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Faith

Are Atheists & Non-Believers on the Rise in Congress? These Results May Surprise You

Jan. 7, 2013 2:29pm Billy Hallowell

There’s been a great deal of press surrounding the rise of the so-called “nones” — those Americans who do not associate themselves with a specific faith or religious construct. With this proportion of citizens reportedly rising rather quickly, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life decided to take a look at Congress’ make-up to see if a similar pattern is unfolding among elected officials.

When examining the 96th Congress, which was in session from 1979 to 1980, Pew found that not a single House or Senate member reported being a “none.” However, the new 113th Congress has 11 members who count themselves as unaffiliated (or “none”). And, as POLITICO notes, that number is two times as many as fell into this category in the 111th Congress (2009 to 2010). Clearly, there’s an upward movement of “nones” occupying elected office at the legislative level.

While it’s entirely possible that “nones” have always been a part of Congress, admitting as much would have had negative consequences, seeing as American society has always been religiously-inclined. However, POLITICO’s Charles Mahtesian believes that the Pew analysis could be “a sign that the taboo about religious identification is being broken and members of Congress are increasingly comfortable admitting they don’t adhere to any particular faith.”

Are Atheists & Non Believers on the Rise in Congress? These Results May Surprise You

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. Credit: AP

In November, Pew explained these findings in detail:

Perhaps the greatest disparity, however, is between the percentage of U.S. adults and the percentage of members of Congress who do not identify with any particular religion. About one-in-five U.S. adults describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – a group sometimes collectively called the “nones.” But only one member of the new Congress, Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), is religiously unaffiliated, according to information gathered by CQ Roll Call. Sinema is the first member of Congress to publicly describe her religion as “none,” though 10 other members of the 113th Congress (about 2%) do not specify a religious affiliation, up from six members (about 1%) of the previous Congress. This is about the same as the percentage of U.S. adults in Pew Research Center surveys who say that they don’t know, or refuse to specify, their faith (about 2%).

In addition to the changes that are unfolding on the “none” and unaffiliated front, diversity of specific faith systems is also on the rise. As TheBlaze previously-reported, America’s first-ever Buddhist senator (Mazie Hirono) and Hindi representative (Tulsi Gabbard) were recently elected; both are Democrats from Hawaii.

So — what do you think? It’s clear that America is more open to electing people who fall outside of the Judeo-Christian paradigm. But, is the growth of unaffiliated members of Congress evidence that the public is becoming less-religious — or has faith simply become less of a litmus test for public office? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

–

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Comments (156)

shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:01pm
Mass killings under Communist/Atheistic Regimes:

Mass killings occurred under some Communist regimes during the twentieth century with an estimated death toll numbering between 85 and 100 million. Scholarship focuses on the causes of mass killings in single societies, though some claims of common causes for mass killings have been made. Some higher estimates of mass killings include not only mass murders or executions that took place during the elimination of political opponents, civil wars, terror campaigns, and land reforms, but also lives lost due to war, famine, disease, and exhaustion in labor camps. There are scholars who believe that government policies and mistakes in management contributed to these calamities, and, based on that conclusion combine all these deaths under the categories “mass killings”, democide, politicide, “classicide”, or loosely defined genocide. According to these scholars, the total death toll of the mass killings defined in this way amounts to many tens of millions.

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- rochrealtor
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:51pm
  George Washington (maybe you heard of him)
  “It would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe – who presides in the council of nations – and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States, a government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes.”
  
  Report this comment
- alinmatt
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 6:33pm
  @shorelineliz,
  You speak of communism as though it is synonymous with atheism. It is not. While many communists/socialists were atheists, many were also Christians. Communism is a political ideology, not a philosophical or religious ideology.
  Perhaps it is Christianity which is inherently communistic? After all, there is nothing in the gospels which even so much as suggests a divine preference for capitalism. On the contrary, quite a bit of what Jesus said directly supports many of the emotional foundations of socialism and even communism. It’s worth noting that the first experiment with communism was conducted by the Puritans based on Biblical beliefs. Due to harsh reality they abandoned it rather quickly. Rush Limbaugh tells the story on his program every Thanksgiving.
  Also, read up on Ayn Rand. She was an atheist and a hardcore libertarian. Atheism and libertarianism go together naturally – survival of the fittest stuff. Libertarianism is essentially the political ideology of the founders.
  
  Report this comment
- RobbieTLHughie
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 8:17pm
  And then there are the crusades. Why does it even matter who killed who centuries ago? It has no impact at all on the arguments of today.
  
  Report this comment
- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:26pm
  Those were, as you said, fully Atheist Regime’s where it was illegal to worship as you wish. That’s not how things are here. All people want is to not have one person’s opinion crammed down their throat on land they help pay for. What’s the big deal with that?
  
  Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:52pm
@Chet Hempstead: IT’s too bad no Religious Test should be required as the US Constitution was written and undergirded by Biblical Law. That is why this country is in the crapper.

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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:01pm
  Where are the bible, Jesus or the Christian God referred to in the US constitution?
  
