Atheism in the USA

I was searching through Wikipedia when I found a rather depressing article.
(Yes, I know Wikipedia isn't always accurate, etc...)

"A Gallup Poll released in 2007[39] indicates that 53% of Americans would refuse to vote for an atheist as president, up from 48% in 1987 and 1999."

I just think that's absolutely ridiculous... I can see Americans not wanting to vote for satanists and such other religions that may directly conflict with their own personal views, but I don't see why they wouldn't want an atheist as president.

"George H.W. Bush, as presidential nominee for the Republican party; 1987-AUG-27: "No, I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God." 1"
From here.
Now I know that this is the quote of just one man, so I won't hold much weight to it.

What are your thoughts on atheism? Specifically atheism in the USA.

((I'm a Canadian atheist.))

My opinion: Government and religion should not mix at all.lycrof

^Wow nice job not reading the post... (coolballer)

Freedom has nothing to do with American view points on Atheists and non-religious people. It sickens me that Atheists are looked at as "immoral" and "hideous" people... what have we done? There was this show (created by the same man that did Supersize Me) that had an Atheist live with a Christian family. (The first part of the episode) and it was disgusting how these people viewed Atheist...

What I find odd is how many people think that because you are an atheist it means you cannot be religious in any way. Not to mention the freedom of religion...

[QUOTE="lycrof"]My opinion: Government and religion should not mix at all.foxhound_fox

Generally you can be agnostic (not believing that existence in a god/deity can be proved/disproved) and religious, though being atheist (actively denying the existence of a deity/god) and religious is difficult for most religions.

Generally you can be agnostic (not believing that existence in a god/deity can be proved/disproved) and religious, though being atheist (actively denying the existence of a deity/god) and religious is difficult for most religions.
bossyj1234

As a christian, I don't mind what you are, as long as there is mutual respect. I would vote for an athiest if he was the best man for the job.Ravirr

[QUOTE="Ravirr"]As a christian, I don't mind what you are, as long as there is mutual respect. I would vote for an athiest if he was the best man for the job.bobstos

Ignorance.

Congratulations, you're not a moron, but 53% of American voters probably are. I'm not a theist but I'm not an atheist either. I'm not gonna pretend I'm right. Rather than assume what I can't prove I prefer to go with the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't brag about being an athiest either. There never was reason to and there never will be. Nobody cares except for religious fanatics.

Going around informing people that you're athiest is the same as telling people you're heterosexual, for absolutely no reason. Nobody cares.

Congratulations, you're not a moron, but 53% of American voters probably are. I'm not a theist but I'm not an atheist either. I'm not gonna pretend I'm right. Rather than assume what I can't prove I prefer to go with the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't brag about being an athiest either. There never was reason to and there never will be. Nobody cares except for religious fanatics.

Going around informing people that you're athiest is the same as telling people you're heterosexual, for absolutely no reason. Nobody cares.

MagnumPI

haha, interesting way of putting it

[QUOTE="bossyj1234"]Generally you can be agnostic (not believing that existence in a god/deity can be proved/disproved) and religious, though being atheist (actively denying the existence of a deity/god) and religious is difficult for most religions.
foxhound_fox

That's a great point... I can't believe I didn't think of that.

Going around informing people that you're athiest is the same as telling people you're heterosexual, for absolutely no reason. Nobody cares.MagnumPI

Congratulations, you're not a moron, but 53% of American voters probably are. I'm not a theist but I'm not an atheist either. I'm not gonna pretend I'm right. Rather than assume what I can't prove I prefer to go with the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't brag about being an athiest either. There never was reason to and there never will be. Nobody cares except for religious fanatics.

Going around informing people that you're athiest is the same as telling people you're heterosexual, for absolutely no reason. Nobody cares.

MagnumPI

I was simply stating that I'm an atheist for clarity's sake; I wouldn't want anyone thinking I'm a christian and have a misconstrued conception of my topic...

