Accidental Blogger

In the comments section of my recent post regarding the bloody game of religion and politics, I asserted that despite the common Abrahamic roots of Judaism, Christianity and Islam,  since the events of 9/11 and their aftermath, Islam is viewed with a more jaundiced eye in Judeo Christian America than the philosophically far removed, exotic eastern religions. A meditative Buddhist or a Hindu with his "more the merrier" pantheon of gods is probably now looked upon with more tolerance by the average American Christian and Jew than an observant Muslim with whom they share one book of the Bible and several prophets. So entrenched is the reverence for religion in the minds of most people, it is common for believers of all stripes to insist that it is better to be the faithful of any religion than not have faith at all.  Atheism and religious skepticism are according to believers, the equivalent of arrogance, untrustworthiness and wickedness, even if the skeptic leads an exemplary ethical life. "Godless" is an epithet of utter contempt in the lexicon of most organized religions. But 9/11 may have eased matters a bit for atheists.   

Scott Adams, cartoonist of Dilbert fame, claims that Hindus and Buddhists are not the only beneficiaries of post 9/11 Judeo-Christian change of heart.  Atheists, the universally reviled group (in Saudi Arabia, atheism is punishable by death), may also have benefited  from the current acute Islamophobia of the average American. In fact, atheists may now come out of their godless closets and run for pubic office on the platform of rationality and win, says Adams. He already has a high profile candidate in mind.

"Ask a deeply religious Christian if he’d rather live next to a bearded Muslim that may or may not be plotting a terror attack, or an atheist that may or may not show him how to set up a wireless network in his house. On the scale of prejudice, atheists don’t seem so bad lately.

I think that in an election cycle or two you will see an atheist business leader emerge as a legitimate candidate for president. And his name will be Bill Gates."

The rest of Adams’ case for the improving status of American atheists here.