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USPS Discriminates Against 'Atheist' Merchandise

fish waffle writes "Suspecting that their strongly branded 'Atheist' products may be treated differently by more religiously-oriented postal regions, Kickstarter success Atheist Shoes conducted an experiment. They sent 178 packages to 89 people in different parts of the U.S., each person receiving one package prominently branded as 'Atheist' merchandise, and one not. The results: packages with the atheist label were nearly 10 times more likely to be 'lost,' and took on average 3 days longer to show up when they did. Control experiments were also done in Europe and Germany — it's definitely a USPS problem."

6 of 1,121 comments (clear)

  1. "it's definitely a USPS problem."? by Kyd_A · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sounds more like a USA problem than a USPS problem, this being an outlier of religious beliefs among wealthy nations. Atheist Shoes needed to send packages via FedEx and UPS in the same way to actually test this, and apparently didn't.

  2. Re:More testing required by White+Flame · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As well if the word "Islam" has a greater or lesser effect than "Atheist".

  3. Re:correlation by zAPPzAPP · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now repeat the experiment with labels saying things like

    'porn'
    'lots of money inside'
    'this package contains: newest iPhone'

    I'm really interested in the outcome.

    New theory: people love atheist products, so they get snatched more often by the postman.

  4. Tracking devices... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It would be really interesting to do this experiment with tracking devices that logged their GPS locations periodically over 3G, and had multiple week-long battery life. The 'lost' packages could be tracked and it could be determined where they ended up. Mail fraud is a federal crime, but if it became a big national story with media shining light on the person(s) who were caught doing it, then it would likely result in some change, people going to prison, and the system improving to better serve the recipients of packages.

  5. Re:Maybe... by flyneye · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The job description for Christian is to spread the word.
    Atheists have no such commission, strictly voluntary.
    Also, the definition of Christian is used pretty damn loosely around here.
    Most claiming Christianity aren't. They just claim it because they attend church or got dunked in a baptismal pool at some time or another.
    There is no Christianity in their life outside the church, but they tell themselves they are Christians and gain an unworthy sense of superiority by holding others up to their " standard", whatever that is.
    These people are the real reason Atheism is popular.
    Case in point, the story of the founder of the Satan Church, Anton LaVey, who confirmed his oft told story to me.
    He was an organ player for a travelling carnival, playing the strip shows and on Sunday there was a tent service he would play with many of the same people showing up. The two faces shown by these people disgusted Anton to the point of a formal protest. He founded Satan Church and wrote the Satanic Bible, not as a religion proper, but a protest against the duality he saw in "Christians". Like $cientology, he even boasted star power like Sammy Davis Jr.(that was a Baphomet medallion around his neck, not St.anything.) and Jane Mansfield (just lost her head over it, lol)

    I reaffirm the original poster who said "Most atheists are worse than Christians about preaching their beliefs at any cost." This has been my experience. I would even put $cientologists and Subgeniuses ahead of Christians on that list, as well.

    --
    *Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
  6. Re:Maybe... by Riceballsan · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I certainly agree with this, I am a deconverted christian, but I don't tell my parents this detail because I know the turmoil that goes through to them for it. Now admitted the fact that this situation is possible, is to me the nail in the coffin that severed my belief in their system. 1. There is no sadness in heaven, 2. My parents love me very much. 3. Per their beliefs, they will go to heaven, I will be tormented for eternity.

    In the event that their belief system were true, either A. That wouldn't be my parents in heaven (whiping out the memories that shape a person, makes it no longer the same person per my definitions) or B. Christians really are heartless people putting on a guise... no rational caring being could calmly sit by while 2/3rds of the worlds population is tortured for all of eternity... if they can they are monsters.