More Than 50% of Americans Would Vote for an Atheist Presidential Candidate — But Would You?
- Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:21am by
Billy Hallowell
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Traditionally, religious values have been a major factor in Americans’ selection of presidential candidates. For better or for worse, personal faith plays a major role in how well a candidate relates to the public and, subsequently, how successful he or she is at the polls. But there’s evidence that this dynamic may be changing. According to a new poll released by Gallup last week, 54 percent of Americans are now willing to vote for an atheist presidential candidate.
While this proportion is still relatively low, it marks a major change in thinking about faith and values. Consider that in 1958, only 18 percent of Americans said they’ve vote for a secularist. Over the past five decades, we’ve seen steady growth, though, with more than half of Americans now reporting the same.
Interestingly, gays have experienced a similar uptick in potential support, with only 26 percent saying they’d vote for a homosexual presidential candidate in 1978 and 68 percent saying the same in 2012. Other groups, too, have experienced increasing support. Only 33 percent of the nation was willing to vote for a woman in 1937 — a proportion that now stands at 95 percent.
As for atheists, the growth seems a bit slower than with other minority groups (although Muslims, too, experience a similarly poor showing). Also, it’s important to note that non-believers still account for the smallest percentage of potential presidential support when juxtaposed against women, gays, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and African Americans. Also, another important indicator of cautiousness and distrust on the part of the U.S. public can be seen among those who would not be willing to vote for atheists — a startling 43 percent.
The breakdown along party lines is intriguing to see as well, as Republicans are far less likely than Democrats to embrace secular candidates. On the flip side, young people are more likely to embrace non-believing candidates.
Gallup has more about the partisan and age breakdowns:
Americans of all political party affiliations are nearly unanimous in saying they would vote for a black, female, Catholic, Hispanic, or Jewish president. Democrats are significantly more likely than Republicans to say they would vote for a presidential candidate who is gay, Muslim, or an atheist. Republicans, in turn, are more likely to say they would vote for a Mormon.
Republicans’ willingness to vote for a Mormon for president is higher this year, likely because their presidential candidate is of the Mormon faith. [...]
Gallup also finds wide differences in support for various presidential candidates by age. At least seven in 10 young adults, those under age 30, would vote for a presidential candidate of any background. However, fewer than half of senior citizens would vote for a candidate who is gay, an atheist, or Muslim.
Overall, there was a more even split among Americans in 2011 when it came to voting for an atheist presidential candidate. While 49 percent said that they wouldn’t choose a secular prospect, an additional 49 percent said they would (three percent were unsure).
Atheists may certainly continue to make gains when it comes to acceptance and support, but it may come, as we’ve seen thus far, at a slower rate. After all, people are cautious about non-believers and their worldview, as evidenced by a 2011 study that found that atheists are trusted at around the same level as rapists (a surprising revelation, to say the least.
Would you be willing to vote for an atheist for president? Take the poll and let us know below:
This Gallup poll was conducted from June 7-10, 2012, with a random sample of 1,004 adults (age 18 and older) from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The margin of error, with 95 percent confidence, is +/- 4 percentage points.
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Comments (514)
affinity
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:03amThe question is actually flawed because not every person that claims to believe in something practices the values associated with that belief.
Also, you may want to add a little more information to the question:
Report Post »> Would you vote for an atheist that dislikes religious people and wants to end the free and open practice of their faith and religion? No I wouldn’t vote for this person.
> Would you vote for an atheist who believes all people have a right to believe in a higher power and freely practice their own very personal faith and religion? Maybe I would vote for this person.
TiocFaidhArLa
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:58amwell thought Affinity
Report Post »sonnyboy1
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:10amI agree Affinity. Many of our leaders say they are this or that but one certainly can’t tell by their actions. Remember the old question, ‘If you were charged with being a Christian, would their be enough evidence to prove it true?’
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:13amI agree. Politicians are master at portraying what the electorate wants to see and here. Religious words and actions, like wearing the flag pin are, for most, just part of the act. Nankins Pelosi is a perfect example of a pretend Catholic.
Report Post »DeltaCharlieCain
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:13amExactly. It’s more about policy, not just their religious beliefs. I would easily vote for Penn Jillette over many candidates that we currently have (especially Obama).
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:28amLook, we’ve already tried the CON-ARTIST DOPE in the WH, we sure don’t need another unintelligent, self-centered hotshot. Anyone who canNOT admit the existence of a CREATOR is just not smart enough to run this Country. They CAN NEVER prove that we were NOT created by a CREATOR, because we have incredible information proving there is.
A person who refuses to acknowledge the existence of GOD is immature and we all know what that is like now. I’m sorry that our “GOBMENT” has thought it was PC to deny GOD’S words/existent in our schools and public life. It’s OUR FAULT. WE are the GOBMENT but we ‘got busy’ and let probably well-meaning but totally incorrect people take over the reigns. They have fallen all over themselves trying to “make this life be comfortable’…trying to remove any obstacle …NOT UNDERSTANDING of course that the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE Created and LOVES each one of us (hence our individual fingerprints; eye Irish configuration – NO ONE else has the same fingerprint etc ) and obstacles are required to build character and to learn from. LEFT ALONE these “do-gooder, bleeding heart” liberals would succeed in creating a muddy colored, tasteless, creative-less, meaningless life.
SO, NOT JUST NO but HELL NO would I ever vote for someone who could even begin to believe there is no GOD.
dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:48am@Patty
“They CAN NEVER prove that we were NOT created by a CREATOR, because we have incredible information proving there is”
You’re right. I can‘t prove that we weren’t created by a god, nor can you prove that we were. That’s the difference between you and i. I’m honest about it. You’re not. So, who is the “self-centered hot shot” here? Prove to me that it was a god that created us and not a superior alien race. And while you’re at it, prove to me that it was YOUR god that created us and not, let’s say, Allah or Zeus or Pan or Mithra, or Thor. The fact is that you don’t know any more about the creation of our planet than i do. Again, i’m honest about it.
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:05amdissent – great points. let’s see if patty responds…
Report Post »castuslonginus
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:17amI personally don’t care what religious persuasion our president is,as long as he doesn’t interfere with my religion and is pro american .I don’t need another spiritual leader,I have one.Jesus Christ.If the country is free to follow His precepts and teachings,and the people would follow them,then we will be blessed as a nation.The trouble starts when you can‘t speak Jesus’s name in public because of official policy.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:19amI did respond. It may still get printed. Sometimes it seems that the site “unlogs” you in, and I didn‘t copy what I wrote and don’t have time to wait to see if the original of what I wrote appears but here is a capsule. Great minds throughout History have determined of their own free will (not under threat of murder or being ostracized) that they wanted to know GOD. Jesus is the ONLY Prophet who claimed to be the SON of GOD. God created us for Himself, He is not a vending machine for us. IF you get on your knees and sincerely ask GOD if HE is real, you will get an answer. IF you won’t do that, then all you are doing is like stomping your feet like a demanding child. then I said: I hope you will do this, and when you do know Him and open your Heart to Him, you will finally understand why we Christians can speak with such confidence. Your ‘trip’ to GOD is your own. We can’t do it for you. “Lead a horse to water -” etc. That’s all I have to say about it. You’re on your own and good luck. Maybe they will print the other statement.
Report Post »db321
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:20amI was a definite no. Why, because I never believe myself to be judge. God will Judge Everyone. Men may always let you down, God will not. If you have been let down by a Man that confesses himself to be Christian, then get over it. I’m convinced that Reagan and Bush knew that they would be held accountable for every word and deed they had done and they sleeked Godly Council before making a decision.
