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→Atheist Jacques Berlinerblau on American atheist movements
The atheist Georgetown professor Jacques Berlinerblau declared:
The atheist Georgetown professor Jacques Berlinerblau declared:
{{cquote|American atheist movements, though fancying themselves a lion, are more like the gimpy little zebra crossing the river full of crocs. In terms of both political gains and popular appeal, nonbelievers in the United States have little to show. They are encircled by cunning, swarming [religious] Revivalist adversaries who know how to play the atheist card. The gimpy zebra remark was a little goofing on this over-the-top chest-thumping that emerges from Movement Atheists. They wildly overestimate their numbers. They tend to overestimate the efficacy of their activism. They underestimate how disciplined and organized their adversaries in the religious right are, too. They fail to recognize that mocking religious people in public is entirely inimical to the goals they wish to achieve."<ref>[http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-09/professor-jacques-berlinerblau-tells-atheists-stop-whining Professor Jacques Berlinerblau tells atheists: Stop whining!], Christian Century, Sep 14, 2012 by Kimberly Winston</ref>}}
{{cquote|American atheist movements, though fancying themselves a lion, are more like the gimpy little zebra crossing the river full of crocs. In terms of both political gains and popular appeal, nonbelievers in the United States have little to show. They are encircled by cunning, swarming [religious] Revivalist adversaries who know how to play the atheist card. The gimpy zebra remark was a little goofing on this over-the-top chest-thumping that emerges from Movement Atheists. They wildly overestimate their numbers. They tend to overestimate the efficacy of their activism. They underestimate how disciplined and organized their adversaries in the religious right are, too. They fail to recognize that mocking religious people in public is entirely inimical to the goals they wish to achieve."<ref>[http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-09/professor-jacques-berlinerblau-tells-atheists-stop-whining Professor Jacques Berlinerblau tells atheists: Stop whining!], Christian Century, Sep 14, 2012 by Kimberly Winston</ref>}}
== Claims of being an oppressed minority by American atheists are often not taken seriously ==
[[File:Dennis Prager.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|[[Dennis Prager]] is a vocal opponent of [[atheist indoctrination]] in public schools.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=43734 How atheism is being sold in America]</ref> ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christianity]]
In the [[United States]], a significant amount of atheists are white males and the [[American atheism|American atheist]] population has been criticized for its lack of racial diversity and lower amount of females in its population ([[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and women]]). The Pew Research Forum reported in 2013 concerning American atheists: "About four-in-ten atheists (43%) [[Atheism and education|have a college degree]], compared with 29% of the general public."<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/10/23/5-facts-about-atheists/ 5 facts about atheists] By Michael Lipka, Pew Research Forum, October 23, 2013</ref> In 2012, the Pew Research Forum reported regarding American atheists: "And about 38% of atheists and agnostics have an annual family income of at least $75,000, compared with 29% of the general public."<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise-demographics/ “Nones” on the Rise - Demographics], Pew Research Forum, October 9, 2012</ref> As a result of these factors, claims of being an oppressed minority by atheists are often not taken seriously even by fellow atheists (See: [[Atheist whining]]).<ref>
*[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/06/atheism-the-next-civil-rights-movement.html Atheism: The Next Civil Rights movement], Vlad Chituc, ''The Daily Beast'', 4-6-2015
*[http://freethoughtblogs.com/almostdiamonds/2014/07/17/youre-not-oppressed-white-atheist-dudes/ “You’re Not Oppressed, White Atheist Dudes”], [[Freethoughtblogs]] - Almost Diamonds, July 17, 2014 at 6:28 pm
*[http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-oew-thornton18apr18-story.html Disliked, Not Oppressed] By Paul Thornton, ''LA Times'', April 18, 2007</ref>
In addition, given the favorable treatment atheist activists often [[Atheism and the media|receive in the media]] and the [[Atheist indoctrination|atheistic indoctrination]] that occurs in public schools/universities, the notion of atheists as an oppressed minority is often rejected by Americans.
At the same time, in America as in many [[theism|theistic]] societies, atheists are the least trusted group and many Americans have a low opinion of atheism/atheists (see: [[Views on atheists]] and [[Atheism and social outcasts]]).
Historically, many Christians have shown a significant amount of patience/tolerance towards atheists - even in face of persecution by atheists (see: [[Christian patience, forgiveness and long-suffering towards atheists]]).
== Decline in the rate of increase of American 1990s secularism ==
== Decline in the rate of increase of American 1990s secularism ==