Time to change nation's mindset that atheists shouldn't be elected

[struggle4progress]

By Robert Weitzel

... A University of Minnesota study published in the April issue of the American Sociological Review found that atheists are America's most unaccepted minority, one that parents are least willing to allow their children to marry. A telephone survey of over 2,000 households revealed that Americans ranked atheists last, after Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups, in "sharing their vision of American society."

Penny Edgell, the study's lead researcher, said, "It seems most Americans believe that diversity is fine, so long as every one shares a common 'core' of values that make them trustworthy and in America, that 'core' has historically been religious."

Recall that the core value shared by Bush, DeLay and Frist is a religious one. Recall also their trustworthiness.

Atheists and agnostics make up approximately 10 percent (30 million people) of the U.S. population. Every 10th person in America is a "person of nonbelief" a sizable minority. However, there are no openly atheist members of Congress and quite possibly none in any other elected offices in the country ... http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/index.php?ntid=81176&ntpid=1

[Mythsaje]

1. Toss in us weirdos...

pantheists and philosophical taoists, for example...ones that don't necessarily believe in a transcendent deity, but don't believe in "religion" and I'll bet it's more than one in ten...maybe as many as two in ten.

[CarbonDate]

2. You can't.

Not until a greater percentage of Americans give up religion. Most people view their religion as their reason for their morality and can't imagine someone acting morally sans the threat of Hell or the promise of Heaven. They honestly believe that *we're* deluded and that we only tell ourselves that there's no God to reassure ourselves that we're not going to burn in Hell when we act like immoral heathens.

That's how they think. How do you counter that irrational thinking?

[LiberalVoice]

3. By bombarding them with commonsense...

until they either realise what idiots they are or they just stop arguing with you.

[Taxloss]

9. That won't work.

Atheists just need to be more open about their lack of faith. It needs to be commonplace. Atheists just need to make themselves as politely visible as possible.

[Zhade]

4. First, change the laws in several states...

...so we can LEGALLY RUN FOR OFFICE.

(Well, I guess we'd have to change people's minds so as to not be bigoted against us, so we could change the laws.)

[hedgehog]

5. Can you give a reference?

I agree, any law mandating religious belief as a requirement for public office is wrong.

[tjwmason]

6. Also unconstitutional - if I remember correctly.

Isn't there a clause which says that no religious test shall be applied?

[WhollyHeretic]

8. It's in a number of states' Constitutions

http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/StateConstitutions.htm

[trotsky]

10. Funny.

Whenever one of us mentions how we can't even legally run for office, etc. in some states, the instant demand to name a source is issued. One is provided, and then... crickets.

[beam me up scottie]

11. Yeah, I noticed that too.

Lovely support we're getting here.

Oh well.

At least we weren't the first ones thrown off the bus this election year.

Immigrants had the honor.

GLBT's are next.

[Proud_Democratt]

13. I noticed it

[beam me up scottie]

14. That's what we get for letting them get away with it.

Be polite, they said, don't be rude or loud, you will alienate people.

And look where it got us.


I am an uppity atheist, I don't know my place and I'm sure the hell not going to shut up.

[Proud_Democratt]

15. What they mean is...

lie down so they can run over you some more. Well, I'm not going to lie down for ANY of them!
Take it ANYWAY you want guys.

The posts in R/T are an example of the "mood of this country".

How would they feel if the 85% majority were Atheists??? We most likely wouldn't be "at war" with every "brown people" country.

[beam me up scottie]

16. ROFLMAO !!!

Ow!

I think I hurt something laughing that hard.

I was thinking about how some of the persecuted majority would cope if we outnumbered them by that much.

I'm guessing it would be the same reaction you get when you tell the freepers that whites will be the minority in a few decades.

[Proud_Democratt]

17. Poor, pitiful, persecuted Homeless folks, not church members

Christians..... Most "write off" their tithes, offerings or pledges which MORALLY isn't giving... is it? That's lending...not a gift or sacrifice.
They're so persecuted and oppressed that they have to meet in big, lavish places of worship....WHILE there are thousands of HOMELESS living in our streets??????

[beam me up scottie]

18. Snort! Now there's a popular opinion on DU.

I agree, 100%, but boy oh boy, if you post that pearl of wisdom, you'd better be wearing your asbestos underwear.

This was brought up several times during the Popalooza but I like the fact that you're not singling out just catholics.

[hedgehog]

20. Good grief! That is so very wrong!

I wonder how many people know about this? It sounds like a good case to take to the Supreme Court. It's right up there with some of the Jim Crow provisions buried in some state constitutions.


By the I wasn't ignoring your response - I had to go to work so I didn't see your reply until today. As you can see, I made the effort to come back and check your response.

[Zhade]

24. Thanks for following up.

And thanks for being appalled - you'd be surprised at how lackluster the response to that injustice can be sometimes.

[tjwmason]

7. This devout Catholic would happily vote for an atheist

If they were the best candidate on the ballot.

Indeed, I wouldn't generally know the religious views of the candidates - it's so totally irrelevant to their qualification for office.

I really don't see why people would hold any other view. :shrug:

[beam me up scottie]

12. Can you name any nationally known politician who HASN'T mentioned God?

They have to these days, if they want to be elected.

The lingo, the photo-ops in church, the ass kissing, the disgusting spectacle on the Capitol steps where they screamed out "UNDER GOD !!!" defiantly to anyone who would dare suggest kids not be asked to acknowledge a god they might not believe in.

Welcome to the 1950's.

Deja vu all over again.





Oh, thanks, btw, for the hypothetical vote and your acknowledgment that what one believes or doesn't has no bearing on how well one represents their constituents. :)

[tjwmason]

19. Plenty - I live in England

We're not afflicted by ersatz-religious posturing over here - thank goodness.

[varkam]

21. You lucky SOB

:)

[Proud_Democratt]

23. You want your Puritans back?

Please take them and Evangelicals also!!!!


I love your sigline!!!!!

[Strong Atheist]

22. Ain't gonna happen in MY lifetime. nt.