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- Pontiaku
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:18pm
  “the US Constitution was written and undergirded by Biblical Law”
  Lol wow…
  http://atheism.about.com/od/tencommandments/a/americanlaw.htm
  http://atheism.about.com/od/tencommandments/a/americanlaw_2.htm
  http://atheism.about.com/od/godlessliberals/p/Constitution.htm
  
  Report this comment
- rochrealtor
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:50pm
  You are misguided and misdirected. John Adams (you may have heard of him), “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
  ― John Adams
  Ben Franklin
  Autobiography, an articulation that he referred to as “an intended Creed, continuing as I thought the Essentials of every known Religion, and being free of every thing that might shock the Professors of any Religion.” Franklin then set forth this “Creed”:
  
  That there is one God who made all things.
  That he governs the World by his Providence.
  That he ought to be worshipped by Adoration, Prayer and Thanksgiving.
  But that the most acceptable Service of God is doing good to Man.
  That the Soul is immortal.
  And that God will certainly reward Virtue and punish Vice either here or hereafter.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 12:53am
  Innocent until proven guilty? That’s from Deuteronomy.
  
  Only proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt? Deuteronomy.
  
  It’s insane to think we were not in any way, shape or form atleast in soneway or somewhat inspired by biblical minds and scripts to craft the bills that have melts us afloat for 225+ years. Insane.
  
  Report this comment
- Pontiaku
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 10:59am
  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Bible/Deuteronomy.html
  By all means read through the demented Deuteronomy passages and quote anything that comes REMOTELY close to “innocent until proven guilty” or “only proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt”. In fact try to find those string of words in the US Constitution.
  
  You sound drunk in the rest of your post.
  
  “This principal is not in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, or any other founding doc*ment of the United States. It was already an unwritten tenant of English Common Law. The phrase entered US law through a Supreme Court decision which reversed a lower court because the jury had not been instructed “The law presumes that persons charged with crime are innocent until they are proven by competent evidence to be guilty” in 1894.”
  
  “The sixth century Digest of Justinian (22.3.2) provides, as a general rule of evidence: Ei inc*mbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat[1]—”Proof lies on him who asserts, not on him who denies”.[2] It is there attributed to the second and third century jurist Paul. When this rule is applied to criminal process (whether or not that was done in Roman law itself), it places the burden of proof upon the accuser, which has the corollary that the accused is presumed to be innocent.”
  
  Twice I had to censor words with c-you-m to get this to post! Freak’n retarded post filters!
  
  Report this comment
- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 11:21am
  Yes! Thank you for proving my point, Pontiac :)
  
  Also calm down, you sound like you’re throwing a hissy fit
  
  Report this comment
- Pontiaku
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 11:50am
  The_Cabrito_Goat, nothing proved your point. I’m still waiting for YOU to prove your point. And please lay off the booze.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:25pm
  Woah, woah, woah, simmer down, Ponty Mython! Don’t give yourself a heart attack!
  
  Report this comment
- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:33pm
  Did you miss that we have the 1st Amendment in this country? We are not a Theocracy.
  
  Report this comment
- Pontiaku
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 11:22pm
  TCG, it’s obvious you lost the argument and now all you’re doing is making yourself look bad by trolling. Sad really…
  
  Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:50pm
You are the Atheist. Murder is your MO. Not mine. Why don’t you go down the block and help the abortion doctor. After all. That is just tissue, right? Ya see where atheism ends up? It ends up in 50 million babies murdered to date. I bet you sleep soundly knowing that while I stay up and pray. The fact that you just came at me with everything you have once again proves you have a guilty conscience which can be calmed down if you just would read your Bible and go tell your local pastor or priest what you are doing. How long have you slept with your girlfriend or boyfriend? How long have you been getting drunk? Or drugging? or Porn? Did I hit a nerve? I bet I did. But you can get free from your sexually polluted life if you want to? I bet you don’t! I bet you love it and brag about it like those two young men I talked to this last month. They love their sin! They wear it like a badge of honor. They are being dragged down and down and down every day. It’s really sad. I will pray for you okay?

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- DeavonReye
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 10:22am
  Shore, I have looked at most of your posts on here and really have to wonder . . . . what meds you aren’t taking [that you should be]? Now, before you get all upset and start telling me about “all the sins I am doing”, rather than openly and calmly addressing your statements, I will tell you that I sleep with no one. I don’t get drunk or use drugs. I’m not into porn. What I AM into is the truth. The truth matters. That which can be determined through tests that can be duplicated by others to determine if it is factual.
  
  What I have seen from you are post after post of ramblings that mostly make no point other than sounding like psychotic rantings. You even openly admitted that you lie about “telling women to not be around atheists so they will end up alone”. . . . .or whatever the crap you were saying. You are giving false witness in order to hurt another. I would call that evil.
  
  You stated that you have a master’s in bible. Who cares! It is still a human invention. You claim it to be “like an affidavit”, yet neglect to realize that a fictitious story is hardly “truth”. You can get TWO doctorates in the bible and it will not make it anymore true.
  
