The most distrusted person in America

I thought about calling this blog 'Atheists Eat Babies', but I wasn't sure everyone would get the joke. I guess I'll just consider that as my unofficial title. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I suppose this is just my way dealing with things, instead of yelling at the TV. Hopefully I'll be able to refrain from simply ranting, and present my thoughts in a fashion that holds true to the logic and rationalism on which my atheism depends.

Often times as an atheist in our, well, let me be frank here, very Christian society, sometimes it does indeed feel like everyone prays but me. Maybe I shouldn't say Christian society. Certainly, the majority of Americans are Christian, but an even bigger majority are simply religious. I've been more and more aware of being part of this minority lately. Perhaps I'm simply becoming more confident in my atheism, perhaps my armor of apathy is getting old and worn out. Whatever the reasons, I've decided to put my feelings, discussions, arguments, and maybe the occasional rant into this electronic medium.

'Why distrusted.blogspot.com?' you might be asking yourself. Well I heard an interesting statement recently. According to some polls done in the not-to-distant past, somewhere around 2006, atheists are the most distrusted people in America. The thought had never really occurred to me before. I'm a fairly trusting person. I've never really thought about whom I trust the least... If I had thought of it before hand, I might have guessed that Americans distrusted Arabs the least, or maybe a less racial and more religious answer might be Muslims. Don't get me wrong, I distrust neither Arabs nor Muslims. Perhaps I have a low opinion of my fellow countrymen, but with issues such as racial profiling, 9-11, the war on terror, et cetera, either one might be a plausible answer. Similarly, it could have been gays and lesbians at the bottom of the list, considering the hot issue of gay marriage. Once again, do not misread me here. I am certainly not prejudiced against anyone due to sexual orientation, but again, this might have been a plausible answer.

However, it turns out that atheists are the least trusted out of all Americans. Most Americans don't want us atheists marrying their children, running for office, or doing, well, just about anything that affects them.

I most certainly would have ended up in at least one of the categories on the list of distrusted Americans. Indeed, I find myself on that list more than once. But what's coming in 4th or 5th most distrusted for any other issue compared to being the most distrusted for being an atheist.

I've decided to take on this moniker with a certain amount of dignity, perhaps even pride. I've never been the best at anything, nor the 'most -adjective-' of anything. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy being the most distrusted person in America.

Sources:
American Sociological Association