[QUOTE="bobstos"][QUOTE="Ravirr"]As a christian, I don't mind what you are, as long as there is mutual respect. I would vote for an athiest if he was the best man for the job.gasmaskman

Ignorance.

I'm agnostic and NOT gaygobo212

Is that possible?

Its a joke...

[QUOTE="gasmaskman"]

[QUOTE="bobstos"][QUOTE="Ravirr"]As a christian, I don't mind what you are, as long as there is mutual respect. I would vote for an athiest if he was the best man for the job.MagnumPI

Ignorance.

I would say it's ignorance since people view Atheists as immoral and "shallow-minded" when they know nothing of Atheism.

What are your thoughts on atheism? Specifically atheism in the USA.

((I'm a Canadian atheist.))

bossyj1234

God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

[QUOTE="bossyj1234"]

What are your thoughts on atheism? Specifically atheism in the USA.

((I'm a Canadian atheist.))

MrGeezer

God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

[QUOTE="bossyj1234"]

What are your thoughts on atheism? Specifically atheism in the USA.

((I'm a Canadian atheist.))

MrGeezer

God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

MrGeezer

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"]God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

foxhound_fox

Haha, yeah.

It's like, maybe they wouldn't hate America so much if they didn't have to leave America just to get married/

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"][QUOTE="MrGeezer"]God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

MrGeezer

Haha, yeah.

It's like, maybe they wouldn't hate America so much if they didn't have to leave America just to get married/

[QUOTE="MagnumPI"][QUOTE="gasmaskman"]

[QUOTE="bobstos"][QUOTE="Ravirr"]As a christian, I don't mind what you are, as long as there is mutual respect. I would vote for an athiest if he was the best man for the job.gasmaskman

Ignorance.

I would say it's ignorance since people view Atheists as immoral and "shallow-minded" when they know nothing of Atheism.

Must everything be a science project? Can we keep it simple? There isn't much to atheism that needs to be discussed because theists only care about one thing. And that is... an Athiest is not theist. They are non-religious. Same difference between sexual & Asexual.

I'm so sick of these topics!xSIZEMATTER

[QUOTE="xSIZEMATTER"]I'm so sick of these topics!MagnumPI

Both of them.

Funny, a satanist would probably fit in comfortable with most Americans :lol:X360PS3AMD05

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"][QUOTE="bossyj1234"]

What are your thoughts on atheism? Specifically atheism in the USA.

((I'm a Canadian atheist.))

wemhim

God help you if you're a gay atheist.

Or even worse, a gay black woman atheist.

My GOD. Someone call the police because I can hear the skinheads ALREADY.

I'm sure its in the constitution that religion should be separate from polotics. None of them ever folow it though.

Although I'm from the UK, so I dunno, I might be wrong.

Hail Satan? My opinion: Government and religion should not mix at all.lycrof

isn't there a law against church and state unionizing?

Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation;

all of which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, even if religion vanished;

but religious superstition dismounts all these and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.

It's coming to America first,
the cradle of the best and of the worst.
It's here they got the range
and the machinery for change
and it's here they got the spiritual thirst.

This might be a bit of a tangent but "Yeah, Atheism rocks!" as the only pro-atheistic choice was, to me at least, a little embarassing. I'm an atheist but like a lot of Christians I don't feel like I have to talk about it 24/7. The same way some Christians have this sort of quiet superiority complex going on where they pity us because we're all going to hell, I have a quiet superiority complex where I pity their wasted lives. Apart from it's not that quiet now I've posted it on the internets.

This might be a bit of a tangent but "Yeah, Atheism rocks!" as the only pro-atheistic choice was, to me at least, a little embarassing. I'm an atheist but like a lot of Christians I don't feel like I have to talk about it 24/7. The same way some Christians have this sort of quiet superiority complex going on where they pity us because we're all going to hell, I have a quiet superiority complex where I pity their wasted lives. Apart from it's not that quiet now I've posted it on the internets.

peterwantspie