Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
The recent posts that Norm Jenson and PZ Myers have been publishing demonstrate a disturbing trend in the United States: that discrimination against atheists is not only to be tolerated, but to be encouraged. Republican candidate Mitt Romney answered a heckler last week who challenged his religion by saying it doesn’t matter the type of faith a President of the US has, as long as they were persons of faith. An opinion poll recently stated that Americans would be more likely to vote for a black, gay, Muslim, woman before voting for an atheist.
And now PZ Myers points to a letter to an editor from a person who doesn’t even believe that atheists should be allowed to live in the US:
It’s time to stomp out atheists in America. The majority of Americans would love to see atheists kicked out of America. If you don’t believe in God, then get out of this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of religion, speech, etc., which means you can believe in God any way you want (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.), but you must believe.
I don’t recall freedom of religion meaning no religion. Our currency even says, “In God We Trust.” So, to all the atheists in America: Get off of our country.
Atheists have caused the ruin of this great nation by taking prayer out of our schools and being able to practice what can only be called evil. I don’t care if they have never committed a crime, atheists are the reason crime is rampant.
(Originally printed at My Confined Space, though it would seem this one has been making the rounds a few years.)
Alice’s letter to the editor brought up something I was curious about…
If I tell you I’m an atheist, would this make a difference to you whether you would buy one of my technology books?
Would you be less willing to buy? More willing to buy? Or do you believe that there’s no connection between technology and religion, and your purchasing of any of my books would be based solely on the contents of the books?
Or is it that you believe it’s OK for me to write and sell the books, but only if I move to, say, Canada or Australia?
If you’re less likely to buy my books, why? Do you feel you’re helping to support a sinner who only deserves condemnation and despair? Or do you think that God talks to technology writers who believe? If so, what do you think she says?
You used “its” when you should have used “it’s”. I really hate that. Do it again, and I’ll send lightning.
This is an informal poll: all opinions are welcome.