As an atheist living in a very Southern Baptist and Catholic area, I feel ostracized quite often. There are not many atheists around here (or non-Christians in general) and so, when someone is found out to be a non-believer or any kind, I'm not sure people know how to react. Many people I know have been at least mildly accepting of my beliefs. Even though they disagree with them, they keep it to themselves when around me and it works vice versa. They don't push theirs on me as I don't push mine on them. I have dealt with discrimination a lot, though. Normally, I keep it to myself. I don't exactly introduce myself as "Hi, call me Ben or (insert birth name here), I'm an atheist!" because I don't expect them to introduce themselves as "Hi, I'm (name), I'm Catholic/Baptist/etc!" However, in a very religious area, it seems religion is just assumed. I live here, so they conclude I must be Baptist or Catholic. The first time (other than throughout middle and high school) I dealt with discrimination because of my beliefs was in my continuing education class. The teacher of all people told a joke at the expense of atheists. A joke I can't even recall now, but I had definitely heard it and having had a rather off week (it was during one of my "down" moments), I stood up and stormed out of the classroom. She apologized but I think that was more to save her butt than anything, really, because if I really wanted to I probably could have complained about it. On FB (this is part of the reason I don't use it much), I've noticed that my religious friends (who are VERY religious, mind you, I won't lump all religious people into this category, though!) are always posting about their beliefs. On their walls (which is fine, it's their wall) and other peoples walls (regardless of the other persons religion) and these same people get offended when someone like me posts about theirs. (My mother who is more agnostic than she would let people believe, posted something about doubting God's existence and she had ten people attack it, saying if she truly believed she wouldn't say that and many other things. It got heated. Someone said something about God saving lives, not doctors and at this point, I jumped in and said that the doctors did the saving and that he should tell that to the doctor that worked hard to save his life. Everyone attacked me at once.) What I find ironic is that a lot of these same people are the people that accuse people like myself of persecuting them. Me? I'm indifferent. Believe what you want to believe and I'll continue to believe as I choose. There are many religious people like that, too. The difference is, they outnumber the atheists, the agnostics, etc. So, it seems as if there isn't at times. I think, however, that a lot of it depends on location. Living here, for a LONG time, I said I was agnostic simply because I felt it was safer than saying I'm an atheist.
Your blog is very well written. Wingrove was dead on when he said that we probably do know atheists and simply do not know who they are. Everyone in my class knew one but did not know until that offensive joke was told in passing. I, frankly, don't see why people still judge someone so strongly based on their belief system. You'd think in this century, we'd be evolved beyond that. However, expecting that would be pulling at straws. If it isn't religion, it's something else.
I typed way more than I intended to. I apologize for that.