Atheists Less Accepted Than Gays, Survey Says

[chapka]

Saw an interesting story on Yahoo News this morning about the changes in acceptance of gays and lesbians over the last 27 years, as shown in polls. For the most part this is good news; gays are significantly less hated, most people support civil unions, young people mostly support gay marriage. Then you get to the last paragraph of the story:

[researcher Karlyn Bowman] noted that Gallup polls have been asking voters for decades what kind of presidential candidate they would endorse. In 1978 Gallup found only 26 percent of respondents would vote for a well-qualified candidate who was gay. In 1999, that was up to 59 percent.

"There's only one group someone wouldn't vote for," Bowman revealed. "Those are atheists. In this country there's more acceptance for homosexuals than atheists."

(Acceptance of U.S. Gays is Rising) (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/po/20040402/co_po/studyusacceptanceofgaysisrising)

Apparently the EAC is not as effective as the fundies seem to think...

[Writer@Large]

That's why I've always felt we need a quirky, flaming atheist character on a sitcom or two. Then people would start to like us ... ;)

--W@L

[The Defenestrator]

What would a "flaming" atheist character be like? For some reason I can't get a mental pictureof one.

hmmm...

Maybe a science nut or something?

[Gothic_J]

-shrugs- thats why Im blatant militant atheist. I dont think hiding will get very far.

[Jade]

That's why I've always felt we need a quirky, flaming atheist character on a sitcom or two. Then people would start to like us ... ;)

--W@L
Let's try to avoid associating the word "flaming" with atheists -- it's too close to "burning" for my comfort. ;)

[Rhaedas]

Apparently the EAC is not as effective as the fundies seem to think...

Or is it? Maybe Plan 666-93, to appear an extreme minority, has finally kicked in. :D

What black helicopters? :cool:

[Cynical-Chick]

...And I remain less than surprised.


But it's good to hear that acceptance of gays is rising; neither group is going to go away.

[Writer@Large]

What would a "flaming" atheist character be like? For some reason I can't get a mental pictureof one.On a sitcom, he could be the dysfunctional family's quirky neighbor, or maybe uncle, Bert [short for Bertrand]. Bert is usually sarcastic [in a funny, crowd-pleasing way] and he always goes out of his way to point out that there is no God.

PRECOCIOUS CHILD: Unca' Bert, why is the sky blue?

BERT: Well, it certainly ain't blue because God made it that way!

[Canned Laughter.]

--W@L

[Roland98]

On a sitcom, he could be the dysfunctional family's quirky neighbor, or maybe uncle, Bert [short for Bertrand]. Bert is usually sarcastic [in a funny, crowd-pleasing way] and he always goes out of his way to point out that there is no God.

PRECOCIOUS CHILD: Unca' Bert, why is the sky blue?

BERT: Well, it certainly ain't blue because God made it that way!

[Canned Laughter.]

--W@L

Don't quit your day job. ;)

But the findings in the OP don't surprise me in the least, sad to say.

[Demigawd]

That's why I've always felt we need a quirky, flaming atheist character on a sitcom or two. Then people would start to like us ... ;)

--W@L

How about a show called Secular Minds for Fundy Kinds in which we have five secular humanist professors each teach a class that a fundamentalist has to pass in order to win? The classroom debates would be hilarious when edited down onto video with added sound effects.

[Z500]

...or a team of atheists comes to a fundy's place and replaces all his christian stuff with EAC logos, inverted crosses, satanic bibles and the likes, cause we're evil like that :P

[jayh]

That's why I've always felt we need a quirky, flaming atheist character on a sitcom or two. Then people would start to like us ... ;)

--W@L

A few years ago there was a show with Ted Danson (forget the name) where he played an atheist doctor.

One great scene when he had to babysit the children of his religious receptionist--They ordered out Chinese, and when the kids wanted to say grace, he said that Chinese people didn't do that so it would be inappropriate.

[SEM]

A few years ago there was a show with Ted Danson (forget the name) where he played an atheist doctor.

One great scene when he had to babysit the children of his religious receptionist--They ordered out Chinese, and when the kids wanted to say grace, he said that Chinese people didn't do that so it would be inappropriate.

Do you mean the show "Becker"? Only caught the occasional episode myself, but I seem to recall one where some religious types came to his door. The exchange went something like this:

Religious types: Are you interested in finding out how to get into Heaven?
Becker: Will you be there?
Religious types: We like to think so.
Becker: [slams door]

:notworthy

[KoopaFanatic]

...or a team of atheists comes to a fundy's place and replaces all his christian stuff with EAC logos, inverted crosses, satanic bibles and the likes, cause we're evil like that :P

Godless Eye for the Jesus Guy? I'd watch!

[Ftoomsch]

Godless Eye for the Jesus Guy? I'd watch!


Ha ha ha! I love it! :D

[Jacey]

-shrugs- thats why Im blatant militant atheist. I dont think hiding will get very far.

I never bothered hiding it. I put up all sorts of stuff around my desk..........if they're offended it's their problem. I'm offended at the stick they hung the dead jew on that many seem to like to display.

[foolsparade]

I had considered getting some kind of anti-God sticker for my car. I just keep thinking that some Jesus nut will vandelize my soft-top when i'm not looking, or I will be followed home by bunch brainless youths fresh from a witness rally. As long as they don't have any guns, I think I could take them, I am force to be reckowned with.

[RawData]

That's why I've always felt we need a quirky, flaming atheist character on a sitcom or two. Then people would start to like us ... ;)

--W@L
It wasn't a sitcom, but the show Firefly had an atheist captain. Unfortunately it was cancelled (by Faux). (hopefully there will be a movie soon)

RawData

[excreationist]

Jen from Dawson's Creek was an athiest. In the final episode though, before she died, she said in a video to her young daughter that she wanted her to believe in God, even if he didn't exist - or at least believe in something. But Jen was portrayed pretty positively in the series... she helped her fundy grandma become more open-minded so that she accepted Jen's gay friend Jack.

In an episode of the Simpsons ("HOMR"?), Homer becomes a genius and proves to Flanders that God doesn't exist. Flanders agrees with the proof but tries to destroy the evidence.

[walt6]

We also need a shout like the gays. something like:

We're here
We don't believe in your stupid god.
Get used to it.

[Shake]

walt6, that's priceless! :D

Hmm ... never watched Dawson's Creek, but it's good to know that there are some positive examples out there of atheists.

I too, am unsurprised by the title of the o.p., but think that the article about the gays gaining acceptance is a good thing. We're probably a couple of decades behind them, and may not progress as fast, but I think similar methods could be employed to gain acceptance.

[Godless Dave]

On the other hand, most atheists in the US can legally marry the person they love. Most gay people cannot.

[anakata]

Godless Eye for the Jesus Guy? I'd watch!
Crab people, crab people...