Lack of acceptance

[diekatzen]

Has anyone else encountered intolerance after admitting to atheism either in public or in private? I have! I've actually been told during a university course on cultural diversity that I couldn't speak on the subject of religious ritual, such as forced veiling and female genital mutilation, because as a non-believer I had no grasp of what religion meant to people and couldn't understand the topic. My professor also told me once in private that she didn't feel someone without religion had the compassion to pursue my major (social work) and suggested something with computers. I'd made the mistake of once, during a class discussion on pluralism, identified myself as "agnostic atheist" (which means I don't believe in God but I don't think we can know verifiably, yet). Because of this, a few other students in the class who identified as Christians completely changed how they reacted to me. One started bringing Christian literature and leaving it in my usual seat before class, and another accused me of worshipping science over god.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What have your experiences been, and how have you handled them?

 

[Jayangel81]

Im sorry youre going through this, in the end we need to accept you for just who you are, whether someone is saved or unsaved.

Youre professor had no right to tell you that and Im sure God will adress that, thats just wrong. And for these other "Christians" lets just say not all christians act like Christians. its just the way it is

I may not be an aethiest but i know what its like to be unaccepted by the world, after all Gods children are hated...

Keep youre head up.

God Bless!

 

[jessesgirl]

**MOD HAT POST**

Thread moved to Ethics and Morality so that user could find answers he was seeking. Thanks and enjoy!

 

[Washington]

Good grief man! What school do you go to and where is it? If that's the kind of teachers it hires I would seriously rethink going there.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

I can't say I've had the same experience as an atheist student...when my Christian History lecturer (after expressing the extreme confidence and that it didn't matter at all) asked who was Christian there were about 5 hands up in a lecture of 50 or so.

But I would suggest talking to the Dean or anyone in charge about this. You should not be made to feel, in any way, that you should adhere to a particular philosophy or religion. That is surely a rule of your university.

 

[Bombila]

Certainly not likely to happen in any school or university in this country. Where on earth do you live?

 

[PassionFruit]

Has anyone else encountered intolerance after admitting to atheism either in public or in private? I have! I've actually been told during a university course on cultural diversity that I couldn't speak on the subject of religious ritual, such as forced veiling and female genital mutilation, because as a non-believer I had no grasp of what religion meant to people and couldn't understand the topic. My professor also told me once in private that she didn't feel someone without religion had the compassion to pursue my major (social work) and suggested something with computers. I'd made the mistake of once, during a class discussion on pluralism, identified myself as "agnostic atheist" (which means I don't believe in God but I don't think we can know verifiably, yet). Because of this, a few other students in the class who identified as Christians completely changed how they reacted to me. One started bringing Christian literature and leaving it in my usual seat before class, and another accused me of worshipping science over god.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What have your experiences been, and how have you handled them?

How insulting for someone to tell you can't have compassion because because you're an atheist?
Anywho, there is a lot of negativity surrounding people who call themselves atheists. Simply because atheism is equated with not having morals because you don't believe in God.

I think I kind of had negative encounters, I did a social experiment where I told people I was an agnostic, there are times when I had to actually explain to people what an agnostic is, when I did this, I received the vibe , no religion no morals. People seemed like they'd feel sorry for me. But then I'd go on to explain my humanist beliefs and they usually leave it at that, or perhaps come to realization that you don't have to follow a religion or believe in God to have morals.

 

[The Nihilist]

Social work? You're not at the University of Georgia by any chance, are you?

 

[Khameo]

And for these other "Christians" lets just say not all christians act like Christians. its just the way it is

Stop making excuses.
Christianity is the cause, if even indirectly.
You can't keep pretending that Christianity only does good.

 

[HannahBanana]

Nope, I've never had that happen to me, though a few of my Christian friends have tried to convert me to Christianity before. Sorry you've had such a rough time of it, though. That seriously sucks.

 

[Verv]

That was very shallow of the Christians to reject you simply because of your own personal choice. Christians do not have the right to pass judgment and rather than condemning or changing our treatment of others we ought to be objective towards others and supportive.

 

[cantata]

One of my tutors told me that one of her students came to her because another tutor set an essay with a title that was something like "How might the study of the historical Jesus affect our faith?" The student in question was an agnostic and felt uncomfortable about answering such a question.

As a non-theist theology student, I have occasionally encountered some rather Christocentric teaching, and it can be frustrating.

 

[quatona]

Has anyone else encountered intolerance after admitting to atheism either in public or in private?

No, not really - except maybe in very few exceptional cases. Some people just can´t agree to disagree - you find that in religion and everywhere else.

Then again, you and I may have different ideas of "intolerance".

I have! I've actually been told during a university course on cultural diversity that I couldn't speak on the subject of religious ritual, such as forced veiling and female genital mutilation, because as a non-believer I had no grasp of what religion meant to people and couldn't understand the topic.

By whom were you told that? By the teacher? He/she is in the wrong job, then.

My professor also told me once in private that she didn't feel someone without religion had the compassion to pursue my major (social work) and suggested something with computers.

That´s pretty thick.

I'd made the mistake of once, during a class discussion on pluralism, identified myself as "agnostic atheist" (which means I don't believe in God but I don't think we can know verifiably, yet). Because of this, a few other students in the class who identified as Christians completely changed how they reacted to me.

Well, that´s the way it is. People react to what I say and do - I wouldn´t want it differently.

One started bringing Christian literature and leaving it in my usual seat before class

Whilst I see how that can be annoying I fail to see any intolerance in this.

and another accused me of worshipping science over god.

Well, people say a lot of stupid things. Stupidity isn´t intolerance, though.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What have your experiences been, and how have you handled them?

When people say stupid things I either try to argue rationally (if I feel it is worth the effort) or ignore it (if I feel it´s not important or useless).
When people try to proselytize, I try to appreciate their good intentions, but to make unmistakably clear that it is unwelcome.
As for people in positions of authority (like professors) - that´s really a problem. I tend to be unimpressed, and contradict them despite their position.