Is Being an Atheist in Sweden Different From Being an Atheist in the United States?

This Sunday, April 10th, Minnesota Atheist Talk Radio will host Science Blogger and Atheist Dr. Martin Rundvist and journalist and broadcaster Yusie Chou, both from Sweden (Yushie was born in Mao’s China and moved to Sweden as a child). Mike Haubrich and I will serve the roles of host and interviewer. I expect the show to be mainly a conversation about atheism in which we contrast the contexts that atheists experience in Sweden vs the United States.

If you have questions or comments you’d like to have brought up during the show, please feel free to leave them here and we’ll do our best to work them in.

After the show, we will be going to Q. Cumbers for the usual Post-Show Smorgasbord. If you bring your Minnesota Atheist Newsletter or any Church Bulletin that you may have picked up that morning at mass, you get a discount at Q. Cumbers, which serves the famous Intelligently Designed buffet. (Q. Cumbers is a sponsor of Atheist Talk Radio.) Martin and Yusie will be there with Mike and me, so please stop by and visit.

Information about the show can be found here.

Comments

#1 Giliell
April 5, 2011

I’m not from Sweden but Germany, but I’d say yes.
Discussing with American atheists, I often find it difficult to understand where they’re coming from since religion is, in everyday life, pretty much a non-issue.
There are two levels on which I’d differenciate.
One is the level of government and public services where religion is getting stronger and where secularists are fighting hard fights to keep them at bay (nurseries, hospitals, preschools, private schools).
The other one is that of personal life where it is not of much interest. I couldn’t tell you of half of my friends what their religious views are. I know them of some and for those who are religious, none of them has ever accused me of devouering babies.
#2 tuibguy
April 5, 2011

@Giliell We had a guest on from Germany in 2009 from Germany who was doing research on American atheists for his Master’s (I think.) If I get ambitious enough I will find the show podcast and put the link here if you would like to hear it.

Here it is:

His name is Bjorn Mastiaux.

It is one of my early shows as a new host.
#3 Giliell
April 6, 2011

Thanx for the link.
Sadly he didn’t give the names of those organisations he visited in Germany, would have been interesting for me, not because I didn’t know they exist, but to, well, get a clue what he looked at.
Atheism and atheist organisations are widely diverse in Germany, I personally affiliate with the “most traditional one”, the Freethinkers’ Union, which has its roots in the 19th century workers movement.
#4 Martin R
April 7, 2011

Looking forward to seeing you guys and having a chat! We had some ESTA trouble on the way, but now we’re safely installed at our hotel near the airport. Tonight at 10 pm we’re going to be at the Minnesota Skeptics barmeet at the Duplex on 2516 Hennepin Ave S.