This explains all the nasty looks I've been getting.

American's increasing acceptance of religious diversity doesn't extend to those who don't believe in a god, according to a national survey by researchers in the University of Minnesota's department of sociology. From a telephone sampling of more than 2,000 households, university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in "sharing their vision of American society." Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.

First, I'm not sure America's acceptance of religious diversity is increasing. I suspect it is rather limited, and wouldn't be surprised to find the average American ranking "Muslims, recent immigrants, [and] gays and lesbians" below, well, Christians. Moreover, the Evangelical Crusades seem very much alive and are clearly visible in US foreign policy. Second, I find it exceedingly disappointing to see moral values continuously tied to religious belief. There seems to be no correlation between moral values/behavior and religiosity. Prisons are filled with religious people; and many atheists have strong reflective moral values. On reflection, I don't even see a conceptual relationship.

America's most distrusted minority: News Releases: UMNnews: U of M.

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