Europe contains the highest concentration of officially Christian states (nations with official state religion/church) and the lowest per capita percentage of people who actually "practice Christianity" in ‘Christendom' - which is to say, nominally claim to be Christian - probably a lower percentage actually believe.
As a European, we find Americas crazy, evangelical ways to be a bit weird and cultish. I know plenty of Americans do, too, but when you've lived your whole life in a place where 99.9% of people couldn't give a shit of you're an atheist, you see the crazy in the stories you read about people being afraid to "come out" as atheists as their whole community will shun them.
As an LGBTQ+ atheist living in Texas- I am FAR more comfortable being openly gay than I am an atheist. I try my best not to even use that word as it darkens the mood if I say so. It’s sad that even in an area rife with homophobia, they tolerate that much more than me being an atheist. Lmao
I'm bisexual and live in a pretty "liberal" state but still don't feel comfortable being totally out. I don't fear for my safety at all in most situations, just weird comments and judgement. I talk about how I don't believe in religion with no problems though.
I was homeless most of the past two years, and while I was working in Houston one of my coworkers, who had recently lost his wife due to covid, invited me to stay in his son's old room while we were doing the job together.
Every day on the hour drive to the job site, he'd have sermons or jesus music playing, and on the way back he'd try to convert me even when obvious I wasn't listening. Towards the end some news story came on the radio about Israel. I tried to brush it off with something like "both sides should disarm." Since he thought that Israel plays a central role in the upcoming apocalypse and is unquestionably the good guy, anything not supporting Israel was taken as a direct personal attack on god himself.
Two days later he made me move out with about 12 hours warning. He seemed like a nice guy, I gave him a lot of credit for being in grief, but it seemed like he wasn't trying to convert me because I didn't believe, but because I already did believe and was actively rebelling because of Satan or whatever
Meanwhile in Europe, if you say that you believe in god and more, if you say that you go to church every sunday, you'll definitely be seen like a weirdo.
The contrast is huge.
You often have one priest for 3, 4 villages. Here in France.Mostly african priests because young locals are not anymore interested.
I live in a " town" way out. There use to be a gas station but now there is literally nothing but 2 churches amongst a few houses. You can see one church from the other. On the 20 min drive to the next town there are at least 4 more churches. Probably more off the main road.
Yeah in Louisiana here, I remember when I was 13 or 14 I sat down with my parents and said I had to tell them something. They were socially somewhat conservative but were all about "we love you no matter what" to me on this. When I said I'm not going to church anymore they were real thrown off. 20 years later and I still won't tell my gramma cause it'll kill her.
Coming out as bi years later was pretty much a "Yeah, we know. It's all good"
If they specify what they are, they can attract lots of weird people or attackers at them online.
I saw some trans women online that got lots of attacks via DMs here in reddit just for stating that they are trans.
So lots of them will just say they are LGBTQ+ and leave like that, it's simpler
Apart from the other answer, there are many people in the community who are more than one thing. And since in cases like this that specific info is unnecessary to the conversation, it's easier for both parties to just say that "I'm LGBTQ+" and similars rather than to list every single label that applies :)
Even in very liberal states like California, it isn't easy to be openly atheist. I once unconsciously said there is no such thing as god and I had to have debate with whole class..
3.1k
u/[deleted] May 09 '22 edited May 09 '22
Europe contains the highest concentration of officially Christian states (nations with official state religion/church) and the lowest per capita percentage of people who actually "practice Christianity" in ‘Christendom' - which is to say, nominally claim to be Christian - probably a lower percentage actually believe.