  Report this comment
kdshell1
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:47pm
The point is to redirect people from their self-centered lives to Jesus Christ and thereby preserve (save) their lives for an eternity in Heaven rather than an eternity in Hell.

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loveoursoldiers
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:46pm
No. it is my belief these lone people who challenge anything christian are operatives of the community organizer. In “the Amateur” Klein states that Obama meets daily with the CO’s who taught him the fine art of CO ing
Someone in the WH.. probably Jarrett ( she has been interestingly off radar for a long time now).. is running the daily business of the USA.
Co and his gang are working on the “big change’ they want…. how many of these know what the real change is that Obama wants? They are probably going along with his “social equality” excuse.
This is how he gets participation in his undoing of our way of life. He lies.to them.
Remember when Biteme said something like ‘ Obama is going to do something you might not understand but trust me it will be good for the country’.
This is what he tells old Joe. Joe is so dumb/star struck or something that he doesn’t realize he is simply another fool being used to turn this country to the 57 th state of Islam
Obama sees himself as a messiah or as someone bigger than all men. IMO delusions of grandeur are the hallmark of insanity. However, the master is extremely artful in disguising his mental illness.. although it does come out every now and then.. usually in actions or off TOTUS.. then his minions rush out to do damage control.
Every thing is set up so that he doesn’t directly say anything so that whoever delivers the message can be blamed for the message. He is kept hovering above.. absent./disconnected/empty.

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- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:32pm
  I challenge Christian beliefs when I feel compelled to. I can’t stand the Leftist mentality, I don’t care for Obama, as I feel he spits on Liberty and the Constitution left and right. So, I’m part of his legions cause I don’t believe the same book you do? I can’t be for freedom? Because I’m pretty sure I didn’t vote for Obama in either election, and vote Libertarian or Republican in every election. What I don’t believe in is ruling others based off what you feel is right based off a religious book. This country was founded on Freedom of Religion, and Freedom of Speech, and I can disagree with your magic book all I want. Does it make me Amoral? I’ve certainly never killed anyone, I’m generally nice, I don’t break laws, don’t do drugs, and I rarely drink. Yup..I’m a horrible person. I just believe everyone should be free to live how they wish so long as they don’t harm another…yeah…sooo evil of me.
  
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shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:46pm
To Whom It May Concern: The Bible reads as a Legal Brief with Affidavits. It presents the “case” of Jesus Christ. A real person. Born. Lived. Died. With real testimony and witnesses. The English who came here and became Americans knew this. They wrote their English Common Law from Biblical Law including rights of property, punishment for certain crimes, formula for monetary retribution for certain crimes and so forth. With a few caveats. Then they encoded this Biblical Law into the American Law or the US Constitution and added Amendments as needed. But one thing has remained until recently which is :Swearing on the Bible Or “God’s Law” and “So help me God” and therefore, every court in the United States by using the Bible to “swear” on indicates that they have ACCEPTED this Legal Brief with Affidavits as TRUE beyond a shadow of the doubt and that the US COURT system is SUBJECT to this Bible as a Legal Brief and the Bible itself and its Lawgiver as a Final Judge and Arbiter by the words “so help me God I promise to tell the TRUTH!” So, our courts uphold the Biblical Law and LawGiver as the basis for all TRUTH in a court of law. Therefore: OUR MORAL CODE in this country rests on Biblical Law which we all “swear” to or “submit” to in court. This has been your mini lecture on “Law and Logic: 101″.

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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:10pm
  Strange – that’s not how Wikipedia describes the origins of English Common Law.
  
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- alinmatt
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 5:49pm
  @shoreline,
  “They wrote their English Common Law from Biblical Law including rights of property, punishment for certain crimes, formula for monetary retribution for certain crimes and so forth.”
  Common law, also known as case law or precedent, is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals.
  Also, Biblical Law is un-amazingly similar to Hammurabi’s Code, which predates the supposed time of Moses by 400-500 years. Check it out, some of it’s verbatim.
  
  Report this comment
- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:42pm
  The bible reads as no such thing. It’s historical fact that it was written well after the time of Jesus, through word of mouth(ever play telephone?) All Miracles attributed to Jesus were already attributed to other religious figures, hundreds and thousands of years before his birth..from being born of a Virgin, to healing the sick, walking on water, and even the Resurrection. There is little evidence(two historians who wrote about him mentioned him in passing, again, long after his death, via word of mouth) that he even existed. I will grant you someone named Jesus may have had some philosophical teachings and may have been crucified…It was pretty common. All other supernatural happenings in that book have been used numerous times before to prove the divinity of whatever people were trying to get worshiped. Sorry, there’s nothing new or original in Christian belief. Also, there were laws before Judaism and Christianity, in fact, most scholars agree, they borrowed heavily from the cultures that came before them. So, no, Jesus isn’t necessary to act morally or lawfully. We were doing so well before the time of Moses and Jesus. We would do so without it as well. “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”-Steve Weinberg
  
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RDavis49
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:32pm
@ athiest-infedel …………….. “Not all athiests are marxist/obmaunist only the stupid ones”

Oh yes they are……………… stupid I mean in that they deny the truth of God and believe the lie of self worship..

