Stop the Presses: Americans STILL Don't Like Atheists

[bankside]

You're probably a PROUD Canadian..So what is the Foundation of Canada besides Celine Dion?

You know as little of our history as you know of your own.

Go and read Susan Jacoby and get back to us when you know some more about your own country. A couple of books of hers to know:
Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism (2004)
The Age of American Unreason, Pantheon (2008)

As for Canada, we have the same roots: The Magna Carta, The Enlightenment and so on. We just decided not to cut off our roots.

Oh, and while we're learning, here's the scoop on the REAL pledge of allegiance:
http://www.slate.com/id/2067499/

 

[G-Lexington]

>>>Morals based on facts and observation. Not an invisible man in the sky.

And there you have it. Atheists are allowed to feel superior to Christians (and adherents to any other belief system) since they ARE superior - their belief system is obviously the correct one. It's mind-boggling that people can't grasp this simple fact.

Lex

 

[MisterMajestic]

I think Americans want to kill atheists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No...Americans want Al Qaeda Killed and thrown in the Sea like their former Leader.....That is a Fact.....

 

[doetim]

I'm an atheist but I'm reaching a point where I think the question of god's existence is becoming irrelevant. For me the bottom line is simply....if religion is good or bad for society. The answer to that question is since the beginning to our recorded human history religion has simply done more harm to our human race than good and with that I must conclude that we don't need religion at all! In fact I would go as far as saying even if god was proven to truly exist, we should still ask ourselves if worshipping him is worth our time if he brings more harm to our world than good. What I'm basically saying is that god needs to prove to us as much as we need to prove to him and so far he hasn't proven to us anything!

 

[star-warrior]

100,000 years from now, none of this will matter.

I'm inclined agree, we'll be all dead, except for the Xtian fundamentalist praying to a nuclear warhead in a world run by giant apes. Or something...

 

[MisterMajestic]

And you can't sit around here posting this saying it cannot be argued with.

You can argue &/or disagree about anything you wanna...This is a Public forum....The facts will remain the same...The Odds of an Atheist EVER winning national office is about as promising as one of the American born Bin Laden family members winning ANY office in these United States.....Hello...


I'm sorry but it just ain't gonna happen...That's just the way it is...

 

[Nomenclature]

I often wonder if humans found proof of an afterlife, would the world change in the least bit? Sad to say, probably not.

Richard Dawkins - the most famous atheist in the world, and author of The God Delusion - has said that he's an atheist simply because there isn't any evidence that a superior being exists. He said that if one was proven to exist, he would accept it. He just feels that there's about a 1% chance of that happening. . .just like there's a small possibility we could find out Zeus exists.

Most atheists I know are happy people who don't pay much attention to what others say.

A lot of "internet atheists" on Youtube, message boards, etc are actually grudge-holding, self-righteous little shits though.




I consider myself a "don't know, don't care" agnostic; I feel that we don't know, and that there's a high probability we'll never know. So, I don't dwell on it. I've come to my decision after studying religion, history etc. . .not based on a grudge. Too many atheists are "anti-christian" rather than non-religious. I'm just non-religious.

That was added much later. So your revisionist sense of history won't ever change that. It's not the "foundation" of America. Period.

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion

- Treaty of Tripoli. submitted by president John Adams and unanimously ratified by the U.S. Senate on June 7, 1797


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli




Our founding fathers weren't christian; they were deists and freemasons. They were also pro-slavery, which is a bit ironic. . .but we have to overlook that, don't we?

 

[kallipolis]

You can argue &/or disagree about anything you wanna...This is a Public forum....The facts will remain the same...The Odds of an Atheist EVER winning national office is about as promising as one of the American born Bin Laden family members winning ANY office in these United States.....Hello...


I'm sorry but it just ain't gonna happen...That's just the way it is...

Many Americans were speaking thus of Americans never voting a black person into the office of president of the United States - just a few years ago.

I rather suspect that atheists, masquerading as religious adherents have been voted into the office of the United States.

The real challenge will for a self proclaimed atheist to announce his candidature for president of the United States.

