A minority within the minority (Atheists/Agnostics)

[Leonides]

You feel unimportant and discriminated because of your skin color or ethnicity? Feel like the minority?
How about being brown skin (like myself) or black skin and being as well an atheist.

Being myself a Mexican/American and an atheist is something that is beyond rare and looked down upon from Catholic / Christian mexicans. (Reasons being quite evident).
The community among Mexican atheists is undoubtedly small, almost none.
Understand that some are quiet and are scared to come out.

For those in the true “minority” , how do you deal with it ?

And I have a Christopher H. quote for you that represents us atheist well.

“Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.”

 

[Srivijaya]

Well, I'm a white British guy in a predominantly atheist milieu but a minority in the sense that I'm a Buddhist. I don't tell most people that I am and over the years my family and close friends have come to accept it as part of who I am.

Dealing with it hasn't been much of a problem, though I have encountered a few objections.

As a Mexican, I'd like to ask you a question. I've recently been re-reading some stuff by Carlos Casteneda, who is considered a total fraud by anthropologists. Is there any truth in anything he recounts about native cultures? Do you have any knowledge or experience of this and if so, what is your opinion?

I realize you probably haven't, but I thought it may be worth asking.

 

[Woberts]

I'm a white Canadian male, so I haven't really been discriminated against. Well, I got some angry stares back when I worked in the Middle East, but that's the extent of it.

 

[Quintessence]

I think it's wise to remember a couple of things.

First and foremost, that diversity is a good thing that should be valued and celebrated. That's a personal value of mine, I suppose, but living in this world would be tremendously boring if all humans and human civilization were same-y. Uniqueness brings a richness of narrative to the table that is not to be underestimated.

Secondarily, it's important to remember that our self-identifiers can mask common ground. For example, I'm a contemporary Pagan (specifically a Druid) in a country where such demographics make up at most 1% of the population. There are many other groups that share in some of my practices and values. Basically anyone who works in natural resource management or conservation is a Druid in spirit to me, for example.

 

[icehorse]

You feel unimportant and discriminated because of your skin color or ethnicity? Feel like the minority?
How about being brown skin (like myself) or black skin and being as well an atheist.

Being myself a Mexican and an atheist is something that is beyond rare and looked down upon from Catholic / Christian mexicans. (Reasons being quite evident).
The community among Mexican atheists is undoubtably small, almost none.
Understand that some are quiet and are scared to come out.

For those in the true “minority” , how do you deal with it ?

And I have a Christopher H. quote for you that represents us atheist well.

“Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.”

The folks who hope there is a god and an afterlife but don't present themselves to the world as "religious" don't bother me. What makes me despair are the folks who do mental gymnastics to live by their scripture. (I'm mostly thinking of Christians and Muslims.) In your case, anyone who "looks down on you" (and I'm sure that's common), makes me want to jump out a window. Not only are these folks lying to themselves - pretending to know what they do not know - but they judge you for not being gullible and credulous like they are. argh!

This is a great example of religion having a negative impact on the world, and a part of the reason why I'm an anti-theist, not simply an atheist. Surprisingly, you'll find a lot of your atheist fellows on this forum, welcome!

And BTW, fantastic quote from Hitchens, thanks!

 

[Kenny]

“Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.”

I'm happy you can be honest.

But, I disagree that your principles are not a faith and I don't see openmindedness. When no one knew about black holes, someone came up with the possibility and then searched for it. In as much as we haven't plumbed the depths of space, nor do we have all knowledge, it takes a faith position that there is no God.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Has never bothered me, but here in the UK, we don't seem to bother too much about one's religious beliefs unless they try to force them down your throat. I get rather cross with the JWs who come around every so often. I would have thought they would have black-listed me by now.

Christopher and Peter Hitchens - same father? Just so very different. With one being obviously the brighter and sadly now gone. I should really finish reading his book but I will undoubtedly just agree with everything so why bother.

 

[suncowiam]

Are you being discriminated against?

If not, then so what. We're all minorities in something.

If so, then what do you need to do to fix that? Move? Speak up? Fight back?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

You feel unimportant and discriminated because of your skin color or ethnicity? Feel like the minority?
How about being brown skin (like myself) or black skin and being as well an atheist.

Being myself a Mexican and an atheist is something that is beyond rare and looked down upon from Catholic / Christian mexicans. (Reasons being quite evident).
The community among Mexican atheists is undoubtably small, almost none.
Understand that some are quiet and are scared to come out.

For those in the true “minority” , how do you deal with it ?

Hola, ateo.

I'm a white American atheist living in Mexico, so I'm in the minority here in all three of those ways, but it's not a problem. It's easier being white and American in Mexico than brown and Mexican in the States, and my religious beliefs seem to be of no interest to anybody but the Jehovah's Witnesseses.

And I know plenty of Mexican atheists. They're mostly young people. And our plaza, which I visit regularly on Sunday mornings for breakfast, is bristling with Mexicans missing mass.

My neighbors don't know my religious orientation, but they do know that I don't go to church, and don't seem to care. Perhaps that's because they don't go to church, either.

Are you Mexican or Mexican-American? Many Americans make no distinction. I have a Mexican-American acquaintance here who was born and raised in Chicago, and who laments that he's an outsider everywhere. In Chicago, they consider him a Mexican, and here in Mexico, they consider him an American.

Brown is good. It's very appealing to the eye, and it appears to be where the human race is headed as we mix more and more. Tiger Woods "is indeed a rich mix of racial and ethnic heritage. His father, Earl, was of African-American, Chinese and Native American descent. His mother, Kultida, is of Thai, Chinese and Dutch descent. "Cablinasian" was a composite of Caucasian, black, Indian and Asian." Is it a coincidence that he was an exceptional athlete?

 

[Nakosis]

You feel unimportant and discriminated because of your skin color or ethnicity? Feel like the minority?
How about being brown skin (like myself) or black skin and being as well an atheist.

Being myself a Mexican and an atheist is something that is beyond rare and looked down upon from Catholic / Christian mexicans. (Reasons being quite evident).
The community among Mexican atheists is undoubtably small, almost none.
Understand that some are quiet and are scared to come out.

For those in the true “minority” , how do you deal with it ?

And I have a Christopher H. quote for you that represents us atheist well.

“Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.”

I'm a white atheist is a sea of non-white God-fearing folks.

I usually don't discuss my beliefs. Just with my kids who I've always be open with discussing different ideas. We don't agree on anything but whatever. We're ok with having different views about life.

Most probably assume I'm religious like the rest of them. I don't feel it's my job to convince them they are wrong about their beliefs. Folks who assume some religious belief on my part, I just let them go on assuming. Doesn't really cause me any harm. I'll even participate in some of the rituals. I see it as a cultural experience.

I don't feel scared, I just don't feel like dealing with the hassle. I get along fine with folks without discussing religion or politics. Family is a little different. I want to be honest with them. A real family is going to accept you for who you are. Other folks, I suppose I don't see religious beliefs as being important.