My vote is my deed, and I will not ever vote for someone that I know does not believe in God. They may do some stupid like take prayer out of School. I am so glad that our kids have not been effected by the lack of prayer in schools. Our youth today are such a joy!
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:22amThis whole poll is flawed. I voted 3 times myself. lol
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:00pmThe fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
Report Post »sinsay7
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:01pmhe actually makes con artists seem honest
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:14pm70+% say they’d vote for an atheist, muslim, etc; while only 27+% will not (at this point in the poll).
Report Post »We get the rulers we deserve.
It appears the majority don’t care what kind of pig rules them. Which obviously begs the question: ‘Why are there so many complaining about BHO and his anti-America, money wasting, economy destroying activities?’ It appears that the greater majority of Americans (or whomever took this poll) are liars or truly don’t have any honest concern for their country or its people.
Lotus4115
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:17pmBreibart was an Atheist and so is SE Cupp. Not all Atheists are left wing whack nuts. There is no good reason be believe anthing on faith.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUB4j0n2UDU&feature=player_embedded
black9897
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:21pmYep. As long as he was a good guy who believed in freedom. We shouldn’t vote based on if someone is a Christian or Atheist, but based on their character.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:29pm@WOLF
I’m going to use the typical religious tactic that you guys always use when a verse says something that you disagree with and say, “the translation of the word fool is wrong.”
In the original Bible, when it was talking about a fool saying there is no God, they were talking about a fool spiritually, not a fool when it comes to intelligence. See, it works both ways!
People can lie to opinion pollsters about everything. It really matters what they do when they enter the voting booth. Plus a media that KNOWS a potential candidate is an Atheist would just keep bombarding the nominee with questions about science, morals, religion and not about the topics that need to be discussed. The answers that the atheist would provide would automatically turn off a lot of people and create a divide between Atheism and religious people.
One of the differences between me and a religious person is.
They can hear Newt Gingrich talk about consulting prayer to make tough decisions and relate to him and think it’s a good thing.
I can hear Newt Gingrich talk about consulting prayer to make tough decisions and think it’s idiotic to talk to yourself for answers, and then think they came from an invisible friend.
Report Post »Busybea007
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:43pmAn “Atheist” is NOT leave a question. It means “Someone who denies the existence of God”. period.
Report Post »I personally do NOT believe this poll. It has already been established that at least 80% of the people
in this country are Christian. I know the Marxist’s have been “working on our youth” for many years
to take “religion” out of their lives – but I do not believe they have been that successful.
Shackleford
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:52pmI consider myself agnostic because the reality of our world just does not fit with the Biblical teachings I was taught (I grew tired of Christians attempting to force the square peg of reality into the round hole of the Bible) and science that defines a god-free universe is filled with holes. Therefore I believe something else must be the truth, but I find the smug and oddly holier-than-thou attitude of many atheists to be very obnoxious. It bugs me when they go around praising science while exempting themselves from the Scientific Method when it gets too inconvenient.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:15pmIf those who would vote for a President who is an atheist who would be heading a country founded upon the precepts that God is above the justice that man can give, You are going to get just what we are getting. Those who were asked, hopefully are not representative of the whole U.S. for if it is, then we have lost this country. The next stage will be the wrath of God. So, rethink your priorities.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:16pmThis, hopefully is flawed because some people cannot read or think.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:27pmThat is your decision, so try using it to God before he throws you in hell for your unbelief and your willingness to follow after people instead of His goodness and mercey He has given to you. See if your people can keep the flames of hell from tormenting your corrupt soul. God created this world and all that is in. Those who fail to realize that men cannot be followed and put before God are putting their very soul at risk. The Bible is a roadmap to your salvation, so if you reject it, you have made your choice. You have been told, so when you stand before God, you will have no excuse. As for those people you are wanting to see perfection in as Christians, that will be no excuse either. The only perfect person died on the cross to give you a chance to have His Spirit come into your hear for the sincerity of asking and turning away from sin that is keeping you from God. Just remember not to look at the lives of others because all of us not not perfect and will never be, but we will strive to be if our hearts are right.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:33pm@BLACKYB
Crazy psycho babble.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:00pmIn whaterver activiity that you are engaged in… you bring your Faith with you… and Law procedes from Morality.
I Hope people like the HELL on Earth that they are Creating!
Report Post »totripoli
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:00pm@BLACKYB
Threatening nonbelievers with hell is hilariously ineffective.
Report Post »PROSECUTE_PUBLIC_SERVANTS__FOR_CONSTITUTIONAL_TREASON
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:01pmPrepare To Meet Thy God. “Every eye will see, every knee will bow (including atheists), and every mouth will profess Jesus as Lord.” The Holy Bible.
This poll if true is means two things. First, judgement on America is near and Christians should prepare for the rapture. “Look up for your redemption draweth nie.”
Obummer like Hitler claims to be a Christian but he does the work of satan. Obummer is an anti christ which is worse than a atheist.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:26pmWOLF — so anyone who is not a Christian is a “pig?”
And you wonder where the stereotype of the intolerant, bigoted Christian comes from? Oh yeah, I forgot, it comes from the evil progressive atheist Communist Muslims who hate Christ. Doesn’t come from your own words at all.
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:40pm@Patty, I wish you would change your symbol to a cross.. You are not Jewish. All you do is talk about Jesus. If you want to be Jewish you have to renounce Christ as your savior.. The Jewish savior has always been described to be fully human and born to a human mother and father. Where is your evidence that proves god exists? science has never proved one way or the other… The only thing science has done is show 1000s of lines of evidence that support the hypothesis of evolution as true.
Report Post »db321
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:27pmThis is the second time that I am convinced that Glenn’s Blaze has been hijacked by Liberals. This story is an out right lie probably made up by the Blaze Atheists Editor.
Please post other Conservative Blogs that I can start looking at. Britbart is not updated enough, but they would never post any of this BS. No I will never vote for an atheist. No way that 79% of Christian would vote for an Atheist – BLAZE why are you lying to us.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:44pmDB321 — so, since the majority of people who responded to the poll don’t share your intolerance, it must be a lie?
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:13pmWow, I’m shocked. I’d NEVER vote for an atheist, a Muslim, or a Gay person. I thought Blaze readers were more solid than these results.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:22pm@THATSITIVEHADENOUGH
Christian Theocracy.
Report Post »IgnoranceIsPathetic
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:34pmDeport that Muslim Obama back to Israel where he belongs!
Report Post »scotte5620
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:05pmSince our rights are endowed to each citizen by a “Creator” an atheist disagrees with the very basis of our constitution.
Report Post »That basis establishes the highest authority as the Creator over man and man over government. An avowed atheist answers to nothing for his acts in this life. It’s bad enough with a “Black Liberation theologist” in the white house.
One_Eyed_Jack
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:16pm@Ingoranceispathetic
“According to a World Health Organization study in 2006, atheists are 20 times more likely to literally EAT BABIES than anyone else.”
Like smashing babies against a rock, this is a tradition in some religions. If eating babies is part of my belief system, then you must tolerate it.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to check on something in the kitchen.
Report Post »One_Eyed_Jack
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:25pm@Affinity
“> Would you vote for an atheist that dislikes religious people and wants to end the free and open practice of their faith and religion?”
I don’t know a single atheist that advocates this. We would never advocate that religious freedom be removed.
The only objection we have is when people insist on inserting religion into government and schools. Praise god all you wish, but don’t do it with my tax dollars, and don’t force it on my children.
Report Post »Mr. Oshawott
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:22pmI couldn‘t care less if the President’s a Christian, a Buddhist, or an atheist. As long as he/she takes the oath of abiding by the Constitution seriously and doesn’t force his/her religion on others, I have no problem with the President’s religious background of any sort.