Had it been generally known that Abe Lincoln slept with men I am sure that he would never have been voted into the office of president of the United States.

Discretion pays dividends.

 

[versatileplayer]

Religion is a scar of ignorance across all of humanity. Religion and nationalism are the two most dangerous ideas mankind has ever conceived. These two ideas have caused untold human suffering and death.

So - why do humans cling to religion?

Fear of death and emotional weakness, the emotional pain when a loved one dies..... the idea that divine justice will intervene when all other methods and technology fails us, it's our attempt to regain control of our world when it is beyond our control.

People are emotional beings - we are far less rational than we like to think.

Religion is a coping mechanism, a crutch to deal with stress.

As with any kind of dependancy - try to remove that crutch - and people react with great emotion.

Religion is just a maladaptive behavior.

 

[versatileplayer]

Many Americans were speaking thus of Americans never voting a black person into the office of president of the United States - just a few years ago.

I rather suspect that atheists, masquerading as religious adherents have been voted into the office of the United States.

The real challenge will for a self proclaimed atheist to announce his candidature for president of the United States.

Had it been generally known that Abe Lincoln slept with men I am sure that he would never have been voted into the office of president of the United States.

Discretion pays dividends.

Yes, deception and cowardice are great for short term personal gains. It is the essence of politics.

 

[versatileplayer]

America is a melting-pot of different people, ideas and beliefs... I'd NEVER vote for an Atheist. Atheists I've listened to live up to the stereotype..."Anger" seems to be at the root of why they believe what they believe and feel the way they feel...

I have voted in Local, State & National elections where Christians running for office have gone on record saying we have to Respect people that have different beliefs. I have YET to see an Atheist run for Office with the same attitude.

If an Atheist EVER runs for National-office it's gonna be interesting to see how he sells himself to a Country where MAJORITY believe "In God We trust"...It's even written on our Currency and in "God we Trust" is and always will be the Foundation of The United States of America...

Argue all you want but that will NEVER change...

In God We Trust and One nation under god - were added to our currency and the pledge in the 1950's as a counter to those evil atheist communists in the USSR.

Never say never..... the number of atheists has tripled since 1960 and it's the fastest growing belief system world wide.

When has an atheist run for office? I can't name one. Please name one.

 

[versatileplayer]

I'd never vote for a christian, simply to counterbalance the angry angry christians who would never vote for an atheist.

Americans; I don't get your country. So out of touch. Not everyone of course, but if these stats are accurate, then on average it's pretty delusional. This just isn't even a factor in so many countries.

It's because Lincoln made The South stay in the union.

We should have let them go when they wanted to. They are non-thinking people and they have skewed our politics into nut-case territory. The South is uneducated, and so charismatic preachers are very popular there.

We'd be a much better country today without Alabama, Mississippi, Texas.... etc......

 

[bankside]

Many Americans were speaking thus of Americans never voting a black person into the office of president of the United States - just a few years ago.

I rather suspect that atheists, masquerading as religious adherents have been voted into the office of the United States.

The real challenge will for a self proclaimed atheist to announce his candidature for president of the United States.

Had it been generally known that Abe Lincoln slept with men I am sure that he would never have been voted into the office of president of the United States.

Discretion pays dividends.

Discretion used in that way may procure an advancement, but it is just buying the advancement on margin. The terms are not necessarily very favourable once all the costs are factored in.

 

[kallipolis]

Discretion used in that way may procure an advancement, but it is just buying the advancement on margin. The terms are not necessarily very favourable once all the costs are factored in.

That is a matter of discussion according to the person running for public office.

An ethical case can be made for concealing ones true beliefs, behind a masquerade that pretends to represent that which will draw the candidate votes.

The true test for the successful candidate who wins public office by means of deception, or masquerade is whether they can live up to the expectations of those who voted for them.

Religious affiliation, or otherwise should not be a consideration when running for public office.

Labels do not reveal the true nature of the person who declares that their religious practices reveals who they really are. This also can be construed as deception in order to win votes.

