PR Overpowers TNT
Americans are clearly not paying attention.
Today MSNBC reported the findings of a new survey by the Pew Research Center. This poll was conducted between July 7 and July 17, a time period during which British Muslims carried out 8 terrorist attacks in Britian. It showed that 55% of Americans have a favorable opinion of American Muslims. This is UP from 51% in a survey conducted two years ago and UP from 45% in another survey conducted seven months BEFORE the September 11 attacks.
Over the last two years, the number of Americans saying that Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence has fallen to 36% from 44%. The number who say that Islam has a lot in common with their own religion has jumped from 22% in 2003 to 27% today. These changes are easily explained by the rash of Catholic, Taoist and Lutheran terrorism that has been claiming countless lives globally.
So how is everyone else doing? Public opinion of Jews and Catholics (America’s favorites) are up over the last two years. Evangelicals have dropped a couple of points. Muslim Americans are up four points, as previously stated. And atheists? We’re up about 1 point… to 35%. That’s dead last place, 20 points behind the Muslims. The kicker is that the UNfavorable rating for atheists is TWICE that of Muslims at 50%.
What do we know?
1. America likes Muslims more after each terrorist attack.
2. America hates atheists more than any other “religious” group.
Maybe we have to start blowing things up. America is clearly masochistic. If Muslims keep bringing wholesale death and destruction to the western world, they could challenge the Jews for that coveted number one spot within a decade. We atheists calmly bring our nonviolent, rational message to the religious freakshow under the big top of America’s heartland, and they hate us. Have I slipped through the looking glass?
~I AM~
July 26th, 2005 at at 11:46 pm
Maybe you should replace “PR” in your headline with “PC”. This poll probably tells more about what Americans think they’re supposed to feel toward Islam than what they actually do.
July 27th, 2005 at at 12:13 am
I’m hoping this poll is just plain wrong. If it is not, then we really are stupid. And we deserve everything that is happening to us. This would also demonstrate the complete inability to reach these people because they are not in touch with reality.
July 27th, 2005 at at 12:51 am
But boywonder, that’s the genius of it! Since those against have no touch with reality, we too must leave reality, in order to discuss with them in an imaginary world.
Does anyone else find this sentence depressing?
“By comparison, just 35% express favorable opinions of atheists; 50% have a negative opinion of atheists. These opinions have been quite stable in recent years.”
*sigh* Will we ever stop being Public Enemy #1?
July 27th, 2005 at at 2:09 am
I think answers like that aren’t even accurate.
(Assuming the common religous oriented citizen)
If you’re asked about judging religions, it becomes Politically Correct (as said above) to say Muslims are okay because SINCE they’ve attacked people because of their religion, it will SEEM intolerant to say out loud you don’t like them.
Also, since America loves god so much, if you say you have a favorable opinion of the peace-full atheist, then your christian buddies might think you’re turning into to “one of them”. Then, you go back to your 9-5 job and continue to tell nigger jokes to your co-workers and complain about how illegal immigrants are stealing your jobs (because all Americans will work for a few dollars an hour doing farm labor)
End common religous citizen perspective
(btw I’m working this summer in a seed factory in rural central Illinois. these statements are exactly what I have experienced from the lot of people in this area my whole life… so at least I’m trying not to generalize too much)
July 27th, 2005 at at 3:42 am
Most people get so little real exposure to atheists. No wonder they say atheists are #1. In fact most folks are so gutless they are just going along with what ever is popular or convenient at the time. Most people I know are non violent and just so happen to belong to a religion.
I’ve never had the opportunity to correct that lie told about us. Why in fact do people believe such things? Because they have been lied to by their ministers. We are the default setting of their wrath when they have no other scape goats. The last thing they would be agreeable to is allowing even a small consession to people like ourselves who do not share their most intimate belliefs.
Have you ever been involved in a discussion with these people? The mere mention of the fact that your a non believer is like telling them that everything they “believe in” is wrong. What can be done ???
