A scandalous question?
Written by Robin Marie in Opinion at June 20, 2011
I recently heard the suggestion that asking someone whether or not they are an atheist is similar to asking someone their favorite sexual position - - an awkward, personal question.
That raised some interesting questions in my mind. How true is this for most of us? I doubt that many active in the atheist community would equate these two questions, considering we are very open about our atheism and rather than considering it a private matter, consider it quite the opposite - a question of public concern and relevance. However, some atheists who are not active in the community certainly do feel this way, and prefer to keep their atheism in the background, preferably not mentioned at all. Many refrain from the term atheist at all and prefer agnostic.
Which, I think, says more about the broader public attitude towards religion and religious questions than it does about atheism and atheists. The fact that some consider this a personal question gets to the heart of how many people view religion - a personal matter lacking larger social significance. Many such people who might view the question as awkward would probably view questions about all religious preference awkward, unless such questions are directly invited.*
This broader attitude has some unfortunate consequences. As a “personal preference,” religion is something that has a certain privilege many other facts about a person - or a policy - do not. On the one hand, this means active atheists appear uncouth or obsessed to be bringing up religion so often, let alone at all. On the other, it also means this automatic respect for religious privacy keeps us somewhat silenced; how many of our friends and family do not know we are atheists, because such topics are simply avoided and those questions never asked over Thanksgiving dinner ? How different would the national discourse be if the religion question - and the atheist position - did not carry with it the tinge of scandal?
Yet another reason why a vocal, atheist community is a good thing, and an important step towards changing the culture and the discourse of the country.
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*And yet, questions about religious belief are absolutely required for any candidate seriously considering a run for office. This in part has to do with Americans’ attitudes towards what they want in a politician - someone ‘morally outstanding’ rather than effective - and in part to do with the media’s desire to individualize candidates. But it also has to do with the portion of the voting public that does consider religion a social issue - in that they lean towards some idea of an unofficial theocracy. In short, the Religious Right.
A question regarding your persoonal beliefs is only scandalous if you are ashamed or embarrassed by your personal beliefs. Sexual questions are embarrassing because we have been taught to be ashamed of our sexuality — yet another contribution from religion. If somebody considers questions regarding their religion scandalous it is, most likely, because they are ashamed of their belief system. I personally agree with the blogger in that if somebody asks me about my beliefs (and I know this to be true of other confident atheists), I am more than happy to relate them and (should the need arise) educate or debate the asker.
Where I will disagree with the blogger is regarding the following quote:
“The fact that some consider this a personal question gets to the heart of how many people view religion – a personal matter lacking larger social significance.”
I am inclined to think that, on the contrary to this quote, the fact that poeple will not speak freely about disbelief in God can be easily attributed to the social significance behind making such a statement. While I do believe that people of confidence and conviction will relate their personal beliefs regardless of time or place, many others will not even mention the word “Atheist” for fear of being ostricized. Most will give lip service to the idea that it is a “personal matter” because that is a surefire way to get out of having to talk about a subject you would like to avoid. This is what makes the blogger’s final paragraph so important.
The only way this silence about Atheistic beliefs will be softened is if there are more confident Atheists out there relating their beliefs so that the timid may feel more confident to do so as well.