A couple weeks ago, we wrote to you about Trump’s repeated claims that American Catholics and Christians are being “persecuted” and “treated very badly.” He’s not alone in believing this. In 2017, the Public Religion Research Institute conducted a survey and found more than half of white evangelical Protestants felt “there is a lot of discrimination [against Christians].”
While it’s true Christians in other parts of the world face ostracism, violence, imprisonment, and death, there is no evidence of this persecution occurring in the United States. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary: that Christians here enjoy special privileges and outsized power.
Research shows American atheists are far more likely to face religious bias and discrimination—so much so that many of us hide our nonbelief out of fear. Again and again, Pew Research has confirmed Americans harbor negative beliefs about atheists. And even as religiously unaffiliated Americans now outnumber Christians, we remain grossly underrepresented in the government. Around the world, harassment of religiously unaffiliated people is getting worse.
All of this is why the work of American Atheists is so critical. We have to envision a society where nonreligious people can participate fully because we don’t currently live in one where that’s the case. Part of our mission must be to advance political equality because, as it stands, atheists aren’t equal. And we know legal equality isn’t enough to counter societal stigma. That’s why our staff and volunteers strive to promote understanding, build community, and foster acceptance.
At the same time, we’re pushing back against the narrative that Christians in this country are persecuted rather than privileged. We’re working to pass laws that safeguard the rights of nonreligious Americans in healthcare, in the workplace, in schools, and in the carceral system. And everyday, all across the nation, our members and volunteers are advocating, feeding the hungry, providing bus passes, and countering the notion that the only good American is a Christian.
If these things are important to you (and I think they are), I urge you to set up a monthly donation of just $5, starting today. As a relatively small nonprofit organization, we truly rely on these recurring donations to sustain our work.
In solidarity,
Nick Fish
President
American Atheists is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan, nonprofit educational organization that relies on the support of members like you. Contributions are tax-deductible. Our Federal Tax ID Number is 74-2466507 and our Combined Federal Campaign number is 52217.
American Atheists
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