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- DeavonReye
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 9:43am
  “@ athiest-infedel …………….. “Not all athiests are marxist/obmaunist only the stupid ones”
  
  Oh yes they are……………… stupid I mean in that they deny the truth of God and believe the lie of self worship..”
  
  Please provide credible/compelling evidence for this “truth of god”. If you are able TO do this, with non-vague examples, heresay, or anecdotal nonsense, then you may have a case in calling people [who merely don't agree with your religious beliefs] “stupid”.
  
  Remember, . . . the muslim would call YOU “stupid” for not believing and following allah. You, RDavis, are an atheist about all other deities in the world. Atheists just go one god further.
  
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kdshell1
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:25pm
What do “nones” mean when they swear (by what?) to uphold, protect, and defend the Constitution, which is fundamentally based on God’s Word, the Bible (both old and new parts), the physical manifestation of God’s principles of rights and conduct? Are they lying?

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- WaterCooler
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:43pm
  Again, they are unlikely to “swear.” Most will “affirm,” a legal and secular equivalent that has been an option at least since our constitution was written.
  
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- kdshell1
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:48pm
  But, again, what then to do they mean by “affirming” the Constitution founded on God’s Word when they do not believe in God?
  
  Report this comment
- tresameht
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 8:50pm
  Rep. Kyrsten Sinema affirmed on a copy of the constitution,John Adams swore on a” book of Laws” there are also other presidents and elected officials who have not taken the oath of office on a Bible. It is not a requirement of any law that one swear on anything to take office.
  Also search as I can in the constitution I find no reference,quote or any other mention of Biblical influence there,if you find any please reply.
  
  Report this comment
zoro51
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:15pm
why the hell was cinemah a KNOWS SOCIALSIT elected to congress isnt a MYSTERY.. obama is her lord n master…

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RDavis49
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:09pm
Anything a Democrat / Liberal swears to is a mockery of God because it’s always about them and never about Godliness.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:27pm
  Yup. What will a man reap if he rails against the Body of Christ? What will he reap if he disconnects himself from the Body of Christ to go sin? I met two Atheists in the last month. One was about 25 the other 35 years old. They sleep with their girlfriends with no intention of marriage. They drink. They drug. They watch porn. Yet, they believe they are “moral” and it is as if they believe there will be no consequences to such a polluted and sexually immoral life. But there is. A guilty conscience which they fling on everyone else. All day long. They actually BRAG that they are a law unto themselves and believe that nothing will come of their drinking, drugging or incessant porn watching. But I know better. They are already destroyed young men. They just make crap up! They have their own code. It is always “kind” and “respectful” yet how “respectful or kind” is it to a woman to have sex with her without any intention of marriage? Or getting drunk? Or drugging? or incessant masturbation in front of a computer full of pornography? If this is Atheism and it appears to be so, then these young men are just destroying their lives with sexual immorality and there is always a price to pay for that. I pastored for 25 years and tried to help many young people get out of this sinister and evil life of fleshly pollution. Nothing takes a man down to the dregs faster than all of this.
  
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- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:24pm
  @Shorelineliz You’re completely incorrect on everything you’ve stated. I drank when I was a Christian, I had sex too. Even…oooh..touched my naughty bits. I’ve never done drugs, at least illegal ones, I do take things for headaches and what doctors prescribe and such. As someone who is borderline Athiest(actually Deist, but I don’t expect you to know what that is, or that many of the Founders fell into this…it was the Atheist of it’s time, as you don’t find many pre Darwin), I can assure you, I do less that you find “morally wrong” now than I did then. I rarely drink, perhaps something with Dinner ever few months…My computer isn’t filled with Porn, and yes, i do have sex with my committed girlfriend. See, I uphold the tenants of Liberty, that so long as I’m not harming anyone else, that it’s my business, not yours. Perhaps you should read some of what Jefferson wrote. We are not a Theocracy here. We are not Atheist either. We are a country of personal Freedom. I don’t care if you worship your pet hamster, so long as you don’t harm anyone else in your beliefs. That is what this country was founded on. The freedom to believe and worship how you wish. As Jefferson said, It neither breaks my bones nor picks my pocket for my neighbor to say there is no God or that there are Twenty gods. Worry about yourself, and stop telling others how to live.
  
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Cavallo
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:09pm
Not surprising at all. As the State increases it’s power and oppression over its subjects, it is only logical that the overlords start adopting the official religion of the tyrannous State, atheism. Give it a few more years and they’ll start chiseling off the inscriptions on DC buildings that belong to other religions. The State is supreme and will tolerate no other gods before it.

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- Spqr1
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:50pm
  As opposed to the incredibly socially restrictive rules of Biblical Law?
  
  Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:05pm
@Atheist/Infidel: Awww. The old rape, murder, God of the Old Testament gets trotted out again by another atheist demanding “don’t judge me” yet stands in defiance of “the Book” as its ultimate judge and arbiter. Thanks for being so predictable. “Don’t judge me, don’t judge, don’t judge me. You don’t know me. You don’t know me. You don’t know me.” I think I do know you. Very well. Yawn.

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- athiest-infedel
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:23pm
  Look, I don’t have faith which I assume you do, You don’t have proof which is what I seek. we are all just trying to make our place as best we all can but we don’t all take the same road. If it makes you feel better being a bully thats fine but at 49 I don’t have time for that sort of nonsence.
  
  This is how obummer wins, people like you attacking people like me and pit us against each other when we want some the same things like obummer gone, and his ideas gone.
  
  Report this comment
- by faith
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:12pm
  “The Evidence for God from Contemporary Physics” by Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J. http://youtu.be/hYfaOJATh_U
  
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- DeavonReye
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 9:39am
  Shore, what is your statement on “The old rape, murder, God of the Old Testament”?
  
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pap pap
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:05pm
About one-in-five U.S. adults describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – a group sometimes collectively called the “nones.”

It’s possible to be a christian and still fall into the agnostic or “nothing in particular” categories.

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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:13pm
  Uh. No! A Christian follows Christ and the Bible and is a member of the Church. Let me tell you about Atheists. They left the Church so they could drink, drug and have sex with their girlfriends or boyfriends. Ya see, that Bible was in their way. The moral standards were in their way. So, they convinced everyone that somehow they were “Moral” while they drank, drugged, screwed and so forth. Somehow they were “good” people who didn’t “hurt’ anyone and now this is their code. So, they are “kind” and somehow they think that this is “moral.” When in fact they are not the judge of what is moral. Nor do they have any right to define morality. Because they didn’t invent morality. It has been around before them. Yet, they want to redefine it as “being kind.” So, they never stop anyone from doing anything. They will look on rapists as people who are just misunderstood. Or murderers who are just misunderstood. They “psychologize” all their sins and others sins because they have left the Biblical foundation. In fact, every atheist I have ever met doesn’t even believe in sin and wrong doing. They are now calling all lawless behavior or sinful behavior “Mistakes.” Gee, what a mistake it is to kill someone. Or rape them. Shouldn’t we just be kind and understanding? They would have all of us drink this sewage down. Ya see, “KIND” is the new word for ignorance, neglect, willful disobedience, lawlessness, murder, theft, rape and all manner of social evils.
  
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- DoseofReality
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:26pm
  Shore – your total ignorance is astounding…maybe you should take a cue from your holy book and not judge others whos hearts and thoughts you dont know. Your a imbecile and have no clue what your talking about. But lying and manipulating seem to be traits of most hard core religious folk on this and other sites
  
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- RDavis49
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:27pm
  Obviously those you know who call themselves Christian, well I’d say their Christianity is suspect to say the least:
  
  Luke 21:8…… “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.
  
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- seek.the.truth
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:41pm
  There are many Christians who do not participate in organized religion. It would be helpful to know exactly how Pew worded the question on religious affiliation. Was non-denominational a choice?
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:43pm
  @Pap pap
  
  “It’s possible to be a christian and still fall into the agnostic or “nothing in particular” categories.”
  
  No, it’s really not. I mean, maybe you’re arguing “culturally Christian” like how there are cultural Jews who are non-religious. But agnostic means “I don’t know if there’s a supernatural power,” while Christianity means believing in Christ as the son of God.
  
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shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:01pm
I LMAO every time an atheist posts that somehow they are the “moral” one. You are an Atheist, right? By definition you have vowed you don’t even believe in the LawGiver who gave the Law so how can you NOt believe in the LawGiver yet somehow believe in the Law that was Given? Please attend my free lecture this afternoon titled, “Logic: 101″. Also, history tells us that when the Atheists take over people die by the millions. Please attend my other lecture this afternoon titled: “Russian Communism from the Bolshevik Revolution of 1907 until Today.” I guarantee you will be very pleased. The lecture is free. That should make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

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- WaterCooler
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:22pm
  People are dying by the millions in Australia as we speak under the cruel reign of their godless prime minister, Julia Gillard. The slaughter is really just nonsensical.
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:44pm
  @Watercooler
  
  “People are dying by the millions in Australia as we speak under the cruel reign of their godless prime minister, Julia Gillard. The slaughter is really just nonsensical.”
  
  Uh… what?
  
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- WaterCooler
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:54pm
  @locked
  Obviously there is no senseless slaughter in Australia. They do have a very nice PM who happens to identify as an atheist, though. Take a joke?
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:29pm
  @Watercooler
  
  I assumed it was a joke, but I’ve seen enough fake viral messages like that on this site that it’s hard to tell sometimes!
  
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- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 10:51pm
  Shore’s theology teaches that anybody who disagrees with him is going to receive an eternal torture on an alternate plane of existence……yet they’re the moral one?
  