July 27th, 2005 at at 5:43 am
Hahaha, if that’s accurate, this country is stupid. I can’t help but feeling a sense of “oh well” mixed with “fdasfhdjkfhasrupfiahsdfa!”
July 27th, 2005 at at 8:55 am
I am really depressed to learn we are that hated. I suppose I knew it, but having it confirmed in numbers - and then to find out they like Muslims more! Ouch.
I try, very hard, not to generalize. Being in NY on 9.11 has made it harder. I had very little exposure to Islam before 9.11. I didn’t have an opinion, really, of the religion, one way or another.
These days, I see Islam and Christianity as being all but tied for Enemy #1. Sure, the Christians aren’t blowing us up (yet)… but neither are most of the Muslims.
I try not to generalize. I used to be a lot more tolerant of religion than I was. Between the rise of Dominionism and Evangelicalism in general, and the jihadist, I’ve lost my tolerance.
People see atheists as a threat because they are uneducated and brainwashed. They believe that not having faith in god, and not being part of a religious group means we have no morals. They imagine that in a world run by us, the country/world will turn into Soddom and Gommorah, that abortion will be the primary method of birth control… I am fairly sure they imagine a society of nudists, running around shouting, “be gay, fornicate, use drugs, steal, cheat on your spouses!!! It’s okay there’s no god! You won’t go to hell!”
This poll just confirms what I already knew. Believing in god makes you not only naive, but also stupid.
July 27th, 2005 at at 9:59 am
But Islam is a religion of peace, remember! (Please disregard any mention of Jihad or killing of infidels/apostates in the Qu’ran).
July 27th, 2005 at at 3:34 pm
My experience has been that a lot of people tend to associate atheism with satan/devil worship. Instead of realizing that atheists don’t believe in either God or Satan, they tend to think of atheists as worshiping Satan instead of God. This could be one reason why atheism ranks so low, because of the misguided emotional reaction to the word. I think maybe we need a PR campaign to take back the word.
July 27th, 2005 at at 3:36 pm
3. America cares only about America.
This is an interesting survey. Depressing, as always, but interesting.
July 27th, 2005 at at 4:15 pm
I think one of the main problems is that America has many of its leaders calling Islam a “peaceful religion.” Then again, these people think that their own Christianity is peaceful LOL!
Christian Americans identify more with other theists than with athesits… no suprise there. Also, Christians Americans tend to trust what their leaders tell them. And since their leaders (mostly) want to be seen as (relatively) open minded people, and dont know shit about Islam, they will demonize the “extremists” that “distort” the “true” Islam.
If push came to shove, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity (yes all three) would join forces before ever conceding any ground to any atheist. Even the Catholic church has been reaching out to Islamic leaders in Europe to combat the evils of secular humanism! Fucking insane!
July 28th, 2005 at at 12:10 am
Believers hate atheists partly because they misunderstand us. In many cases when I tell an “average American” that I’m an atheist, they think I’m a Marxist or Satanist. We atheists need better PR.
Just talking among ourselves on atheist-oriented internet sites isn’t going to help. I try to let little bits of my naturalistic worldview peek out whenever I’m with a friendly person who seems likely to be open to discussion. This is less off-putting than jumping down someone’s throat with a list of bible contradictions.
We’ll never convince the true believers. But we do need to talk to reasonable, intelligent people to ensure that they understand and respect us. Are there any websites that we can go to where we can interact with such people? Probably not, since they wouldn’t have any reason to congregate.
July 28th, 2005 at at 2:53 am
Its irrational to expect a more-than-35% support for atheists. How can you expect everyone of this world to be “wise”?
I’m rather happy with the statistics to know that 35% people have a favourable opinion now. Just 65% more to be educated.
August 3rd, 2005 at at 2:04 pm
I agree with C Ray and Jim that these polls reflect more of what people think is correct to believe than what they actually believe. That doesn’t mean it’s not a problem of course, because it’s pretty bad when the PC position on atheism is of disapproval.
And also I think Bruce is right when he says that many, if not most, people believe that atheism entails worshipping of the devil. So that probably hurts us a bit