Report Post »Ragnars Repos
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:42pmCommunism and the church: two peas in a pod. Each has the same endgame (the destruction of free minds), just different packaging.
One says, ‘Sacrifice yourself to your neighbor (the state), so that I can control/own you.’, the other says, ‘Sacrifice yourself to the supernatural (gods), so that I can control/own you.’
Both are equally anti-life.
Why do you suppose the church is tax exempt? Divine intervention? Pious politicians? The church delivers the sheep, that’s why.
What a perfect scenario for power-mongers/tax-greedy pols: millions of ‘turn-the-other-cheek’, ‘love-thy-neighbor’, self-sacrificial ‘lambs’, ‘servants of gods’ eager to go to work/war for you.
‘God and country’, my rear end!
I’d vote for a rational atheist in a heartbeat.
Your choice at present is between a communist and a Progressive cult-member.
Good luck with that, Americans.
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:55pm@ Moderation… “…In the original Bible, when it was talking about a fool saying there is no God, they were talking about a fool spiritually, not a fool when it comes to intelligence…”
Report Post »DUH! And it doesn’t take a mnetal giant to understand that God is, either. It’s the mental giants who try so desperately to disprove God. Fools in thought and spirit.
PaineSense
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:39amFor all the athiests and agnostics (I once was one but now am found): look at the world around you. If you have studied enough in the sciences (the most common tool used by yourselves to justify your unbelief) then you know that every being, every plant and animal, every speck of dust, every atom in the whole universe appears to serve some purpose. Some things we don’t fully understand what that purpose is, but nothing seems devoid of purpose.
What assigns purpose to something? Intelligence? Humans can recognize purpose (created in His image) yet nothing else sees it, just performs it. Humans think we can give purpose but its more the realization of a pre-existing potential than a creation (there is nothing new under the sun).
Its very funny; the deeper we go into science, the more proof of the Creator we find…why?
Report Post »Science is the study of the Creators creation
MizuNo
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:33amHere is the root of the problem…you can not know. We have had a long string of self described “Christians” in the White House. (I think maybe all of them) and we are were we are.
Report Post »If an athiest is responsible for it…how would you know. If none of them were Atheists then…some where along the line we proved that you dont have to be an Atheist to ruin a country. Sooo…I think this poll is a red herring. Since the systems is broken any poll about the system will by its very nature be flawed.
black9897
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:28am@HOLYGHOSTBUSTER
Ben Franklin was not an atheist. Franklin was not a deist either. In his letter to Ezra Stiles (president of Yale) he said he had “doubts about Christ’s divinity” a true deist would not have any doubts and not believe in it. Now, doesn’t seem like he was a Christian, but he was a decent man.
James Madison was not an atheist either (at least, it’s not provable). He never really mentioned much of religion (personally). He was always friendly toward Christianity. I guess he COULD have been. But, we don’t know.
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:36amEven if you have the most ethical atheist on the planet–how could he ever support an American Constitution founded on a Creator, any not any creator but the Trinity. I don‘t want a president who’s only foundation is his own human foundation.
Report Post »StanO360
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:12pmNever would vote for an Atheist. Why would an Atheist even run for President? What’s the point, if our lives are just meaningless, politics is even more meaningless. Politics would be just a complicated social construct, life, death all without purpose or meaning. So why would I want that person shaping policy that is not anchored, believes that their actions have no accountability? Why would they even want to?
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:38pmWhich validates this comment: More than 50% DID vote for an athiest[in the 2008 election]
Report Post »wardaddy
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:45amNo to Islamist
Report Post »No thanks to homosexuals
No to atheists
disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:03amI’d vote for an atheist is I thought he or she would stick to his job and not push his “religion” on the rest of us, but we know they would. Just like homosexuals, atheists are forced by nature to recruit others in order to validate their worthiness. It’s never enough for them to live and let live – witness their assault on school prayer, our currency, Ten Commandment placards and nativity scenes across the country. Atheists are the homosexuals of the religious world.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:38am“atheists are forced by nature to recruit others in order to validate their worthiness”
Actually, i thought that it was you religious folk who were the ones that are called to recruit others to the flock. I don’t know about you, but i have never asked someone where they were going to go when they die, nor have i ever handed out a religious tract of any kind, and nor have i knocked on someone’s door to preach the good word of atheism.
Report Post »LauraRiffle
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:47amI think your comment is really sad and lacking truth! I, as an atheist, am straight, and never have I tried to shove my beliefs down any persons throat!
Report Post »neo@theskepticarena
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:23amwitness their assault on school prayer,
It is the Constitution that is assaulting school prayer – that‘s why it’s out.
our currency
The assault on our currency occurred in the 1950′s when Christian nationalists
(people like you) had their mottos added to our coins and currency.
The motto used to be “E Pluribus Unum” (out of one, many) – it included and welcomed everyone. But “you people” changed it to “In God We Trust” which excludes the 25% of Americans who aren’t Christian. Wherever you go in the world – religion divides people into warring tribes.
Ten Commandment placards
You mean the commandments that include “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me”?
In direct contradiction to the First Amendment which grants Americans the right to worship any god – are those the commandments you’re talking about?
and nativity scenes across the country.
They are only removed when on public property in violation of the First Amendment (which does not allow any level of government to promote one religion over another). You can have as many Nativity Scenes behind your trailer as you want.
Atheists are the homosexuals of the religious world.
You assume that is an insult because your “holy book” teaches you to hate homosexuals. You are too stupid too realize that being compared to homosexuals is not only NOT an insult – it is a hell of a lot better than being compared to bigoted Ghost Worshippers who believe that their little fairy world is real
Report Post »Bishopkilljoy
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:43pmOkay there is so much wrong with your statement that its laughable. 1. Atheism is by very definition NOT A RELIGION. 2. Homosexuality is a sexual preference not a religion. 3. The only reason we “Assault” prayer in school, which is a terrible word to use for this situation since we’re not attacking, we are protesting it, is because it alienates the people who DON’T share your religious beliefs, guess what, not everybody shares your beliefs. and finally 4. We‘re not attacking the currency we want it back to how it originally was where it wasn’t religious in any sense. It was changed from E Pluribus Unum meaning ‘of all, one’ to In God We Trust. It was changed in the 50s out of fear that if the Christians lost their faith in the U.S. we would loose to the Russians, which is also why Under God is in our pledge of allegiance. Well guess what, Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, Hindus, Atheists and all other belief systems out there besides Judaism and Christianity Don’t Trust Your God, and guess what This is America, we don’t have to
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:25pmDISENLIGHTENED — so, let me get this straight…
When evangelical Christians spread the “word of the Lord,” to win converts to the faith, that is all well and good?
But atheists speak of their own beliefs, that is “recruiting” and wrong?
Oh, you say you could not tolerate an atheist in office, because they would force their beliefs on others.
