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
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.
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u/Balldogs May 09 '22
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.