Does racism live within atheism? I am not a total fool to believe that it is 100% free of it, but I want to know if it is mostly free of it. This may seem like a stupid question, but I don’t want to assume anything. I have been a closeted atheist almost my whole life, now that I am out to everyone I know, this is just one of the questions that I have. My belief is that racism for the most part is one, a taught behavior and two is embedded within religion. Am I wrong?
Well, welcome to the forum.
Firstly racism and atheism are not mutually exclusive, why would they be. So the chances are that someone somewhere is a racist, without believing in an extant deity.
Religion is generally linked to the cultures that create it, and so it has been a source of and contained racism throughout its history. Though again it should be obvious that one can be religious and not be racist.
Since atheism is simply the lack or absence of belief in any deity, and has no dogma or doctrine, I don’t think it’s correct to say atheism contains racism, but rather that there may be some atheists who also just happen to be racist.
2 Likes
Hahahahaha … great, specific, well worded question!!!
Not into this, thank you very much…
NO
First off, there is no such thing as “atheism”, there are just atheists.
Secondly, being an atheist does not require group activities, socializing, or a dogma.
Third, being an atheist requires just one thing, a disbelief in a god or gods.
Fourth, each atheist is a complete individual, no one controls that individual. They may be complete racist assholes, they may be the most generous, caring, and empathic person in the world.
7 Likes
Yes to both, but they do not have to connect.
Racism can be passed on by environment.
Some religions do promote racism. For example, the Jews proclaim they are god’s chosen people.
1 Like
“Atheist” is just one of a few terms used to indicate a person who does not believe in any god/gods. Period. Full stop. End of story. Please exit here. Now, what that person does/does not believe beyond that point is strictly up to THAT INDIVIDUAL PERSON.
Do you think people who don’t believe in Santa Clause are more racist than people who do believe in Santa Clause? What about people who don’t believe in Thor, or Zeus, or Ra, or any of the other thousands of gods man created?
Edit to add: No offense, Mandy, but that is quite a lame question.
1 Like
Hey…don’t knock Thor.
@dogalmighty Re: “Hey…don’t knock Thor.”
Oh, my apologies, man. Didn’t mean anything negative toward The Great Thunder Dude. He’s cool in my book. But I’m more of an Odin man, myself. 
Well, on rumor, Thor’s hammer, is massive. In today’s culture apparently, that demands respect.
1 Like
Yea, but come on, he rides a chariot pulled by goats.
1 Like
LOL - Massive hammer…big up. Chariot pulled by goats, big down.
You two keep dissin’ a chariot pulled by goats, huh?.. 
… But what if they are red-eyed, fire-breathing, rabid-foaming-at-the-mouth goats with titanium horns and hooves? Huh? Yeah, what about THAT?!? Bet you two feel really silly now, don’t you? 
1 Like
Oh geez, Tin-Man, didn’t you hear about the budget cuts? Titanium is freaking expensive. So the committee decided to pare back expenses, and now these serve on the front line.
3 Likes
It’s soooo much fun we get to play in this thread while the poster is “busy”.
Chess 
anyone???
@Whitefire13 Re: Chess
Oh, hell no! I’m still trying to clean up and repair the damages from the last game we played! 
Nope. Not doing that again.
Although, it WAS rather fun, though… (snicker)… 
Thank you very much 
The thing is Mandy, this is very similar to a random poll. If you gathered up 1,000 completely random people, of course some will be racist, some will be wonderful people, some will be generous, etc.
There are multiple paths one can travel before they become atheists. Some may have been raped by a priest, some may think it’s all made-up BS, some may have been raised in a non-theistic environment.
But the final tally is one of complete randomness in a person’s makeup, with the one and only exception a lack of belief in a god.