Christian Privilege & Religious Privilege: Christian Claims to Privilege

[SecularMotion]

Most “battles” in the Christian Right’s so-called Culture Wars can be best understood if seen, at least in part, as attempts to reassert and enforce Christian privilege in modern society. One of the hallmarks of modernity has been the rooting out of various forms of illegitimate privilege, with Christian and religious privilege being among the last. Thus, it is hoped that reasserting special privileges and deference for Christianity and Christians will help hold the line against modernity.

Defenders of Christian privilege in the law commonly argue or assume that the absence of explicit endorsements of religion generally and/or their religion in particular (like in Ten Commandments monuments) is unconstitutional hostility towards their religion. This assumes the justification of privileges for Christianity because there are no endorsements of other religions, such as Hinduism, yet no one claims this as an example of hostility towards them.

http://atheism.about.com/od/christianismnationalism/p/ChristianPriv.htm

[cbayer]

1. There is no doubt that Christian privilege exists and should be acknowledged, but

as most American atheists are white, straight males, it's hard to imagine how they can even see this point of privilege from the height at which they sit.

[Goblinmonger]

2. Yep, we atheists own it all in this country.

It's all rainbows, glitter, and unicorns for us. No problems what-so-ever.

You just don't get the extent to which your privilege as a Christian benefits you, do you?

[longship]

3. Wow, that's some sweeping generalization

Atheists are diverse as any segment of society. To portray them as white, straight males is just so wrong.

Note that I am not saying that there is proportional representation (so to speak) in atheist organizations. Their may be many white males, but atheist organizations are all experiencing huge growth from all segments of gender, race, and especially age. What might have been in the past is no longer true.

As far as Christian privilege is concerned, that comes from the power they held in past eras. They wouldn't have that privilege now if they hadn't had the power to, for instance, put people to death for non-belief in times past.

That is something we all should desire to break. In the USA there should be no privilege.

[cbayer]

4. This was drawn from FFRF's own survey

http://ffrf.org/publications/freethought-today/articles/ffrf-membership-survey-who-we-are/

The typical member is a highly educated, white, married male 50 years or older

Educational levels are impressive. FFRF found 33.5% of respondents were four-year college grads, 26% had at least one master’s degree, 11% had a Ph.D., 4% are attorneys and 3% have an M.D

About 9% checked GLBT

Males outnumber females as members, 71% to 29%, and 95% identify as Caucasian, with 2% “mixed,” and less than 4% Hispanic, Native American, Asian American or African American.


Talk about privilege.

I can't find any more recent demographic statistics than these (November, 2010). Do you have some that would show that the diversity is increasing?

[skepticscott]

5. Nice bait and switch

Your first post was talking about ALL American atheists, but you cited statistics only on the members of an atheist organization. Many atheists don't belong to such things, because their are afraid of the stigma with their family and friends, and black atheists are even more subject to that than whites.

[SamG]

10. YUP, great point! Let's compare the golf club members, to...

all the people in the USA who cut grass and swing a golf club.

[longship]

7. No specific data but

But attendance at secular conferences has become more diverse recently. I believe that this is one of the things which Rebecca Watson is covering. She certainly has indicated that recent TAM meetings have been far more diverse.

As an atheist myself, and a Caucasian male, I would hope that this diversity would continue to increase. The good news is that there are plenty of women and minorities helping, people like Watson, Reggie Finley (sp?), DJ Grothe, and many others.

The situation is changing also because of the attention that secularism is getting in the press. Unfortunately the go to people seem to be white males, the four horsemen (now regrettably three) are all white males.

I guess the solution is for the secular community to keep putting people of diverse cultural origins in front of the cameras and microphones.

Myself, I'd very much like to see the aged white male atheist meme swatted.

Oops! I am retirement age, too. Maybe I ought to become a theist to help things along.

[cbayer]

8. And that's a very good thing. The more diversity the better.

I also agree that the increased media coverage is a good thing. I thought the Reason Rally, with only a few objections to some speaker statements, was a good thing.

Unfortunately, some of the major spokespeople up to this point have not shown themselves to be all that tolerant of *others*, but I can see that that is changing. There seems to have been an overall lack of sensitivity in some groups, as evidenced by the PA billboard fiasco, but I am hopeful that lessons will be learned from that.

Don't become a theist!! You are the kind of atheist the movement needs. Just get some people outside your demographic to participate.

I will again reiterate that we are on the same side here.

[longship]

12. I am increasingly becoming a fan

[dmallind]

6. Larry Hooper was a straight white male - killed for atheism. So's Fred Whitehead - ruined

Richard Mullens probably is - don't know his sexuality - fired

Carletta Sims is neither but didn't help her either.

That's just from memory.

[cbayer]

9. I am not claiming that atheists have not experienced both discrimination and harm because of

who they are. I am only pointing out that there are many points of privilege.

Who is to say that yours, as an atheist, is any lower than a black christian lesbian?

And why does it even matter?

If we share some similar goals, then those with the privilege might be valuable to have on the team.

[SamG]

11. You keep bringing up this "SHARE SIMILAR GOALS", as if

this is a forum to discuss political and public policy strategy.

The ONLY topic of " political and public policy strategy" in THIS forum is "RELIGION".

Namely, that some people come to the table with the same number of cards or not?

We're not here to discuss integration, bullying, or equal access to medical care. We are here in the RELIGION forum to discuss how religion affects our lives, our perspectives, and our values.

If one wants to talk about race, or gender, or sexual orientation, there are other forums for that. The religion forum is here to discuss religion, and how various religious institutions and various religious perspectives impact those areas of our personal thinking as well many other areas of which we may not always be aware.

We are NOT here to agree about religion, REPEAT: We are NOT here to agree about religion, and yet we are here to talk about religion, and how it might be helping or hindering our world views, including our views of each other, including our views of each other's views about religion.

If you want a forum where we will all mostly agree, go to any number of other forums on DU, here we discuss what is most personal, and what affects us in the most deeply psychological way, the way we deal with religion in this world we both live in. It's as simple as that.

[cbayer]

13. A few things that most DU atheists and theists agree on having to do with religion

First, that there needs to be clear separation between church and state. This protects religious freedom and protects the general public from being ruled by one form of religion or another.

Second, that the christian right is a very negative and very powerful force that needs to challenged and defeated.

I never said we were here to agree about religion. To think we were would be fanciful, at best.

Thanks, but I will stay right here. I think the necessity of taking the power and control away from the religious right is that important, and I will continue to work towards identifying and working towards Democratic ideals and principles that religious and non-religious people share.

The number of cards one comes to the table with can be an asset or a detriment, but sharing those cards with others is most likely synergistic.

It's as simple as that.