Letter to the editor in the Cedar Rapids Gazette 3-24-2008

[Niles]

The Gazette had a column discussing that there are atheists who do not reveal their atheism, even in polling.
See my letter to the editor.
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Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 24, 2008
Most non-believers have to hide views

John Paulos' column (March 17) states there are more non-believers than admit it. I am an atheist -- I just put it in print. I have experience with others who are atheist/agnostic/generic non-believers -- some are in visible positions in Cedar Rapids, and will not "out" themselves.

Before moving to Cedar Rapids 11 years ago, I had visible corporate position and was silent on my religious beliefs. It was hard enough in corporate management as a Democrat, without adding atheism. Moving here, as a consultant to companies in St. Louis and New Jersey, removed personal belief from corporate performance and allowed me more freedom. Letters to The Gazette about my pro-national health-care views, while I was working in pharmaceutical management, were not read by companies out of state. Similarly, this letter will not get me into difficulty with my employer.

It has -- and still does -- get me into some difficulty with some friends and acquaintances.

A recent Pew survey reveals what other similar surveys have. The percentage of people who admit to being atheist is greater than the percentage of people who claim alliance to various well-known religions, including Mormons. If we add those who are agnostic, or generic non-believers, we have a very significant percentage of society -- most are in hiding. I am not an "evangelical atheist." I am a live-and-let-live atheist. However, most atheists believe they are not in a position to exercise freedom of speech, particularly in an employment-at-will state.
Niles Ross

[irelandmc]

This is the kind of conversation we need to be having in public forums at every opportunity, thanks Niles!

[Niles]

I received a few phone calls after publication of the letter, early in the morning - all positive - and all with a common theme:  they thought I had real guts to write that.  Of course, as I outline in the letter, I did not have guts, I just have no employer that provides me with negative consequences.  When I did have a standard employer, I was silent, just like most people.  One caller, a Rockwell engineer, said that he simply could not express his point of view to other than close friends.  One call was from a woman whose son is having all kinds of problems in high school as a consequence of his stating his views in public - she said she will check out the web page, and consider attending some events, with her son - I delineated the specifics of some upcoming events giving her places and time.  The unfortunate common denominator to the calls is precisely what the newspaper column, and my letter, state - something we all know - expressing these views in public is either a perceived or real problem for some.

[kev]

Another part of this idea that there are more "atheists/nonbelievers" than indicated in polls goes beyond fear.  I think there is a large segment that simply lumps themselves into a group our of habit.  If I were polled today, I would indicate I am a nonbeliever or agnostic.  Personally, I think all religions are simply and easily proven to be factually incorrect.  To me, it has become obvious that organized religion has many negative attributes - most importantly in the areas of stagnating knowledge, progress and personal freedoms.  And yet, I can't help but wonder "what else" is "out there."  Not a religious god, as such  - just something else.  So, in that regard, I am curious.

Now, all of that being said, here is the point.  If someone would have polled me 5 years ago, I would have said I was catholic.  Not out of fear or anything.  Just out of habit.  I was raised catholic, but have not attended church on any kind of regular basis for 10-15 years, and only out of habit, force, or occassion before that.  But, even though I didn't consider myself a "real" catholic - I would have identified myself as such because that was my parent's religion, and I didn't really think it mattered.

So, why would I identify myself as agnostic or athiest today?  Simple, as I have read more over the past couple years, paid attention, found sites like this, magazines like Free Inquiry, books like Age of Reason, etc.  I have become aware that it does matter how I identify myself.  Having 20-30% of the population silently consent to what goes on in the name of religion, by thoughtlessly lumping themselves in to be counted is what allows religion to wield the power it does.

Public figures, politicians, leaders - all are forced to profess their faith - whether it is true or not. The vocal religious entities gain power by this assumption that "everyone" is religious.  A whole new generation of young people follow along, because everyone else is doing it (or so they think). 

It is only recently that I realized it is important to say what I believe (or don't).  It was not that I was "scared" in the past - I just didn't think it mattered. I think there is a huge group of people who see the issue in a similar vein.  They just don't consider that it really matters one way or another.  I do think a lot of that is changing though.  The internet is a powerful tool, and more and more people are exposed to ideas that they would not have been.  I lived 35 years of my life not really believing in the catholic religion, but not really knowing there were other options out there either. 

[irelandmc]

[what kev said]... and, many of these people have their social lives built around their church. They may not believe at all, but they like being a part of something, having friends, knowing that they are amongst "like minded" individuals. This is why we get together for beer and pizza. It's not just yummy, it's about intellectual freedom!

[dfairchild]

I'm an atheist attending a Catholic college so I definitely understand keeping my lack of religion on the downlow.  I've had the guts to out myself to three teachers and have not experienced any ill consequences.  About the only flack I've gotten was a comment on one of my response papers that said something like, "Dan, there's no such thing as an atheist.  Only someone without the courage to place their trust in something other than one's self."  Understandably, this pissed me off, but I let it slide.  I figured I was taking enough of a risk to out myself so I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it.  Other than that ignorant statement I like the professor.  Besides, I got a perfect grade on the paper.

The college requires students to take a few religious classes.  By religious classes, I don't mean classes about different religions.  Those are pretty interesting and I've voluntarily taken those.  I mean classes about practicing the Christian religion.  It's an inconvenience for me, but there's nothing I can do about it even if I wanted to.  It's a private college.  I'm currently taking a class called Faith Communities.  During the first class session the professor conducted a show of hands to see what religions people adhere to.  Obviously a lot of people raised their hands for Catholic.  What shocked me was that just as many, if not MORE people raised their hands when asked who doesn't belong to any religion.  The professor was equally shocked.   One student who raised her hand stated, "But it's not necessarily a BAD THING because we could be non-denominational."

I had a lapse of restraint and blurted out, "It's not A BAD THING anyway!"

A friend in the class (also atheist) turned to me and whispered, "Not on the first day of class, Dan.  Please."

I don't think my outburst necessarily had anything to do with me being an atheist other than I was more offended.  I like to think that if I did believe in God, I'd still defend people's right NOT to believe in God.

In class discussions I don't come right out and say I'm an atheist unless we're in small groups where it's in people's best interest to get along with me.  Even in large groups, I'm sure people could guess I'm an atheist.  I'm to a point where if someone asks, I tell them.  I don't hide it.  Like Niles, this may sound brave, and maybe at first, when I didn't fully know the educational climate of the college, it was brave.  But the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary are pretty liberal (I hear they were very unhappy when Ratzinger was named Pope) and I don't think too much of a stink would be raised if my nonbelief was common knowledge.  I don't think I'm risking anything.  I think I fear the reactions of other students more than the reactions of the staff.  If I felt any sort of risk, I admit that I would probably go through the motions.  Getting an education means too much to me.