Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:01 PM Mar 2015

Have Faith, We’ll Have an Atheist President

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/03/24/the-pulpit-and-the-ballot-box/have-faith-well-have-an-atheist-president-14

Penn Jillette is the author of "Every Day is an Atheist Holiday!" and "God, No!" Penn and Teller will perform on Broadway for a six-week run starting in July.

UPDATED MARCH 24, 2015, 9:08 AM

I’m an atheist and I’m not running for president. That means my chances of being taken seriously as a presidential candidate are a bit better than Donald Trump’s.

Some of my fellow atheists bemoan that atheism is the final taboo in politics – polls report that America would never elect an atheist president.

Because of that, they brag that their favorite candidate (usually Obama or a Clinton) has to lie and say they believe in god and promise that they pray for supernatural guidance in world affairs.

They justify that their heroes are liars because Americans are too stupid and too bigoted to be told the truth. When you celebrate your hero as a liar, you’ve lost the moral high ground.

more at link

7 replies

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Have Faith, We’ll Have an Atheist President (Original Post) cbayer Mar 2015 OP

interesting headline Romeo.lima333 Mar 2015 #1

As much as I dislike his personal politics, he does have a way of turning a phrase. cbayer Mar 2015 #2

Perhaps we've already had one. n/t PoliticAverse Mar 2015 #3

I think we probably have, but we will have really progressed when cbayer Mar 2015 #4

It wasn't all that long ago that folks claimed that we'll never have a Black President. stone space Mar 2015 #5

I agree. The data is not good at all at this point, but I am hopeful that it will get better. cbayer Mar 2015 #6

I think that polling data is a lagging indicator. stone space Mar 2015 #7

Romeo.lima333

(1,127 posts)

1. interesting headline

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:04 PM

Mar 2015

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

2. As much as I dislike his personal politics, he does have a way of turning a phrase.

Reply to Romeo.lima333 (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:06 PM

Mar 2015

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

3. Perhaps we've already had one. n/t

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:10 PM

Mar 2015

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

4. I think we probably have, but we will have really progressed when

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:12 PM

Mar 2015

someone doesn't have to say they are something they are not.

stone space

(6,498 posts)

5. It wasn't all that long ago that folks claimed that we'll never have a Black President.

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:24 PM

Mar 2015

Not sure how this is any different.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

6. I agree. The data is not good at all at this point, but I am hopeful that it will get better.

Reply to stone space (Reply #5)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:29 PM

Mar 2015

Someone yesterday suggested that a good first step is for candidates being saying "It's none of your business", whether they be religious or not.

If democrats in a certain region all began to take that position, I would predict a positive outcome.

stone space

(6,498 posts)

7. I think that polling data is a lagging indicator.

Reply to cbayer (Reply #6)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 04:17 PM

Mar 2015

The poll results on this question (and similar questions) will improve dramatically the day after the election.

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