But when Christians do it…such as demanding prayer in school, such as demanding full control of a woman’s reproductive health, such as banning homosexuality, such as demanding Christian creationism be taught in schools, that’s okay and that is somehow not forcing your beliefs on others.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:38pmYou guys obviously don’t understand the use of metaphor, which is a common trait among at atheists and children. Some notes: To say atheists are the homosexuals of the religious world is not an insult or an indictment of homosexuals, nor does it mean homosexuality is some form of religion. It means neither neither atheists or homosexuals can survive without others to validate them, because they are narcissistic in origin. Many religious groups do not “recruit” – I’ve never had Amish, Taoists or Buddhists ringing my doorbell. ALL atheists spend their waking hours recruiting. A number of theorists have claimed atheism and secular humanism are nothing more than egocentric religions. There is no such thing as a “Christian nationalist” – Christians founded this nation. nativity scenes do not violate the first amendment. They upset the childish. “Religion divides people into warring tribes”? So does water rights, land rights, oil, coal, gold, silver, rain, good farmland, forests and skin color. Liberals tell us we went to war in Iraq over oil, right? How many wars have been fought between different races?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:18pm“ALL atheists spend their waking hours recruiting”
That may be the dumbest thing that i have ever heard. My waking hours are spent working full time, raising two children, and doing my husbandly duties ( killing spiders, taking out the trash, ect ). You, sir, are a bigot and an idiot. Congrats!
Report Post »stage9
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:23pmThis shows how completely flawed your reasoning is. Lenin and Stalin, Mao Zedong and Pol Pot were all atheists.
According to the book “The Black Book of Communism” more than 94 million people have died under the sickening lie of atheistic communism:
65 million in the People’s Republic of China
20 million in the Soviet Union
2 million in Cambodia
2 million in North Korea
1.7 million in Africa
1.5 million in Afghanistan
1 million in the Communist states of Eastern Europe
1 million in Vietnam
150,000 in Latin America
10,000 deaths “resulting from actions of the international Communist movement and Communist parties not in power.
Need I remind everyone that it wasn’t atheism that gave us “all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”, it was Judeo/Christianity. Everything you hate about Christianity are the EXACT ideas that gave rise to AMERICA!
Imposing an atheist agenda cuts your own throat! What you‘re saying this that you’d rather be ruled than free! Because atheism has only ever led one place — mass murder and starvation!
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:49pmStage 9 — Christians killed millions upon millions in the name of Christianity. Those tyrants who killed people in Communist nations did not do so under the name of “atheism” but the Communist cult of state. The only reason Communist managed to kill more than Christians was the advantage industry. Woe be to the world if such tools had been available to Christians during the Crusades and Age of Exploration.
You say it was Christian beliefs that gave us our freedoms in this nation. Perhaps you can show me in the Bible where one can find anything resembling the Bill of Rights.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:01pmDISENLIGHTENED –
“It means neither neither atheists or homosexuals can survive without others to validate them, because they are narcissistic in origin. Many religious groups do not “recruit” – I’ve never had Amish, Taoists or Buddhists ringing my doorbell.”
I’ve had plenty of churches in my neighborhood, Baptist, non-denominational and so-forth, come to my door, leaving fliers about their Sunday service. Evangelical Christians actively “spread the word of the Lord.” But, according to you, that is not “recruitment” and they are not doing need for the validation of others.
However, if an atheist simply speaks about their beliefs, somehow that is “recruitment” and a pathological need for the validation of others.
What utter hypocritical bigotry.
“ALL atheists spend their waking hours recruiting.”
Again, your hypocritical bigotry is on display. Evangelical Christians actively try to teach the “word of the Lord” but that is not recruiting. However, an atheist discusses their beliefs and you accuse them of doing nothing but recruitment.
This demonstrates that you are so intolerant that you dehumanize those you do not agree with.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:03pmDISENLIGHTENED —
“A number of theorists have claimed atheism and secular humanism are nothing more than egocentric religions.”
So, let’s get this straight…
I don’t believe in God and when I die, nothing happens. I do not believe anything more than that.
You, however, believe that because you are a Christian, you are among God’s chosen, and that you have a direct line through prayer to the Almighty Creator of the Universe, that He has a direct hand in guiding your life, and that when you die, you will find a place for you reserved in Heaven.
And yet, somehow, I’m the egocentric and arrogant one?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:18pm@stage9
Communist regimes killed in the name of the state, not in the name of atheism. If you want to talk about killing in the name of a particular religious ideology, no one comes close to the amount of death, violence, and horror that the Muslims and the Christians inflicted throughout the ages.
Report Post »IgnoranceIsPathetic
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:04pmAccording to a World Health Organization study in 2006, atheists are 20 times more likely to literally EAT BABIES than anyone else. How can we vote for people like this?
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:06pmBRUCE P. – I stand by what I said, that ALL atheists recruit. Not all religious people recruit. Most religious people quietly go about their religious lives believing and not bothering others with their beliefs. Atheists never go about their religious lives quietly. And I’m not a hypocrite, because I consider myself agnostic. I don’t know, and I’m not egotistical or childish enough to pretend I do. Atheists are passive-aggressive rebels trying to shove pies in the faces of religious people. They’re mean people.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:20pm@Dis
Report Post »Saying that ALL atheists are mean and that they all recruit is like saying that ALL blacks are thugs and that they all smoke crack. You are a bigot.
disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 6:28pmBRUCE P. – one last thought on the subject: when religious people do recruit, it’s almost always out of a sense of caring, of wanting to help others and make their lives better. Atheist recruitment is done out of spite, as a way to injure religion and the religious, who they resent and despise. Each new recruit is like a notch on a gunfighter’s belt – a fresh kill. Religious people don’t bother me. I don’t mind their nativity scenes or their quotes on my money or their songs. They don’t pose a threat to me, and they add a lot of beauty and good to the world. And just in case they’re right, I’d like them close by to accept me. The fact that they bother you and DISSENTNOW so much is evidence to me that you’re not as comfortable with your atheism as you pretend.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:09pmA VOTE FOR ATHEISM… is a Challenge to GOD to Allow the Nation to be subjected to Plague & Famine. So it is Written, so may it be Done!
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:09pmWell, thank you for telling me what is in my heart.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:15pmReligious people don’t bother me. Just like you, i am not offended by religious music, quotes on money, ect. Your gross assumptions are what bothers me, as well as your willingness to lump me into a generic group without the benefit of knowing me as an individual. That makes you a bigot. If you knew anything about me, you would know that, even here on the Blaze, i have criticized atheists for looking down on religious people. Stop being a bigot and grow up.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:31pmDISSENTNOW – Sure, I stereotyped you (a little), but you assumed, incorrectly, that I was a Christian, made up of all the things about them you hate, just because I disagreed with you. You were wrong. I said atheists are mean and passive-aggressive. You called me a bigot. Pie in face, like I said.
Report Post »holy ghostbuster
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:47pm@ Stage9 – Abraham Lincoln was also an Atheist, as is/was Lance Armstrong, Marlon Brando, Ernest Hemingway, Warren Buffett, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Susan B. Anthony (she had a coin minted in her honor, how ironic,) William Shatner, Ben Franklin, Isaac Asimov, Salman Rushdie, Thomas Paine, James Madison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Albert Einstein, George C. Scott, and Carl Sagan to name a few. So what is your point?
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:49pmBTW, I’m just messing with you guys. However, I make a rule of not poking fun at Christians. They might be right and it could come back to bite me you know where. I respect them for believing in something. Poking fun at atheists…..no repercussions there if they end up being right. Atheists pretend to know something that others don’t, without any evidence to prove it, and they normally feel superior to religious people. But, by not believing in something so strongly, without proof, they become believers in the very same way as devout Christians. They become what they despise.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:51pmShow me where i said that you were a Christian, as i assume nothing. By your own admission, you are agnostic. Agnostics believe in a higher power; they just don’t attach a specific name or ideology to him/her. I think that if you examine my comments further, you’ll see that i said you fall under the “religious folk” category. Agnostics are religious folks. You were the aggressive one, not me. Sorry, but i‘m rubber and you’re glue, the pie that you throw at me bounces off of me and sticks to you.
