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[[File:Sam Harris-2010.jpg|thumbnail|260px|right|The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Sam Harris]] said concerning the label of [[Atheism|atheist]], "It's right next to child molester as a designation."(see also: [[Views on atheists]])<ref name="Harris">Roberts, Jessica, et al. (June 19, 2007).  [http://news21.com/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist "Interview with an atheist"].  News21.  Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref><ref name="NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God">[http://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-poll-90-believe-god-97611 NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God], ''Newsweek'' 2007</ref>]]

[[File:Sam Harris-2010.jpg|thumbnail|260px|right|The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Sam Harris]] said concerning the label of [[Atheism|atheist]], "It's right next to child molester as a designation."(see also: [[Views on atheists]])<ref name="NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God">[http://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-poll-90-believe-god-97611 NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God], ''Newsweek'' 2007</ref><ref name="Harris">Roberts, Jessica, et al. (June 19, 2007).  [http://news21.com/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist "Interview with an atheist"].  News21.  Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>]]

Concerning the '''stigma of atheism''', sociological research indicates that [[atheism|atheists]] are widely distrusted in both religious cultures and nonreligious cultures (see: [[Distrust of atheists]] and [[Views on atheists]]).<ref name="USATodayviewsonatheists">[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1 Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists]</ref><ref name="CPviewsonatheists">[http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-widely-distrusted-even-among-themselves-culturally-ingrained-uk-study-finds-160480/ Atheists Widely Distrusted, Even Among Themselves, UK Study Finds], Christian Post, 2015</ref><ref name="Independentviewsonatheists">[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-atheist-distrust-deeply-and-culturally-ingrained-study-finds-a6952276.html Anti-atheist distrust ‘deeply and culturally ingrained’, study finds], ''The Independent'', 2015</ref><ref>Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann 2006</ref>  According to a study published in the ''International Journal for The Psychology of Religion'': "anti-atheist prejudice is not confined either to dominantly religious countries or to religious individuals, but rather appears to be a robust judgment about atheists."<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/> The study found that many atheists do not trust other atheists as well.<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/>

Concerning the '''stigma of atheism''', sociological research indicates that [[atheism|atheists]] are widely distrusted in both religious cultures and nonreligious cultures (see: [[Distrust of atheists]] and [[Views on atheists]]).<ref name="USATodayviewsonatheists">[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1 Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists]</ref><ref name="CPviewsonatheists">[http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-widely-distrusted-even-among-themselves-culturally-ingrained-uk-study-finds-160480/ Atheists Widely Distrusted, Even Among Themselves, UK Study Finds], Christian Post, 2015</ref><ref name="Independentviewsonatheists">[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-atheist-distrust-deeply-and-culturally-ingrained-study-finds-a6952276.html Anti-atheist distrust ‘deeply and culturally ingrained’, study finds], ''The Independent'', 2015</ref><ref>Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann 2006</ref>  According to a study published in the ''International Journal for The Psychology of Religion'': "anti-atheist prejudice is not confined either to dominantly religious countries or to religious individuals, but rather appears to be a robust judgment about atheists."<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/> The study found that many atheists do not trust other atheists as well.<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/>

Citing [[Distrust of atheists#Science journal article in Nature on distrusts of atheism in countries|a study]], which was published in the science journal ''Nature'', on the public's perception of atheists the Smithsonian declares:

Citing [[Distrust of atheists#Science journal article in Nature on distrusts of atheism in countries|a study]], which was published in the science journal ''Nature'', on the public's perception of atheists the Smithsonian declares:

{{Cquote|“It is striking that even atheists appear to hold the same intuitive anti-atheist bias,” study co-author Will Gervais, psychology professor at the University of Kentucky, tells AFP. “I suspect that this stems from the prevalence of deeply entrenched pro-religious norms. Even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the belief that religion is a moral safeguard.”<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/theres-strong-bias-against-atheists-around-world-180964382/?webSyncID=211eb333-156c-0333-a14e-a3032acab9c7&sessionGUID=86b53230-ad61-5844-3049-43cc84645ee9 Survey Finds Most People Are Biased Against Atheists, Including Atheists] By Jason Daley, AUGUST 9, 2017, smithsonian.com</ref>}}

{{Cquote|“It is striking that even atheists appear to hold the same intuitive anti-atheist bias,” study co-author Will Gervais, psychology professor at the University of Kentucky, tells AFP. “I suspect that this stems from the prevalence of deeply entrenched pro-religious norms. Even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the belief that religion is a moral safeguard.”<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/theres-strong-bias-against-atheists-around-world-180964382/?webSyncID=211eb333-156c-0333-a14e-a3032acab9c7&sessionGUID=86b53230-ad61-5844-3049-43cc84645ee9 Survey Finds Most People Are Biased Against Atheists, Including Atheists] By Jason Daley, AUGUST 9, 2017, smithsonian.com</ref>}}

The BBC declared in 2014: "A recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Centre shows Americans would rather have a president who was either in their 70s, or openly gay, or who had never held any public office than one that was atheist." (See: [[Atheism and politics]]).<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28616115 The stigma of being an atheist in the US] By Aleem Maqbool, 2014, BBC</ref>

The BBC declared in 2014: "A recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Centre shows Americans would rather have a president who was either in their 70s, or openly gay, or who had never held any public office than one that was atheist." (See: [[Atheism and politics]]).<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28616115 The stigma of being an atheist in the US] By Aleem Maqbool, 2014, BBC</ref>