We atheists like to spread the good word and gain as many converts as possible. After all, how else can we validate our beliefs except by getting everyone else to believe too? Or unbelieve, I guess.
So imagine my delectation after all my door-knocking and handing out blads, to discover something I never expected about Arabs. They’re atheists! Well, not all of them, but a surprising amount sure seem to be.
According to the digital news site, GlobalPost, a growing number of Saudis are privately calling themselves atheists. You can’t publicly declare yourself to be an atheist in that country. That’s a capital offense. But anecdotal evidence indicates that more and more Arabs have grown disillusioned with Islam lately, and are willing to admit off-the-record that they don’t believe in any of that religious crap.
Preparation for a stoning.
And New Republic magazine reports that the number of atheists in the Arab world has been vastly underestimated. In 2012, a WIN/Gallup International poll revealed that 5% of Saudi citizens identify themselves as “convinced atheists.” That’s the same percentage as in the U.S. Also, 19% of Saudis consider themselves to be nonreligious. Who would have thunk?
Most Arabs caught in the act of not believing don’t receive the death penalty. Instead, they usually only get a few months or years of jail time. Even so, I can understand why an atheist in a Muslim country would feel reluctant to “come out of the closet” so to speak.
If I lived in that part of the world, I’d certainly keep it to myself. On the outside I’d have all the appearance of your average fanatic, if that’s what it took to stay alive, or out of the calaboose. And in fact, that’s exactly what I did one day in Turkey, many years ago.
More on that, in a few days . . .
Categories: Religion
Chasing Unicorns 
Holy crap (the atheist said ironically), that photo is horrifying. So glad I was raised in northern states by agnostic college professors. The only thing I worry about is whether or not I’m achieving my full potential. Which you never are if you have college professors for parents.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah that photo gives me the creeps, too. And too bad it’s real and not staged.
I think that would have been cool to be raised by college professors. Although keeping the god of learning appeased might be a bit challenging.
LikeLike
Well, truth be told, I’m still healing from it. Both parents were psychologists and it turns out that studying a thing doesn’t necessarily translate into skill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sometimes wonder if some people become psychologists because they’re trying to work out their own problems. Sad they couldn’t apply what they learned to the people closest to them.
LikeLike
I’m pretty sure you’re right, although a lot of psychologists aren’t even aware that’s what they’re doing. The irony, it burns.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better in the closet than halfway in the ground. I’d lie too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, cause when you get stoned in those countries, it’s a lot different from getting stoned in America.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you say that you were a turkey many years ago?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I lived in Turkey. I finally escaped one fortunate day on Thanksgiving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Mmmm turkey!
LikeLiked by 1 person