Report Post »P.S. Throwing pies is pretty aggressive.
disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:20pmDISSENTNOW -
Some dictionary definitions of agnostic:
a. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
c. A person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic.
I’m not religious folk, though I respect them. And you’re right, looking back I see it was BRUCE P. who made the overt assumption I was Christian.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:42pmI don’t care what a dictionary says. The dictionary still says that gay means “happy”, afterall, and the people who call themselves gay these days don’t mean it in the “happy” way. Everyone that i know who calls themself an agnostic believes in a higher power of some kind.
Report Post »cgnick
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:32am@DISENLIGHTENED
Report Post »As an atheist I am offended by your comment. I personally believe in the constitution and completely respect the first amendment rights of all Americans. You have the right to your religious beliefs and I will not tell you otherwise.
To connect atheism to homosexuality is pure ignorance. I can only assume that you scared of what you don’t understand and make no effort to understand those who are different than yourself. Oh well, it is common for the ignorant, such as yourself, to speak in such basic generalizations.
Howyinthehills
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:51amModern atheists, philosophically, come from two very different roots. One group, dominant over most of the last two hundred or so years, can be traced to French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857). Comte unsuccessfully tried to form a secular “religion” based on altruism. Following centuries saw “collectivists” follow his general approach. The altruism element was largely responsible for the socialist / communist blood baths. Thomas Paine’s birthday was celebrated by the English socialists in the 1800s. Another group, influenced by the enlightenment philosophers, took a different path deriving ideas of mans rights and individual freedom using rational thought. Our founding fathers were heavily influenced by this group, which is why the Declaration of Independence states “to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them” The idea here is that mans rights are determined by his nature as determined by God. This second group of atheists are antithetical to collectivists and very much in tune with individual rights and free markets. They think that morality can be determined by a study of mans nature.
The motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, was placed on US coins largely due to the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the US recognize the Deity on US c
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:30pm@HOLYGHOSTBUSTER
Ben Franklin was not an atheist. Franklin was not a deist either. In his letter to Ezra Stiles (president of Yale) he said he had “doubts about Christ’s divinity” a true deist would not have any doubts and not believe in it. Now, doesn’t seem like he was a Christian, but he was a decent man.
James Madison was not an atheist either (at least, it’s not provable). He never really mentioned much of religion (personally). He was always friendly toward Christianity. I guess he COULD have been. But, we don’t know.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:41pmDISSENTNOW – you’re telling ME what MY religious beliefs are now? Read Eric Hoffers “The True Believer” now, while you still have time. Something tells me you‘ll be knocking on your neighbor’s doors before long passing out copies of The Watchtower. You’re still stuck on the homosexuality thing…….I wonder why?
CGNICK – the atheism/homosexuality reference was what people who graduated high school refer to as a “metaphor”. I don’t expect you to understand it, nor do I care if your sensitive soul was offended.
Report Post »mikee2
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:43am“Just like homosexuals, atheists are forced by nature to recruit others in order to validate their worthiness.”
Gay atheist here and I have never “recruited” anyone either in terms of being “homosexual” or an “atheist”. This is just common misleading rhetoric by those who have such a rigid world view they can’t cope with the idea that atheists of homosexuals exist.
Atheists don’t go doorknocking trying to recruit in the same way many religious faiths do. Atheists do not stand outside churches and and rain down abuse upon those inside, yet at the last atheist convention I went to we had to put up with such rude behaviour from both Muslim and Christiand groups.
The thing about being an atheist is that because I do not believe in an afterlife, I know I only get one chance to make an impression on this world. I know that we can’t rely on a god to fix what is wrong with the world around us, that we have to do it ourselves, and that this is best achieved by working together to create a positive and cooperative society.
Report Post »I am more than happy to have a Christian/heterosexual leader or friend, provided they are a good and considerate person. I expect the same consideration as an atheist/gay man. Indeed, I have many Christian friends who I respect because they do not impose their religion on me. In return I do not ush my atheism on them. That does not mean we havent discussed religion before. It is quite reasonable to agree to disagree yet still have interesting con
Columbobear
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:02amWould I vote for a person that doesn’t believe in fairy tales?… of course. Would I vote for an atheist if he was running in place of Romney or Obama… yes! Would an atheist win in this day and age… No, people are still to small minded. You vote on a mans record and how he treats those around him. You dont vote for a man just cause he says nice things but has never done what he said (they are called liars) thats how you end up with an Obama.
Report Post »trinklefinder
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:38amSo you would vote for an atheist in place of Obama just because they are atheist? Isn’t that in and of itself small minded?
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:56am“No, people are still to small minded.”
Report Post »Seems to me these people present cogent reasons for why they wouldn’t vote for an atheist. If you took the time to read them you’d agree. But, instead you just insult them and put yourself up on a pedestal, without any evidence for why an atheist would be a better choice. Rebelliousness with no clear purpose is just petty, childish behavior.
lukerw
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:50pmProve… there is NO GOD… and you are NOT INSANE!
Report Post »Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:00amI would have no problem voting for someone who is much different for myself IF their primary focus was on governing in a constitutional manner and were passionate about it. I would not vote for a candidate whom I felt would be an activist for their favorite personal belief. I would have the most problem with a Muslim candidate because I fear based on the tenets of Islam that such a candidate’s primary allegiance may not be to America and American values.
Government officials should not see themselves as agents of social change. Their position on that would determine if they got my vote.
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:09ami agree wholeheartedly sir.
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:44pmThat depends. Was abolition a social change?
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:38pmFunny, they said the same thing about Kennedy being Catholic…
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:00amOf course I would.
Morality does not originate from religion — religion originates from the innate human sense of morality and sanctity of life. Religion is just one of the justifications for morality.
Good people do not need to be threatened with hell or tempted with heaven to be kind, honest, peaceful, and helpful. They recognize that these are natural qualities of a good person that make a better world for everyone.
Report Post »TyrannyNoMore
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:58amThen why are most atheists simply evil ??
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:00amYou’re giving your OPINION, and nothing else. Don’t present your opinion as FACT. You can’t PROVE morality does not originate from religion or that religion originates from the innate human sense of morality and sanctity of life.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:21am@TyrannyNoMore
Report Post »Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:58am
‘Then why are most atheists simply evil ??’
******************
It sounds like you have had some painful life experiences. I am not a mental health professional, but I suggest you consult one. It will help you put life in perspective.
dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:30am“Then why are most atheists simply evil ??”
They’re not. “Most” indicates the majority. So, you’re saying that the majority of the atheists in the world are evil. That is a LOT of people that you’re lumping into one category. Be a man and back up your claim. I want the names of “most” of the atheists in the world that you claim are evil.
Report Post »davecorkery
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:01amtyrannynomore.
Report Post »They’re not. You been ordered to think that way by a cleric who needs your dollars. Keeping you delusional is great for his wallet, not so good for yours. I guess the elders in your church who raped 5 year old boys were just spreading “Jesus gravy”, and were not evil, by golly, you betcha, wink,wink.
Faith is no reason
cgnick
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:37am@DISENLIGHTENED
“You’re giving your OPINION, and nothing else. Don’t present your opinion as FACT. You can’t PROVE morality does not originate from religion or that religion originates from the innate human sense of morality and sanctity of life.”
I’m so glad you figured out what a comment board is for. Based on your post above, you should live by your own advice.
Report Post »moonbat666
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:33amI agree. Those who insist that it is impossible to be moral without religion are very mistaken. I have been a recovering catholic for 30+ years and I can say that I am a much better person than I ever was when I was a member of the church. It’s like the line in the movie ET “be good”. Since I have become a “dogooder” my life has been so much better. And I don’t go around forcing my views on any religious people. My only message would be, if you talk the talk, then walk the walk.
