There is often talk of various politicians becoming “the first black president” or “the first female president”, and I guess it is just a matter of time. Would it be possible for a candidate in the U.S. who is openly atheist and refuses to recite all the"God bless America" lines to be elected president?
I’m an atheist, but I think that, as long as the person is not an extremist, it doesn’t matter whether he or she believes in God or not.
Unfortunately, there really are no true atheists. For the communists, the worker’s paradise was their god, for the types of people you are referring to in the United States, “multiculturalism” is their god. For others, Fighting Oppression of Oppressed Peoples Everywhere is their god. And good on them, but leave me out of these new-fangled “religions.”
If an atheist president can spare us from another Bush-like evangelical soldier that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, it would give the extremist Muslims even more fodder to their charges of Western barbarism and wickedness…
Excellent point CQ:
I think that I will go and write a sermon about it. Rest assured, I will post my lengthy epistle on Forumosa.
My question is not whether an atheist president would be good or not, but whether such a candidate would be able to gain office.
Of course, politicians are such ambitious and dishonest creatures that they rather jump on the piety bandwagon than lose a few votes.
[quote=“almas john”]My question is not whether an atheist president would be good or not, but whether such a candidate would be able to gain office.
Of course, politicians are such ambitious and dishonest creatures that they rather jump on the piety bandwagon than lose a few votes.[/quote]
Surely, previous presidents have had little or no faith. Kennedy would have spontaneously combusted had he ever set foot in the confession box. And that story about Nixon and Kissenger praying on their knees was a masterstroke of PR.
I’m sure we’ve had several atheist presidents (Lincoln, for instance). The question is whether we could tolerate an honest president.
There’s an oxymoron!
While I’m sure you’re being tongue-in-cheek, that’s ridiculous. In itself atheism has nothing to do with a person’s political creed.
I think the US is far closer to having a female or non-Caucasian president than an openly atheist one.
Offhand, I seem to recall that all the Presidents until Benjamin Harrison, none were churchgoers. Lincoln was probably the most open about his own lack of belief, though. He even wrote a book attacking Christianity, but his friends wisely had him destroy it, or it would have ended his political career.
Hey almas! Have you ever stopped by Internet Infidels? I’ve done some administrating and moderating there, and the level of discussion is usually pretty high. Our forum page is here.
Vorkosigan
[quote=“Vorkosigan”]Offhand, I seem to recall that all the Presidents until Benjamin Harrison, none were churchgoers. Lincoln was probably the most open about his own lack of belief, though. He even wrote a book attacking Christianity, but his friends wisely had him destroy it, or it would have ended his political career.
Vorkosigan[/quote]
many of our founding fathers were of that bent, but I think any of them would have been aghast at the suggestion that there was NO God.
While I’m sure you’re being tongue-in-cheek, that’s ridiculous. In itself atheism has nothing to do with a person’s political creed.
I think the US is far closer to having a female or non-Caucasian president than an openly atheist one.[/quote]
I think you’re correct, daltongang.
It was only a little over 40 years ago that many people in America went apopleptic over the possibility of a non-Protestant president - “We can’t have the White House controlled by Rome!” An atheist prez? Not in my lifetime. Maybe in the next century or so.
[quote=“daltongang”][quote=“Vorkosigan”]Offhand, I seem to recall that all the Presidents until Benjamin Harrison, none were churchgoers. Lincoln was probably the most open about his own lack of belief, though. He even wrote a book attacking Christianity, but his friends wisely had him destroy it, or it would have ended his political career.
Vorkosigan[/quote]
many of our founding fathers were of that bent, but I think any of them would have been aghast at the suggestion that there was NO God.[/quote]
yes, an agnostic president i can maybe see. atheist, no.
we’ve had some unitarian presidents. just this past week the state of texas declared that unitarianism ISN"T a religion and thus doesn’t qualify for all those tax exemptions.
back in the day not attending religious services was a crime. washington et al classified themselves as deists- there is a divine something but not necessarily the judeo-christian mishmash of misundrstood and twisted practices that count as christianity today.
a christian president is just fine, but it would be better if they would try to walk a bit closer to the ideals IESUS, the jew, espoused.
think we’ll have a jewish president soon?
[quote=“skeptic yank”]
think we’ll have a jewish president soon?[/quote]
the democrats would never go for someone pro-israel and if the republicans nominated a jew, half the people on this board would be screaming about a secret jewish conspiracy to take over the world.
Then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.
I would like to see an athiest president and I think it is not improbable. A black, woman, athiest, Jew for president–that would be something.
How about a Moslem?
[quote=“Richardm”]Then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.
I would like to see an athiest president and I think it is not improbable. A black, woman, athiest, Jew for president–that would be something.[/quote][color=indigo]An athiest Jew would be something.
I’m more worried that the next president doen’t believe in aliens or Santa Claus.[/color]
[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”][quote=“Richardm”]Then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.
I would like to see an athiest president and I think it is not improbable. A black, woman, athiest, Jew for president–that would be something.[/quote][color=indigo]An athiest Jew would be something.
I’m more worried that the next president doen’t believe in aliens or Santa Claus.[/color][/quote] As long as the rights of penguins are protected, who cares.