Yay for prejudice.
(/sarcasm)
A recent study found that atheists were about as trustworthy as rapists. It was one of six studies which examined why believers distrusted non-believers.
"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.
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.
"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."
I don't trust anybody. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteIn my book it does.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably why my business should never give me the opportunity to hire people. I'd be less likely to hire someone who wears religion on their sleeve than someone who can doesn't feel they need to express it. Skeptics to the front of the line.
ReplyDeleteIt's sort of funny that this study came out only a couple of days after Canada passed a law saying polyamory is only legal as long as you don't declare it any sort of official public capacity. It gives me some odd relief that Canada isn't the progressive bastion so many people seems to think it is.
...and I really shouldn't making comments before I have my Saturday morning coffee. Pardon Typo City in my previous comment.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there was a don't ask, don't tell policy regarding polyamory in Canada. What does it say? "We won't arrest you if you don't blog about it."?
ReplyDelete