There are 28 atheist members of Congress

[rug]

Rose Schwartz, Las Vegas Atheism Examiner
October 3, 2011

Recent religious politicians such as Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry seem to play a large role in aiding atheists to come out. It appears that the U.S. is becoming an increasingly secular country, despite the seeming rise in popular evangelical politicians. "It has never been better to be a free-thinker or an agnostic in America," says Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).

More Americans are now choosing to get married or be buried without any form of religious ceremony. In universities across the country, departments devoted to secularism are popping up. National groups like the Secular Coalition of America (SCA) are adding branches across America. The idea of atheism is becoming less of a dirty thought.

- snip -

Despite it still being a difficult time for atheists, there is one brave politician who openly declares a lack of faith. Pete Stark, a congressional democrat from California, has openly admitted that he does not believe in any higher power.

"Privately, we know that there are 27 other members of Congress that have no belief in God. But we don't 'out' people," said Silverman.

http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-las-vegas/there-are-28-atheist-members-of-congress

?

[sakabatou]

1. And I know exactly what Republicans are thinking...

http://youtu.be/LbfFAYn8bgc (DarkMatter2525 video)

[dmallind]

2. I wonder if 27 members of Congress feel the need to hide...

... they are Jewish?

... they are Catholic?

... they are Mormon?

... they are not entirely Caucasian?

I wonder why not?

[darkstar3]

5. +1

[MADem]

3. I don't know how Mister Silverman "knows" this information.

Did Congressmen confide in him?

I knew lots of people who expressed "NRP"--No Religious Preference in the military.

Some said they were atheists, others said they were agnostic.

[ChadwickHenryWard]

13. I guess so.

It's not as though the information is easily available. I can't imagine any other way that he would come to know such a thing. Statistics for the religious makeup of Congress don't usually show any atheists, so I guess the only way he could legitimately know that is that they personally confided in him.

[MADem]

14. I don't see how they'd benefit from telling him, which is why I'm curious.

Politicians don't tell people things about them that they'd rather keep under wraps.

I'm questioning this guy's veracity, a bit, I guess. I would not be surprised if there were atheists or agnostics in Congress, but I just can't see them telling this guy about what their POV is. It just isn't ringing true for me.

[ChadwickHenryWard]

15. It depends on who he is, I suppose.

Politicians often tell people things "on condition of anonymity" (whatever that means.) We have no way of knowing if these things are true, but sometimes they are. The question is why 27 of these guys would tell this guy, whoever he is.

[Warpy]

4. I think most believers will likely remain believers, but soured on religion

because of the antics of the Southern Baptists and all those little nondenominational wingnut churches out there. People just aren't buying their line of bullshit any more and they're disgusted with themselves for ever buying it if they did.

Prosperity theology and that crap about being able to do anything you want to here on earth if you're "saved" is just not playing the way it used to.

[ButterflyBlood]

6. I've always wondered why homosexuality is basically the exception to that last rule

I mean by that type of evangelical theology if a gay or lesbian believed in Jesus Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior, they'd be "saved" as well. But I don't see much acceptance to LGBT Christians from that crowd.

[Warpy]

7. Oh, they exempt all the "sins" they're not inclined to commit, themselves

and I think we've all noticed that about them.

[deacon_sephiroth]

8. It's a start -- K/R/N/T

[Jim__]

9. "I have in my hand a list of 205 ..."

I wonder if Silverman is just having a little fun, a la Joe McCarthy.

[dmallind]

12. He may very well be in detail, but the number is hardly unlikely

Depending on definitions, choices and survey type, self-identified nonbelievers range from 3 to 14% of the population. Given the stigma it's probably on the higher end, but 28 members would only be just a hair over 5% of Congress. Given that nonbelief is also quite strongly correlated to education, and Congress is more likely to be well educated than the general population, it's if anything a bit of a low estimate at that.

Now why they are more likely to hide their status, or at least not declare it, that's obvious. For decades the Pew surveys have affirmed time after time that over half the population would not vote for a well qualified candidate, of their own party, were they a known atheist. Pete Stark only "came out" after 18 re-elections in one of the safest Dem seats out there, because another group said they WOULD out him.

As to how he would know, atheists do have their own small lobby, GAPAC, and several group-specific lobbyists who speak to Congressional level officials. What they say off the record and what they are willing to see in public domains are as in many areas two different things.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. I know of at least one other

In a profile of Oregon's Congressional delegation (when I lived there a few years ago), Earl Blumenauer (D-3rd district) listed his religion as "none."

[jeepnstein]

11. Nothing wrong with that at all.

It's quite easy to be an atheist and a good politician. Several of the Founding Fathers probably fell into that category. There's no religious litmus test for public office so it's really nobody's business.

The clowns we have parading around ordaining themselves as Gods' Messengers are much more of an issue to me. I suspect they haven't spent a great deal of time actually studying the Scriptures they seek to "enforce".