  Absolutely laughable.
  
  Good show, good show.
  
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- DoseofReality
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 9:30am
  Yeah…this guy Shore is a joke – and not too bright. Its better to ignore him…hes obvioulsy a pretty miserable person who had a bad experience with an atheist and painst that broad brush on everyone. Tyipcal though…..
  
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- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:50pm
  I’ve never heard Hammurabi called the Law Giver before…I mean, his Code is what Judaism based the 10 commandments off of, save the silly ones about no gods above me and such. Of course they wouldn’t want you worshiping something else, they were trying to keep you in line. Sorry, but Laws existed well before Judaism, which actually started by the worship of a God of the Mountain and Thunder(sound familiar to the whole Mt Sinai being home to God and his voice being like thunder?) called Yahweh, which was part of a whole Pantheon of gods, and even in the beginning had a Goddess wife, as found referenced in early Jewish archeological sites. Oh sorry..the Devil made up all that stuff…I forgot.
  
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shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:57pm
@Locked: Really? Do I have to school you or what? The people who came here were English right? For the most part. Where did they get their “rule of law?” From English Common Law which is Biblical Law. Do you study The Law? I do. You have to remember this was 1776 and before okay? Our US Constitution was informed by English Common Law which is informed by Biblical Law. Have you ever noticed that? I bet you haven’t cause you don’t study. Just read anything by David Barton.

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- athiest-infedel
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:24pm
  arrogance, what a great trait to have.
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:53pm
  @Shorelinez
  
  I’m sorry you don’t know how to respond to your own thread, but I’m happy to engage with you.
  
  “Really?”
  
  Really what? Constitutional law, and US law, are not biblical in nature. I would be glad to offer you various examples, but I trust you can find at least one yourself.
  
  “Do I have to school you or what?”
  
  You can try, if you think you actually could :-)
  
  “The people who came here were English right? For the most part.”
  
  Yup.
  
  ” Where did they get their “rule of law?” From English Common Law”
  
  Yup.
  
  “which is Biblical Law.”
  
  Blatantly false. Again, English common law is not the same as biblical law.
  
  “Do you study The Law? I do.”
  
  Which law? You’ve now listed four: English Common Law, Constitutional law, the laws of the US, and Biblical law. You seem to have more laws than you know what to do with. You also seem to say they are all the same. They are not. Not remotely.
  
  You have to remember this was 1776 and before okay? Our US Constitution was informed by English Common Law which is informed by Biblical Law.”
  
  You keep saying this without anything to back it up. Reptition does not equal evidence.
  
  “Just read anything by David Barton.”
  
  I thought you said you study law but then you mention David Barton – a man whose “studies” are so full of lies that even his most ardent socially conservative and religious supporters shun him nowadays. His last book was pulled off the shelves and his publisher dumped
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:04pm
  should finish: “And his publisher dumped him.”
  
  It was big news here on The Blaze at the time, especially since Glenn Beck had a hand in writing the Jefferson Lies (the foreword, maybe?). Then all of a sudden a bunch of credible historians and scholars on the right came out and said “Well, we’ve always backed this guy because the liberals hated him, but his analysis is actually extremely biased and outright inaccurate in many places.”
  
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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:10pm
  @Atheist/Infidel: Arrogance? That has to do with people who don’t know anything. Yet pretend they do. I actually know stuff cause I study. Whereas all you can do is name call because you have no facts. You don’t have anything to stand on cause you are an Atheist who has no belief in anything solid. It’s not my fault I stand on a Rock and you stand on Sinking Sand. Your choice. You could change but I doubt you will.
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 4:44pm
  @Shore
  
  He’s quite the discredited and biased scholar, I agree. But I doubt that was point you wished to make :-)
  
  I think you might be moving the goalposts. The English were Christians and obviously their faith influenced their writings; as it did for the Americans. But that does not mean, as you said, that Constitutional law = biblical law. Since you did not offer examples, I’ll give you some:
  
  1. The Decalogue
  2. The 10 Commandments (the actual ones from Exodus)
  3. The Golden Rule
  
  None of these appear in the Constitution, nor US law, in any semblence of a religious form or as a complete copy from Biblical law. The Decalogue, commonly called the Ten Commandments, are often defended when they’re on public land because apparently they make up the basis of our laws. But they don’t. The first three appear in NO US law. Of the others, perhaps only two (Murder/Theft) show up with any frequency in law. Some of generally good moral advice and guidance, but would be nigh-impossible to place in law.
  
  I love my faith and my brothers in Christ, but I’m not about to pull a David Barton and try to rewrite history to make my faith seem more pervasive or the country and our forefathers more theocratical than they actually were. The Bible had an effect on our history (a profound one); but it wasn’t by forcing biblical law into our secular government.
  
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elosogrande
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:57pm
I find it a good sign when morally corrupt politicians start to admit it. We which politicians are most important to vote out of office.

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Eastinfection
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:56pm
“….is the growth of unaffiliated members of Congress evidence that the public is becoming less-religious – or has faith simply become less of a litmus test for public office?”

