Atheists Trusted As Much As ....... Rapists. According to a recent study.
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Atheists roughly as distrusted as rapists, UBC study finds
Outspoken atheist Ricky Gervais gestures on stage during the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 17, 2010. (AP / NBC, Paul Drinkwater)
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Thursday Dec. 1, 2011 10:35 AM PT
The research, led by UBC psychology doctoral student Will Gervais, found distrust to be the central factor motivating antagonism toward atheists among the religious.
"Where there are religious majorities – that is, in most of the world – atheists are among the least trusted people," Gervais said in a release.
"With more than half a billion atheists worldwide, this prejudice has the potential to affect a substantial number of people."
Researchers believe the negative perception of atheists may stem from some people's understanding of morality; a 2002 Pew poll suggests nearly half of Americans believe morality is impossible without belief in ? .
For one part of Gervais' six-part study, researchers compared views of atheists, homosexual men and the general population, noting that the first two groups are "often described as threatening to majority religious values and morality."
Both are explicitly denied membership to the Boy Scouts of America, the study adds.
A sample of 351 Americans between the ages of 18 and 82 were quizzed on their feelings for each group. Sixty-seven per cent or subjects were Christian while 14 per cent said they did not believe in ? .
The results suggested anti-atheist prejudice was characterized by distrust, while anti-? prejudice was characterized by disgust.
For another part of the study, 105 UBC students between the ages of 18 and 25 were presented with a description of an untrustworthy person – an "archetypal freerider" who committed selfish and illegal acts when he thought he could get away with it.
Subjects were more likely to find the description representative of atheists than Christians, Muslims, ? men, feminists or Jewish people. Only rapists were similarly distrusted.
"People did not significantly differentiate atheists from rapists," the study said.
Researchers hope the study, considered among the first to probe the psychology behind anti-atheist sentiments, will offer clues on how to combat the prejudice.
Study co-author Ara Norenzayan, a UBC associate professor, said it was motivated in part by a 2007 Gallup poll that found only 45 per cent of Americans would vote for a qualified atheist as president.
Atheists often see their disbelief as a private matter, but others may consider it "a public threat to cooperation and honesty," Norenzayan said in a release.
The UBC study, titled "Do You Believe in Atheists? Distrust is Central to Anti-Atheist Prejudice," appears in the current online issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
I find this hilarious.
Outspoken atheist Ricky Gervais gestures on stage during the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 17, 2010. (AP / NBC, Paul Drinkwater)
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Thursday Dec. 1, 2011 10:35 AM PT
The research, led by UBC psychology doctoral student Will Gervais, found distrust to be the central factor motivating antagonism toward atheists among the religious.
"Where there are religious majorities – that is, in most of the world – atheists are among the least trusted people," Gervais said in a release.
"With more than half a billion atheists worldwide, this prejudice has the potential to affect a substantial number of people."
Researchers believe the negative perception of atheists may stem from some people's understanding of morality; a 2002 Pew poll suggests nearly half of Americans believe morality is impossible without belief in ? .
For one part of Gervais' six-part study, researchers compared views of atheists, homosexual men and the general population, noting that the first two groups are "often described as threatening to majority religious values and morality."
Both are explicitly denied membership to the Boy Scouts of America, the study adds.
A sample of 351 Americans between the ages of 18 and 82 were quizzed on their feelings for each group. Sixty-seven per cent or subjects were Christian while 14 per cent said they did not believe in ? .
The results suggested anti-atheist prejudice was characterized by distrust, while anti-? prejudice was characterized by disgust.
For another part of the study, 105 UBC students between the ages of 18 and 25 were presented with a description of an untrustworthy person – an "archetypal freerider" who committed selfish and illegal acts when he thought he could get away with it.
Subjects were more likely to find the description representative of atheists than Christians, Muslims, ? men, feminists or Jewish people. Only rapists were similarly distrusted.
"People did not significantly differentiate atheists from rapists," the study said.
Researchers hope the study, considered among the first to probe the psychology behind anti-atheist sentiments, will offer clues on how to combat the prejudice.
Study co-author Ara Norenzayan, a UBC associate professor, said it was motivated in part by a 2007 Gallup poll that found only 45 per cent of Americans would vote for a qualified atheist as president.
Atheists often see their disbelief as a private matter, but others may consider it "a public threat to cooperation and honesty," Norenzayan said in a release.
The UBC study, titled "Do You Believe in Atheists? Distrust is Central to Anti-Atheist Prejudice," appears in the current online issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
I find this hilarious.
Comments
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Well...at least now there is some bad press for the atheists out there. I just don't take it to mean people can now start to trust religion again. If anything, it is saying that if we can't trust those who deem themselves "better" because of their stance on the non-existence of ? , then who can we trust?
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It's not saying "who can be trusted" but "who is trusted".alissowack wrote: »Well...at least now there is some bad press for the atheists out there. I just don't take it to mean people can now start to trust religion again. If anything, it is saying that if we can't trust those who deem themselves "better" because of their stance on the non-existence of ? , then who can we trust?
Subtle but important difference. -
well that result is somehow logical if we consider that the majority of people do believe in ? . so its only natural that they dont trust somebody who doesnt share their believes.
but this doesnt say anything about atheists nor about religious people.
and we shouldnt forget the fact that atheism is a believe system too just as christianity is. -
Well that's not quite a fact.EuropeanAndWhite wrote: »...and we shouldnt forget the fact that atheism is a believe system too just as christianity is.
