We all know deeply religious people who cannot be trusted. They lie, they steal, they cheat on their spouses, they use others for their own profit. We all know of bloody wars fought between deeply, sincerely religious groups. We all know situations in which a religious majority has horribly abused, tortured, and persecuted a religious minority. We know this, yet we think they are good because god is watching. What incredible, hypocritical bullshit.
I especially resent the suggestion that I don’t have a moral code because I know there is no god, there is no immortal soul, and there is no afterlife. I value life more than many who think their reward comes later, especially if they die for their bloodthirsty god. If your moral code requires you to tolerate me, then we are fine. If your moral code makes you superior to me, makes you mistrust me, then to hell with your beliefs.
UBC study explores distrust of atheists by believers | e! Science News
Distrust is the central motivating factor behind why religious people dislike atheists, according to a new study led by University of British Columbia psychologists. "Where there are religious majorities — that is, in most of the world — atheists are among the least trusted people," says lead author Will Gervais, a doctoral student in UBC’s Dept. of Psychology. "With more than half a billion atheists worldwide, this prejudice has the potential to affect a substantial number of people."The researchers conducted a series of six studies with 350 American adults and nearly 420 university students in Canada, posing a number of hypothetical questions and scenarios to the groups. In one study, participants found a description of an untrustworthy person to be more representative of atheists than of Christians, Muslims, gay men, feminists or Jewish people. Only rapists were distrusted to a comparable degree. …
The researchers concluded that religious believer’s distrust — rather than dislike or disgust — was the central motivator of prejudice against atheists, adding that these studies offer important clues on how to combat this prejudice. …
The religious behaviors of others may provide believers with important social cues, the researchers say. "Outward displays of belief in God may be viewed as a proxy for trustworthiness, particularly by religious believers who think that people behave better if they feel that God is watching them," says Norenzayan. "While atheists may see their disbelief as a private matter on a metaphysical issue, believers may consider atheists’ absence of belief as a public threat to cooperation and honesty."
UBC study explores distrust of atheists by believers | e! Science News