Yes, and Yes.

It’s becoming less of a litmus test BECAUSE the public is becoming less religious.

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Timmy_NorthWest
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:55pm
Being an atheist or christian is fine, just don’t be vain enough to try enforcing your moral viewpoint on others. If they’re not harming anyone, let it be.

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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 5:24pm
  If any Atheist wants to stop putting their “myths” on us or their “morality” (laughing), then there would be no need now would there be, huh? But, every time someone puts up a cross or some religious symbol of the Christian variety they have a fit as we witnessed this Christmas season. So, they come out with some lame excuse and I wonder why it is always Christianity? Did anyone object to the Star of David above any synagogue this Hannukah? Or the Hundreds of Muslims who regularly go outside their mosques in the streets of New York for Friday prayers and clog traffic? Why don’t you Atheists grow a set and go after them for awhile? Why? Cause you know your heads would come off that’s why! You are all a bunch of cowards! You pushed us around long enough. If you would all just shut your yaps about our symbols there wouldn’t be a dispute but you can’t keep your mouth shut about our symbols can you? Why? Cause they naturally make you feel guilty and why is that? Cause you live polluted lives contrary to the symbols but won’t admit it. So, when you stop attacking and assaulting our Christians symbols and holidays then there will be peace and quiet. Shut your yaps and everything will calm down. I doubt you will. You love to fight and kill Christians. It’s in your history and in your DNA and we aren’t going to let you silence us so just keep yapping. And yapping and yapping like little chihuahuas. that is all you are gonna get is some yapping. We are fighting back in drove
  
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- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 12:48am
  I’m absolutely convinced that Shore is a troll.
  
  Troll on, troll on.
  
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universalphilos
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:48pm
Spiritual guidance, October 15, 1976: ” For in the beginning, there was a city, who brought forth, as many cities had before, a democratic rule for the people, by the people. Each person was represented in their congress and in their senate. In the beginning, there was a leader, much as you would have a president and a vice-president. But soon the domination by powerful forces sought for their own end, dominated the senate. And then to further their domination they did make an Emperor out of their leader, and to further their domination they did conquer, and put themselves above all nations….
They did not say, “What can we do to stand before our God and do servitude into Him?” They did not say, “What can we do to stand before our nation and say, ‘What can we do to serve you and better our nation?’” Instead they said, “Which god will give us the most? Which god will let us have our own way? Which god allows us to become gods?” Those were their thoughts, and those were their follies, for there is but one God, one true, loving God. If He did not love you, He would have turned His back upon your folly long ago….
If you shall stand as one nation, under God, then other nations shall stand the same…The temple of God is within man. One man standing alone is but one man. Each time that is multiplied its strength and endurance shall become stronger and the fibers shall become interwoven. And the new heaven and new earth promised unto you shall come forth….”

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COFemale
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:48pm
I would not trust anyone in Congress if they did not or could not swear on the Bible. You are telling me you are relying on your own moral code to determine what is right and wrong rather than clearly defined Words of God. You are subject to corruption when you drop all sense of moral guidance whether you declared a religion or did not.

I would almost bet the majority who claim NONE are Democrats and I would almost bet the NONE are members of the Socialist Party. Just a gut feeling.

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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:53pm
  Atheism is on the rise. Big time. Yet many claim to be “moral.” Hmmm. Two and two just doesn’t add up for me there. I don’t think you even have to swear on the Bible in a court of law anymore. Which makes sense since our courts are also completely corrupted.
  
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- athiest-infedel
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:56pm
  The bible moral code of rape, murder, incest, slavery, murdering children by god(god sent forth the angel of death to kill the first born of egypt) you mean that god and that “moral” book?
  Thanks but no, but don’t judge me because you know nothing about the kind of person I am without a god, because I don’t need one to treat people kindly, with love and respect.
  
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- Spqr1
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:58pm
  “relying on your own moral code” Yes, it’s called having a conscience. All you have to do is no be a selfish sociopath.
  
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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:59pm
  Australia has an atheist prime minister and the sky hasn’t fallen in, in fact the Australian economy is doing a lot better than the US economy in relative terms.
  
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RDavis49
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:46pm
And the condition of our country as well as some of the legislation that’s being put forth and passed clearly illustrates that upward trend in unholy people being elected into our beloved American government. Brings to mind an old saying “One Rotten Apple Can Spoil The Whole Barrel” The barrel is getting infected and the rot is spreading America and we’re to blame because we’re not tossing out the rotten apples from the barrel as we find them….