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:47am@BAIKONUR, “Morality does not originate from religion”? What exactly makes something morale or amorale– group opinion/democracy. So if 90% of the population feels it O.K. to kills babies than all of a sudden that would be the morale thing to do? Christian morality is based on the ten comandments–these are guidlines set by God. Even though alot of Christians pick & choose how to “define” or interpret the ten commandments they are the absolute Truth given by God. Truth is not swayed by popular opinion. If you are an atheist what absolute truth to you is whatever you believe it to be, since you have no belief in a Higher Power. The atheist has no guidlines or laws except whatever he chooses them to be. Morality is whatever he believe it to be since he is his own higher power.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:18pmCGNICK – I was expressing facts. He was expressing an opinion. No one could possibly know if “religion originates from the innate human sense of morality and sanctity of life”, so to express that as fact is idiotic.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:59amWhat about someone who believes in a false religion?
Report Post »TyrannyNoMore
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:59amYou mean like climate change, for example ?
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:16amthat is one way to look at it – does cap and trade count?
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:29am@What about someone who believes in a false religion?
**************
A person throws a ball, and the dogs chase the ball, barking. Lol.
In the Pixar movie ‘Up’ the bad dogs who just follow the leader became good when the leader changed. Lovely movie.
Report Post »rray
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:10amSOY, it is not possible to falsify a belief. If a person believes a religion it cannot be false.
Report Post »Wolfpack01
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:56amAmericans kicked God out of this country 50 yeas ago. The time for wailling about Atheists is long past. I would vote for my dog if his name is not ObaMarx.
Report Post »Columbobear
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:03amI‘d vote for my dog too but I don’t think anyone else would… hes kinda racist!
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:17pmIs God so sensitive? Would he honestly abandon his children?
I am aghast at you guys. We live in the 21st century.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:52amhere we go with another my religion is better than yours story. Question -If Mormons are Christians why are they called Mormons
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:01amIf Baptists are Christians, why are they called Baptists?
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:09amwilly-Baptist read the Bible not the ‘Book of Mormon”
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:10amIf Methodists are Christians, why are they called Methodists?
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:15amIf Catholics are Christians, why are they called Catholic?
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:26amWhy do Mormons call themselves: “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?”
And yes, they also read the “Bible” They are generally good and decent people.
I’d rather have a Mormon in the White House than a marxist any day. I’ve known many Mormons and they all say they believe in Jesus. Who am I to question their belief?
In fact, if you want to question beliefs, do a little research about the beginnings of most churches. Some seem a little weird to me, but it’s belief in Jesus that counts. Also, some
Report Post »have drifted so far away, I‘m concerned about what they’re teaching these days.
Tindalas
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:39amStupid(steel(head every Mormon I have ever known has been a very trustworhty and faithful person…the majority of baptist I have know are two faced, do not live by their faith, gossip, promote dishormany amoung members, drink, curse, judge people, and the list goes on…as the Savior says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits” seems obvious to me who is more of a Christian….
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:45amBluebonnet
Report Post »Catholic means universal. At the Council of Nicea they voted on what they wanted to believe, hence “Catholic.” Since it came from the Roman religion it is called the Roman Catholic Church.
BTW: Most of the true christians were killed in the preceeding 300 years. Cut your history class to go have a cig, huh?
Baikonur
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:11amWho gives a cr*ap what anyone calls themselves, By their fruit you shall know them.
Mormons, to me, are no different from any other Christians. When they knocked on my front door in the US, I invited them in and I listened to them. I offered to buy their red book to study it further, and they said they would give it to me for free. They did not try to convince me at all.
They were very decent and polite. I think that the Mormons not only contribute financially to charity, but actually set up and run some good charities.
Nevertheless, stop with the idiocy, people: not all self-professed Christians are good, and not all Atheists are evil.
There are many fairy tales to believe in. I’ll keep Santa.
Report Post »Simonne
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:27pmWho cares what religion someone is? A person doesn’t have to believe exactly like I do. I‘m a Catholic but I don’t believe in all their rules, just like I wouldn’t with any other religion. I can think for myself & what I believe is between God & me & nobody else’s business. There’s too many people trying to tell others how to believe & I know God doesn’t care about such crap. Would I vote for an atheist? It all depends who is running against. If it was Obama, I would vote for the atheist if I agree with most of what he stands for politically.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:05am@BAIKONUR – I see you changed your avatar. (Where’s the red & white hat?) Ho, ho ho.
Report Post »NLN
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:51amYes I would. You don’t have to put money in the plate to be a good person.
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:38am“Why calleth me good? There is none good but God.”
Report Post »NLN
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:12amOk then Ramon.Lets call him a decent human being then.
Report Post »michael48
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:50amhe!! I’d vote for a tree stump over this chairman ocommie,arrogant, spoiled little twit…..no offence to twits intended…
Report Post »theblazerunner
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:58amwhat kind of tree stump…lol
Report Post »kcares
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:50amThe headline states 50%, misleading because the results are NO almost 90% and the yes is only 7%.
Report Post »neo@theskepticarena
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:04pm@KCARES
You don’t get it, do you?
Your own comment proves how biased and out of touch the followers of Glenn Beck are.
Report Post »You people aren’t even close to reflecting how the average American feels and your post just proved it.
Grubmeister
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:58pmI‘m not sure what you’re looking at. Most polls, including the Gallup poll place it around 54% yes. The Blaze pole is running in the upper 70′s. If you’re referring to an outside poll, post a link please.
Report Post »RedDirtTexas
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:46amAtheists came in just behind Muslims. I personally wouldn‘t want an atheist but it probably couldn’t be much worse than the Muslim we have in there now!
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:46amso, is obama a muslim or a communist? he certainly can’t be both. muslims, especially the extremists, are not fans of marxism or any form of socialism for that matter, as they hate equality.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:44amthis country and our laws was built on Christianity so why would anyone vote for anyone whom was a Christian?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:56amYou must have graduated from Beck University……..with honors, i’d imagine
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:08ammike – nice word salad there.
Report Post »neo@theskepticarena
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:14pmYou mean like the principle that Americans are free to worship any god they choose?
That one?
The one that is in direct contradiction to the first commandment?
Since that one didn’t go too well for you, perhaps you would like to take another shot at it and tell us exactly which Christian law our country was founded on?
(advice: after you type it and before you hit the reply button – ask your mother to check your spelling and grammar so that the readers don’t get nosebleeds from trying to figure out your English).
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:30pmMIKENLEEDS — I’m curious, if our country was founded based on Christian values, can you show me where in the Bible I can find anything resembling the Bill of Rights?
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:24pmBRUCE P. – You’re back at the recruiting I see. Shoving pies in the faces of Christians. Maturity? Nope.
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:42amSadly…no…
It is not that I do not think atheists can be good…great people or that they cannot be exceptionally moral…
But the truth is if you cannot see the revelation of God in everything around you then you are simply lacking something, especially in the area of logic and reason…I cannot, in all good conscience, vote for an atheist for public office. Nor would I vote for a Muslim.
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:57amYes it is like that guy Stephen Hawking trying to figure out the universe, but he remains baffled….. It is because he starts with the wrong foundation of evolution….. And all of the people that voted for Bammy have already voted for a muslim.
Report Post »ChristianM
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:23amPretty sure atheists are the ones usually exceeding in the logic and reason category.
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:11amwhere does logic and reason come into play when it comes to issues of faith? i guess you don’t have faith of any kind then, since your beliefs, in your words, are founded on logic and reason.