In European states religious affiliation, or otherwise has absolutely no bearing on the suitability of a person to stand for public office at national level. The only exception might be discovered at local government level in constituencies where there is a significant Muslim population.

 

[bankside]

Yes; I'm not categorical about it, but I don't think it is automatically a good strategy. Two examples from Canadian politics where the use of discretion bolsters your point:

First, the election of Svend Robinson as the first gay Member of Parliament. It was kept quiet until voters got used to voting for him. Part of his constituency would surely have paused had they known in advance of his election, and in that moment of hesitation he would likely have failed to take office.

Secondly, Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary, allowed himself to be "outed" as being nominally Muslim, but this occurred only after the election.

Oh, and of course the best example of all! Our current Prime Minister has governed in the guise of a moderate for 5 years to ensure a majority in Parliament. He has been allowed to come in from the desert of minority parliament status, based on his promise that "Canadians don't like surprises."

And surely he will stick to that promise. Of course when a shift is subtle enough to imperceptible it doesn't surprise, does it?

 

[kallipolis]

Yes; I'm not categorical about it, but I don't think it is automatically a good strategy. Two examples from Canadian politics where the use of discretion bolsters your point:

First, the election of Svend Robinson as the first gay Member of Parliament. It was kept quiet until voters got used to voting for him. Part of his constituency would surely have paused had they known in advance of his election, and in that moment of hesitation he would likely have failed to take office.

Secondly, Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary, allowed himself to be "outed" as being nominally Muslim, but this occurred only after the election.

Oh, and of course the best example of all! Our current Prime Minister has governed in the guise of a moderate for 5 years to ensure a majority in Parliament. He has been allowed to come in from the desert of minority parliament status, based on his promise that "Canadians don't like surprises."

And surely he will stick to that promise. Of course when a shift is subtle enough to imperceptible it doesn't surprise, does it?

The Canadian experience must surely be Pierre Trudeau who despite being gay, and known to be sexually active with men, also married an attractive young woman to bolster his image/credentials as a young, dynamic politician. Despite being middle aged.

My father served in the Greek diplomatic service for very many years, after retiring from the Hellenic Navy and spent most of his diplomatic career at the embassy London. He met Trudeau on several occasions, at diplomatic functions when your late prime minister was visiting London.

The private dalliances of politicians are no secret in political, and diplomatic circles.

 

[kallipolis]

There is not one shred of evidence that Abraham Lincoln "slept" with men. It is probable that he shared a bed with a man, as did many others in the 1800's. Most inns and small hotels had few beds and many customers and it was a fairly common practice to bunk together. In no way did it imply a sexual encounter. The same practice existed in the American West, so you can fantasize all you want about a gay scenario full of randy cowboys, but in reality a bed was a bed and they were in short supply. You've been reading too much Larry Flynt, who just loves stirring it up but has no facts to back up his assertions.

There has been ample discussion on this forum on this particular issue, and it still surprises people that crusty ole Abe could have possibly found men sexually attractive.

The media also refused to publicly discuss the matter of FDRs live in mistress, at The White House when Eleanor was still his wife, and also living at The White House.

 

[kallipolis]

Oh for Christ's sake, kallipolis... do stuff a rag in it! Might we know what facts you base this on? I have a friend who served in the London office for years as well, and he had quite a different view. In fact more often than not the Greeks were the "butt" of the jokes and insinuations, justified or not. Obviously you buy into the same stupid, unsubstantiated mindset and must surely be educated enough to dismiss such nonsense as exactly that. Or perhaps not.

Trudeau's sexual orientation was kept secret for very many years. The best that his contemporaries will admit too is that Trudeau was bisexual.

 

[kallipolis]

I appreciate that this link is rather LCD but it does amplify something of the chatter that still surrounds the sexual life of the late Pierre Trudeau.

http://ianundercover.com/2008/09/06...-of-paying-for-sex-with-underage-haitian-men/

 

[kallipolis]

This is a better quality article on the dalliances of FDR:

http://www.trivia-library.com/a/president-franklin-d-roosevelt-personal-life-marriage-affairs.htm