The Sad State of Secularism

This story is kind of upsetting.

Like hundreds of young men joining the Army in recent years, Jeremy Hall professes a desire to serve his country while it fights terrorism.

Known as “the atheist guy,” Hall has been called immoral, a devil worshipper and — just as severe to some soldiers — gay, none of which, he says, is true. Hall even drove fellow soldiers to church in Iraq and paused while they prayed before meals.

 “I was ashamed to say that I was an atheist,” Hall said.

“Religion brings comfort to a lot of people,” he said. “Personally, I don’t want it or need it. But I’m not going to get down on anybody else for it.”

I dunno…it’s just kind of unnerving that in this day and age, a person should feel ashamed to be known as an atheist (especially one that is respectful of others’ right to believe).  In fact, recent polls have shown that atheists are the most distrusted group in America, even below Muslims:

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.

It just doesn’t make sense.