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:00pmChristianM
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:23am
Pretty sure atheists are the ones usually exceeding in the logic and reason category.
————————————————————————————
You believe everything around you formed from nothing and is an unguided accident?
Er…yeah…Logic and reason…
Without God you cannot have logic and reason silly, what you call logical and reasonable needs a set standard…Oh, I see…You do not HAVE a set standard so you BELIEVE you are logical and reasonable…That explains it…
Might as well go argue with the two year old next door…
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:03pmTheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:11am
where does logic and reason come into play when it comes to issues of faith? i guess you don’t have faith of any kind then, since your beliefs, in your words, are founded on logic and reason.
—————————————————————
Hmm…My FAITH is indeed founded on logic and reason. Why would I believe something unless I had good indications it was correct and true?
I think your problem is you are trying to make logic and reason mutually exclusive of faith. Why?
You misuse the word faith. You want to define faith as foolishness.
Actually a great display of the logic and reason of atheists. You prove my point. You just tried to make an irrational argument and you think you are absolutely brilliant with it. But no…Just foolish…
Report Post »ChristianM
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:51pmThe Milky Way (an average galaxy) has about 200-400 billion stars. If we average that each star has at least one planet (ours has 8), thats about 300 billion planets per galaxy. The Hubble Deep Field image contains about 10,000 galaxies. That image is only looking at about 1/2,000,000 of the visible universe. so if we multiple 3,000,000,000 x 10,000 x 2,000,000, we get about 6 sextillion planets in the universe, or 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 planets. So God chose our planet, out of 6 sextillion others, to create life and then send his only son, who is also God at the same time, to die on the cross to save us from what God is going to do to us if we don’t believe or repent.
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:21pm@Trolltrainer
Report Post »I am unaware that anyone, especially an atheist, believes the universe was created from “nothing”. Please post links where I might learn more about this something from nothing idea. I may be able to upend several laws of thermodynamics, making a tidy sum through sale of a perpetual motion machine.
It makes no sense to me or anyone I associate with. Most people, feel free to consider yourself not of this group, don’t know what may have caused the universe we currently experience. There are theories which continue to be tested. As I understand it, those most knowledgeable believe all that currently exists, previously existed as pure energy before being unleashed in what we call the big bang. Whether the universe is a recurring oscillation or an emanation from one of many “universes” is unproven. Hopefully, the LHC will give us a better idea of the basic building blocks of matter, which at that point we will have stronger theories to guide us. We may never know where the universe came from though.
One thing is certain however. You will never be able to find a credible physicist, or educated atheist, who believes what is randomly came from nothing. Please refrain from repeating this slander or you’ll risk being considered a lying idiot. I‘m afraid you’ve already done much damage to your previous reputation and would consider myself negligent were I not to help a fellow human being.
Signed,
Evil, immoral, possibly marxist, and maybe even a “person of c
APPAULED
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:55pmBelieve it or not it is the Republicans who are lying about being christians. They just reduced foodstamps for the poor to give it to Agri-Farms. How would Jesus feel about that? More and More for the rich and to hell with the poor. I am christian, I dont think Jesus would be happy about taking from the poor to give to multi-million dollar businesses. Yes, we should judge by their actions, not by what they say. As a result I will not vote for Republicans. They also signed a pledge to Grover Norquist who is anti-israel and he supports terroist jihadists that have bombed US interests for years and murdered thousands and thousands of innocent israelies and Americans. Why would a christian sign a pledge to this man? He also worked diligently to get the mosque at ground zero and he is trying to get the muslim brotherhood elected into office in Virginia and other states. All supported by Republicans. I believe that they republicans are the wolves in sheeps clothing. The bible says it will be very hard to get a rich man into heaven. Why? Greed? You dont know the real Mitt Romney. You just dont. He is responsible for so many american jobs being shipped overseas. Not just because o bain capitol but because he has taught american businessmen that they can make more and more money by shipping jobs over seas. All done WHILE RECEIVING TAX BREAKS AND SUBISIDIES THAT WE PAID FOR. The Bible says that we must never turn our backs on the poor, yet you are supporting it.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:41amI would never knowingly vote for an atheist, a Muslim or a homosexual for President of the United States.
Report Post »Just look at the current President. He is two of those that I would never vote for and look at what he has done to this country.
OhSuzieQ
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:53amSame here MomRules…
Report Post »NJBarFly
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:04amHow can he be two of those? He can’t be both Muslim and atheist. And say what you want about the guy, I don‘t think he’s gay.
Report Post »ChristianM
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:18amHa ha, nice catch sir.
Report Post »TRDOFITALL
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:42amI am a 67yo. Baptist Christian–That makes me an INFIDEL.. I have very close friends that are Catholic, Mormon, Methodist–all are Christians and all are INFIDELs. My Jewish friends are–You Guessed It-INFIDELs..
Report Post »Read the KORAN–the BIBLE and the BOOK OF MORMAN. It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure out that NON INFIDELS should NEVER be allowed in ANY type of Government Position.
chewfatlip
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:22amYou mean barry isn’t the first gay president who is an athiest muslim?
Report Post »brknhrt
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:11pmWell NJBARFLY, he was’t hanging around the gay bath-houses in Chicago for nothing.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:35pmBRKNHRT — just because you read it on the internet, it doesn’t make it true.
After all, there are plenty of websites online claiming Jesus was gay. And by your logic, it must be true!
And, I read online that both you and MOMRULES were both spotted in gay and lesbian nightclubs. So it must be true. Prove it’s not.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 4:22pm@chewfat..Americas 1st gay, atheist, racist, communist, criminal, halfwit, dogbreath muslim.
G.A.R.C.C.H.D.M. Though atheist and muslim don’t quite go together it still works for this place.
Pardon me…..Garcchdm, ptooie…
Report Post »BlazeGlory
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:41amIt depends on what the alternative is. If Mitt Romney was an Atheist I would vote for him.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:40amAs long as the Atheist wasn’t pushing an anti-religion agenda and stuck to the constitution. But, I doubt such a candidate would ever appear. The president does not lead the country as a spiritual leader, so it should not matter.
Report Post »Busybea007
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:00pmIn God’s world there is never empty space. If you remove something – something else always fills
Report Post »that space. I do not want anyone who does not have God in that space – because it leaves open the
space for Evil. Think about it. Most environmentalists are Atheists – but they “worship” Mother Earth
Most Communists are Atheists – but they “worship” themselves – etc. Just my opinion.
HKS
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:36amSince an atheist doesn’t have a prayer, I think Na Na.
Report Post »bharris0
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:36amWithout God, mankind has no moral compass. I would not want the most powerful nation in the history to be running wild without a moral compass.
Report Post »It is obvious that Obama is lacking in this area.
piper60
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:41amObama has used up the “vote for somebody merely to prove we aren’t prejudiced against their group niche. Our experience with first black this oe that isn’t all that encouraging-and atheist have been making themselves annoying of late.
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:44amYeah, I think we already have an atheist in there-he sure isn’t a Christian.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:46amThe nation is running wild without a moral compass and it actually has nothing to do with the president. It starts in the homes of individual Americans who let their children be raised by the public school system. It spread through corrupted Churches where the pastor‘s ego was allowed to outweigh the light of Christ’s teachings. According to the bible it is only going to get worse before it gets better, all you can do is prepare yourself and your family and try and be on the side of the righteous.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:03amDon’t be closed minded. My moral compass came from the belt accross my ass when I continued to do something immoral. Like it or not some people with doubts are as/or more moral than some who’ve seen the light. Besides, I’m on here all the time arguing the Just War theory of Christianity with Christians eager to preemptively commit genocide in the Middle East based soley on reports from the UN filtered through the MSM. Remember the debate when RP argued the golden rule on foreign policy and he was booed by a room full of evangelicals in SC? Remember the LIES from faith based GW?