Something can't be a "belief system" with just one belief, or one concept that belief is lacked in. -
well an atheist believes that there is no ? . how can he know that its true?
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Regardless the reason behind the belief or lack of belief, it is still only one belief/disbelief.EuropeanAndWhite wrote: »well an atheist believes that there is no ? . how can he know that its true?
So it doesn't qualify as a "system". -
EuropeanAndWhite wrote: »well an atheist believes that there is no ? . how can he know that its true?
No no, atheists merely reject the notion purported by theists; that a ? exists. Very distinct distiction. -
From this, perhaps it could be taken that an atheist ? would be the least trusted of them all.
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fiat_money wrote: »From this, perhaps it could be taken that an atheist ? would be the least trusted of them all.
But a ? pope is adored.... go figure... -
Well a ? pope can always repent, plus he knows what he did is wrong.BiblicalAtheist wrote: »But a ? pope is adored.... go figure...
This differs greatly from atheists who ? people because of their lack of morals. -
fiat_money wrote: »Well a ? pope can always repent, plus he knows what he did is wrong.
This differs greatly from atheists who ? people because of their lack of morals.
Oh idk, that book the bible says the punishment for people who know better and still do bad is much worse. -
If that's the case, and there really are consequences, maybe the pope should try to put an end to his ? activities.BiblicalAtheist wrote: »Oh idk, that book the bible says the punishment for people who know better and still do bad is much worse. -
fiat_money wrote: »If that's the case, and there really are consequences, maybe the pope should try to put an end to his ? activities.
Then they gotta make it so he can have puzzay. -
A clean and holy pope touching a vile and ? woman?BiblicalAtheist wrote: »Then they gotta make it so he can have puzzay.
There'd be outrage. -
BiblicalAtheist wrote: »No no, atheists merely reject the notion purported by theists; that a ? exists. Very distinct distiction.
wouldnt that be an agnostic?
hmm.. what am I? i believe that there is something bigger than us (? ) but i dont believe in any religion or in heaven and hell. -
No, that would be atheism. If you believe in the existence of ? (s), you are a theist.EuropeanAndWhite wrote: »wouldnt that be an agnostic?
hmm.. what am I? i believe that there is something bigger than us (? ) but i dont believe in any religion or in heaven and hell. -
Pure ignorance....its so sad its not even funny.
Short story below about how a friend of mine became an athiest VVVV
There was this dude in my unit operations class, 34 yrs old blah blah...cool dude used to always hang out with me and I would let him copy my notes from class etc etc etc. So one day we are in class talking about pumps, which goes into vacuums, which goes into black holes, then into alternative dimensions (Really cool convo). After class im walking to my car and this dude walks up to me asking me if the things we talked about made me question my belief in ? . When i told him i didn't believe in ? he looked at me like i said i killed mufasa....
Dude went on to talking like a girlfriend i just broke up with. Telling me that there was no way I could be atheist because im always in a good mood, im helpful, entertaining, and i drop gems constantly. Told me how they portray atheist to be devil worshipers and all this and that in the church. ? had me baffled.
So time goes on and dude just comes and randomly asks me these probing questions. After a while i just realize this dude is looking for direction...and instead of giving him definite answers i just pointed him in the direction of research materials and good books.
Dudes a stone atheist now, and hes in a much better place than he was before.... -
EuropeanAndWhite wrote: »wouldnt that be an agnostic?
hmm.. what am I? i believe that there is something bigger than us (? ) but i dont believe in any religion or in heaven and hell.
agnostic is a type of atheist -
fiat_money wrote: »Well a ? pope can always repent, plus he knows what he did is wrong.
This differs greatly from atheists who ? people because of their lack of morals.
I don't think that in either case the issue is about who is more or less moral. It is whether both have any respect for them. The pope may have ? to say "I'm sorry" to but it doesn't mean he has any respect for ? . -
The "? pope" posts were satirical.
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just because a guy ? somebody doesn't mean he's untrustworthy, ya know
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@My_nameaintearl wrote: »just because a guy ? somebody doesn't mean he's untrustworthy, ya know
situationally, I'd trust a ? whole heartedly -
Agnostic is an idea that a question truthful answer is unknowable. I am an agnostic atheist. I do not believe ? exists but there is a chance I am wrong.
Atheism is not a belief system any more than not collecting coins is a hobby. -
Jaded Righteousness wrote: »agnostic is a type of atheist
Not necessarily....Gnosticism just refers to knowledge of ? 's existence...i.e is the state of ? knowable by human means
Theism just refers to belief..... i.e do you believe in ? (s)
So technically you can be an agnostic Christian(theist) and that person would sound something like this "I believe in ? (theism)...but I don't think his existence is knowable by human means(agnostic) and so I believe purely on faith."
and vise versa a Gnostic atheist......"I don't believe in ? (atheism) however I do believe if it existed science would be able to discover it’s existence through natural means(Gnostic)"
@ this article wow can't believe people believe atheist are so untrustworthy oh well as they say "only in america" -
Why would an atheist care what someone believes about them? atheism implies a certain amount of implicit nihilism being that in the end everything inevitably ends in nothingness.
