make a huge difference: Article VI, Clause 3 of Constitution prohibits barring people from public office on the grounds of religious affiliation, and, in general, generally, religious status (including lack of religious affiliation or lack of belief in a god) is a protected class under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After a Court of Appeals had upheld Maryland's attempt to bar a non-believer from public office on the grounds that without a belief in God, one could not have "any moral accountability for conduct,” the Supreme Court Case ruled (Tocaso vs. Watkins) that "Maryland's requirement for a person holding public office to state a belief in God violated the lst and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

 

Nevertheless, laws prohibiting atheists from being in office are still on the books in Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, and many people openly state that atheists are unfit in one way or another: Pat Robertson has stated in his book, The New World Order, that Christians and Jews are better qualified to govern America than Muslims, Hindus and atheists.

https://www.au.org/church-state/february-2010-church-state/featured/%E2%80%98no-religious-test%E2%80%99-tested

 

Things seem to be changing, but it is interesting that, be it an issue of gay marriage, atheists in office, or African Americans in a college classroom, there is often conflict between local, state, and federal legislation.

Edited June 3, 2016 by disarray

[freekundli]

Is there any country in the world I can go to where I won't be bothered by religious people.

I don't think there is any country in world..

[freekundli]

 

Of course not.

Agree with you. There is no country in the world.

[Exabyte]

Is there any country in the world I can go to where I won't be bothered by religious people.

 

There isn't a single country where you have no chance of being bothered by religious people. But here in Australia, people tend to like to keep their beliefs to themselves, so you generally won't be bothered by religious people too much (other than JW's, of course).

 

If I might add, though, Russia is putting forth new laws which prohibit various forms of evangelism (like those performed by the JW's and the 7th day Adventists) http://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-russia-foreign-religion-crackdown-498551.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Exabyte

[zapatos]

China might be your best bet for freedom from religious people.

 

 

 

The world's most populous country is also the globe's least religious. According to a new study, 90 percent of all Chinese consider themselves to be atheists or not to be religious.

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/04/14/map-these-are-the-worlds-least-religious-countries/

[Tampitump]

Elon Musk is trying to colonize Mars. I'm pretty sure Mars has never heard of Jesus or Mohammed. You could get a ticket there when its available if you've got a few tens of billions of dollars. I doubt the people who would want to go there would be hardcore religious types.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Tampitump

[Itoero]

I don't think there is any country in world..

In Europe there are several countries where Christianity is losing ground very fast but Islam is on the rise. Edited September 30, 2016 by Itoero

[Strange]

 

There isn't a single country where you have no chance of being bothered by religious people. But here in Australia, people tend to like to keep their beliefs to themselves, so you generally won't be bothered by religious people too much (other than JW's, of course).

 

 

The same is true in the UK generally (but perhaps not in Ireland, where the OP is).