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:37pmOh yes, because our Christian presidents have had infallible moral compasses…
Report Post »spellwight
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:47pmIt’s extremely easy to have morals without religion. Plenty of people do. Which morals are you specifying? Equal rights for all Americans? I believe in those. Actions that are detrimental to others like theft and murder, assault or abuse? Those are wrong. So is trying to force your individual beliefs onto everyone else. Everyone thinks their personal belief is the right one, so the fair and equal way is to keep the public secular and the religious to keep their little groups to their own space. I’d vote for someone who proves they can keep their religion (or lack thereof) to themselves and think of the good of the whole country, not just for those that believe as they do.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:33amits sad that Americans have an issue with an Atheist because they don’t want to submit themselves and follow another goverment when then American goverment is more than enough to deal with.
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:47amregardless of the MSM claims, most libs like Obama are die hard atheist. Obama worships his own brain, and that means he has a very weak god (little “g”).
Jimmy Carter is an atheist, and he teaches Sunday School. He no more believes the bible, than Obama does.
To be a true democrat, one has to deny the Bible. You cannot agree with abortion, welfare, gov run schools, gay marriage, gays in the military….. and believe the Bible.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:03am@rangerp: You state some good points that many gloss over. I would not enjoy voting for an athiest, and probably wouldn’t unless the choices were really bleak, but anymore they are so I really don’t know for sure. It’s it doubtful I guess.
Report Post »Busybea007
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:52pmI have an “issue” with the intelligence of a Atheist. Anyone who looks around this world and the
Report Post »Universe and does not believe in the existence of God – is not very intelligent in my book. They can
“blow smoke” all they want – but it just does not “compute”.
Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:26pm@Busybea007
I have an “issue” with the intelligence of a Atheist. Anyone who looks around this world and the
Universe and does not believe in the existence of God – is not very intelligent in my book. They can
“blow smoke” all they want – but it just does not “compute”.
Apparently your “computer” needs a better processor.
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:29pm@Busybea007,
Report Post »The day of your 4 bit processor long passed. It‘s 128 bit and beyond world we’re looking forward to.
disenlightened
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:33amSure, people will say they would consider voting for an atheist, but in their minds they would set near impossible hurdles for the cretan to surpass in order to actually vote for him. People say a lot of things. What percentage of people would tell a pollster they would consider marrying a person of another race, but would never actually do so?
Report Post »Busybea007
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:05pmYour right. I have heard several people say they NEVER till a Pollster what they “really think”. Especially during election times!! Mainly because they believe those Pollster’s are trying to
Report Post »“manipulate” the coming election.
Minnaloushe
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:31amThis article should have the usual suspects frothing at the mouth.
Report Post »supressorgrid
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:29amMy Constitution says it does not matter the race, religion, or the political persuasion as long as they adhere to the Constitution and protect the liberty and freedom of all. The first amendment says that be it a Jew, Catholic, or even Rastafarian, they can not force their religious views upon you or inhibit the religion that you practice. FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION!!!
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:40amDo you really think an athesist would believe we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights and for the support with a firm reliance on the PROTECTION of DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Report Post »Hrothgar
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:41amI’m pretty sure if an atheist or agnostic was elected who supported the constitution they would not violate it based on the premise that if the founders believed it to be so then they would believe in the founders. At least that’s what I would do. You don’t have to be a Christian or Jewish to be a good person, Judeo-Christian monotheism doesn‘t make you a good person and it doesn’t make you a fit for governing a country.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:06am@cassandra
Report Post »I don’t know what constitution you have but mine clearly states in Article VI, paragraph 3, that:
“no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States”.
Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:18pm@cassandra
Yes I as an atheist believe that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights…the only difference is who we call the creator. You call it god, I call it my parents.
Report Post »ReasonableQuest
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:56pm@cassandra As an Atheist I believe I am endowed by my creator (the process of naturalistic evolution) to have the same rights as every other person. Our founding fathers rejected the concept of “Divine Right of Kings.” No person has been given divine authority over any other person. Our founding fathers believed in the Enlightenment idea of “natural rights.“ When James Madison said ”Creator” he was referring to nature, not Jesus. As an atheist I also believe in natural rights. All of humanity have descended from a common ancestor, so no person deserves more rights than any other person, and therefore we should all be treated equally under the law.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:29amNo way!
If AMERICA does not return to her CHRISTIAN roots, we are done. We ARE GOD’s country by HIS design. Without HIM IN CHARGE, without PRAYER TO HIM returned to school, court rooms, public life, we are done.
Those who do not believe in GOD, who do not worship HIM 24/7/365 in word, deed or in spirit are lost; some forever. Like ISRAEL, without GOD, there is no real hope. The current administration and leaders of darkness evidence this truth.
JESUS, we thank YOU for lifting the veil of satan’s deceit for “those who have ears to hear and those who have eyes to see”. Thank YOU for “extra time”, LORD, to get our own lives aligned with YOU. YOU ARE A GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD. In JESUS’ precious and mighty name, amen.
Report Post »TheArbiter
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:58amhow come jesus’s name is never mentioned in the declaration of independence or the constitution? a generic term is always used instead. furthermore, why are you praying on a comment board?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:29am@thearbiter
“furthermore, why are you praying on a comment board?”
Because Jesus is a big fan of the blaze. He comes here almost every day. Where else would he get his knews about Rachel Maddow and Bill Maher?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:37pm*news
Report Post »Barringerlr
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:20pmI’ll just put aside these obvious signs of indoctrination and ask this instead. Why does it matter to you what people do in this world? If you’re right then you and everyone who believes like you goes to this eternal place of happiness (living forever sounds like hell to me, everything gets old eventually), and everyone who doesn’t will end up in the equal and opposite. So why does it matter to you? You have eternity to live your life with everything the way you want it, why care about these ~80 years? If anything, you should surrender this mortal world to the people you disagree with so that we can live in happiness now before it’s too late. That would be the loving Christian thing to do right? You’d be putting your enemies ahead of yourself, and still live forever in what you believe to be happiness. Or are you saying you don’t honestly think that you will get this eternal afterlife of happiness? Because if you do believe it’s real then you really have no reason to even begin to care about this material world, because you know (or at least think you know) that this is all temporary, you will get your heaven in the end and you’ll be there forever, so why not let those who you think will spend eternity suffering get our bite of happiness now while we’re still alive? Or do you not truly love everyone?
Report Post »holy ghostbuster
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 7:57pmWhy then is the Constitution in direct opposition to several of the commandments: You shall have no other gods before me (freedom of religion,) thou shalt not take thy lord’s name in vain (freedom of speech,) and thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s property (thought crime, again First Amendment.) If the country was a Christian nation founded on Christian principles, then the First Amendment would never have been written. The Founders wrote the Constitution to be secular in concept.
Report Post »theblazerunner
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 8:26amhmmm , let me see…
we have a muszlimm in office now, mormon next…sure why not.
since the president is nothing but a bilderberg puppet.
Report Post »with the voter fraud…who needs to vote.
morningzoo
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:59amYou’re quite the thinker
Report Post »hutchpd
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 1:10pmIt’s spelled “Muslim”.
And no Obama is not Muslim, despite what you’ve been taught in church – believing something is true doesn’t magically make it so.
However I support your view to not vote in the next election – may I suggest praying! Hopefully if everybody who thinks Obama is a Muslim does this then we’ll have some positive change in this next election.
Report Post »