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environmentalandawake
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:45pm
The results don’t take into account that half (or more) of the polititions only associate with a religious affiliation soley for the purpose of popular vote. I’ve been reading about false prophets in the Bible, and essentially they describe our current politicos

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athiest-infedel
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:41pm
Good, and you christians should be glad that non-thiests can now “come out” and not have to pose as christians thus giving them a bad name for the stupid crap the will say.
And you don’t need god for moral guidence, empathy works well without a god.
And the bible as a moral guide, really, you should read it sometime.
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- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:49pm
  Not only have I read it I have a Master’s Degree in it so what part do you want me to explain? Shall we go over it in Hebrew or Greek? Should we undergird its theological ramifications for life, liberty, social construction, the afterlife, moral dictates, virtue vs. vice in the First Century or in 2013 American society? I could go on all day so how much time do you have? Shall we debate Heaven and Hell or Purgatory? Again. I have all day off. How much time do you have?
  
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- RDavis49
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:04pm
  And where do you think GOOD morals come from? Athiest put too much stock in the supposed abilities of men to be rational, loving and moral thinking creatures. Mankind is inheriently evil (rotten at the core) at heart. Don’t believe me, find someone you think is a really good person and really tick them off and you’ll see the real evilness in their heart stick its head up and snap and snarrel at you. Athiest and communist are the #1 reason for millions of babies aborted annually in this country. The reason for most all civil unrest in our country and around the world. Baby, that in itself is pure evil and it comes directly from godless people who hold little or no value for life except that of their own. I was just reading about athiest in the book of Romans this morning. Maybe you should take a look and see just how accurately it has athiest and other unbelievers pegged to the wall in its description. Godless people without restraint.
  
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- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 12:53am
  @RDAVIS49
  
  I really don’t get this.
  
  I’ve seen tons of studies and I constantly hear about how religious this country is.
  
  I see Christians beat their chest when they talk about how the majority of people in this country are Christian and that “we’re a Christian nation” yet supposedly it’s only atheists getting abortions?
  
  What you’ll more than likely find is that a majority of the people getting abortions are some form of Christian. Another large part likely believe in some kind of God, whether or not they worship it or go to church is a different story.
  
  So, America is dominated by Christianity when it fits your agenda, but when things start going bad, it’s the atheists fault?
  
  I’m an atheist and I would hope a woman would choose to give birth and give the baby up for adoption, but i”m not going to force her to.
  
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- Jadedfate
  Posted on January 8, 2013 at 4:59pm
  So you’re a so called expert on a book. Congrats. I guess I should go get my Masters in Harry Potter…that would mean just as much.
  
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TIMEBOMB
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:40pm
Well I’m your president and I’m a gay Marxist atheist and I hope the entire congress follows suit. At the rate they’re going I can see it happening,I know I’m doing all I can to make sure congress is full of gay communists like me.

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- athiest-infedel
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:42pm
  Not all athiests are marxist/obmaunist only the stupid ones.
- shorelineliz
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Listen you gay Marxist Communist! Swear on the Bible! Do it! I dare you! I double dog dare you! I bet in January 2013 you will swear on a Koran and nobody will say squat! Booya!
  
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- environmentalandawake
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Bomb you forgot something again, and I just LOL’d so hard that I peed myself a little!
  
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- BODYBAG
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:46pm
  @ATHIEST-INFEDEL
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:42pm
  Not all athiests are marxist/obmaunist only the stupid ones.
  ————————————–
  You’ve met the bar
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:14pm
  “,I know I’m doing all I can to make sure congress is full of gay communists like me.”
  
  Very successful campaign, especially if you consider the closeted queers and Marxists.
  
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- TIMEBOMB
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:23pm
  Shorelineeliz Why would I your magnificent ruler have to swear on anything? I’m an atheist and deeply in love with myself so I don’t need any Koran or bible. Praise be to me BHO.
  
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shorelineliz
Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:34pm
How can you “swear” to uphold the U.S. Constitution if you don’t believe in the Moral Law which undergirds it which is Biblical Law? You should not be able to be a US Congress Person if you don’t believe in the Bible. And you should HAVE to swear on the Bible like you used to have to do. Or else not be able to be in Congress. This should be a rule. This is why our country is in the crapper. Right here. When the lawmakers don’t even have to swear on the law they are supposed to uphold. Ridiculous. No brainer for me. and others.

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- environmentalandawake
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:43pm
  True That as the kids would say!
  
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- Locked
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:43pm
  “U.S. Constitution if you don’t believe in the Moral Law which undergirds it which is Biblical Law?”
  
  Not much of issue really. The US Constitution is distinctly different from the Bible, just as the laws of our country are not biblical laws. People can swear on all sorts of things (and have).
  
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- BODYBAG
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 2:45pm
  Teddy Roosevelt refused to swear-in on the Bible. The only Pres to refuse.
  He started the party and is Father to the Progressive movement.
  
  You raise an interesting point. Atheists seem to be aggressively attacking everything
  now but why have they not gone after the courts using the Bible to swear in witnesses,
  defendants, etc?
  
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- WaterCooler
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:14pm
  Non-believers (and the rest of Americans) have always had the option to “swear or affirm” any legal oath. Non-believers usually affirm their oaths instead of swearing them. It’s been an option since the founding of this country.
  
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- Chet Hempstead
  Posted on January 7, 2013 at 3:32pm
  “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but NO RELIGIOUS TEST shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
  
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