Why can't an atheist get elected president?

Originally posted by Agerg
I don't think people are "driven" to atheism. I'd have assumed one doesn't wake up as a theist and decide that one day they're going to appease their over-bearing desire to become an atheist. It's simply a case that based on their take on the available evidence, it is no longer rational for them[hidden](which given my phraseology here is assuming there exists ...[text shortened]... that I am The Gingerbread man; yet you'd hardly say I was driven towards that position.

I dunno, you may have a large current encrusted head with three jelly baby buttons.
Religious teaching exists irrespective of whether God actually exists or not. I have
always been a theist, even when i was young i would stub my toe or lose my money
and blame God.

Originally posted by Metal Brain
Most people seem to think an atheist cannot be elected in this day and age because people who believe in god will not vote for him/her.

I am assuming this is correct. Why is it correct? Do people distrust atheists? Why do spiritual people discriminate against atheists?

they get elected all the time, they just pretend to be christians to get christian support. it's not a big deal since most christians only pretend being christian anyways, this forum being an fine example. i don't think we have a single christian here. we may have one part timer though.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Yes I would say something like we are inherently spiritual but then you get atheists like the beetle and mikelom, who are definitely spiritual but do not profess to believe in a god.
Even if we are inherently spiritual, we still start off with wiped memories and only start to form belief systems about God when we get some cognitive powers happening, (b ...[text shortened]... say that we all start out as atheists, although we are inherently spiritual.
What do you think?

To claim that we are all inherently spiritual you are going to have to define what you mean by spiritual.

Many of the posters on these forums live in or come from countries with high levels of religion which means
significant exposure to religious ideas from a very early age, which make working out what is innate and what
is learned rather hard.

From my perspective living in a highly secular community and a totally secular family, my experience is that belief
in god is not innate, people need to be indoctrinated into belief.

However if you really want to look at issues such as this you need to move beyond anecdote and look at real
statistics.
People are great at spotting patterns, and even better at imagining them.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
i thought that in politics policy mattered, that is the actual content of what a particular
candidate is promising to deliver irrespective of their personal beliefs. Why a persons
personal beliefs should have a bearing on either their ability to make decisions or to
form a governing body you have not stated although without a doubt i suspect t ...[text shortened]... to deny
that they were motivated to a lesser or greater degree by their religious convictions?

I don't know why a person has to be religious to have convictions and be activists. It shouldn't make any difference but to some it does.

Here is a link to McLaughlin Group. You can watch last weekend's show on it if you would like.

http://www.mclaughlin.com/

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Australia has an atheist head of state, but you must realise that America is, well
America, and not representative of the rest of the world. I think it will be a long time
before such a thing happens in America where those silly evangelical Christians,
foaming with hatred for everything not of their own ilk, decry such as satanic. Even as
a ...[text shortened]... asonable than many theists.
In what way are spiritual people discriminating against atheists?

I don't get it robbie. How do you both speak about America and Americans so negatively when you don't know what you're talking about, and kiss ass all at the same time?

Originally posted by 667joe
Atheists are more than 3-4% oof the population.

Tell the truth, do you stutter?

Originally posted by josephw
I don't get it robbie. How do you both speak about America and Americans so negatively when you don't know what you're talking about, and kiss ass all at the same time?

He makes evangelicals like me cry. :'(

I believe there was some sort of computer glitch. I hit Post, and nothing seemed to happen so I hit Post again several more times, still nothing seemed to happen.Apparently, each time I hit post, it posted, but my computer did not show it.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
i thought that in politics policy mattered, that is the actual content of what a particular
candidate is promising to deliver irrespective of their personal beliefs. Why a persons
personal beliefs should have a bearing on either their ability to make decisions or to
form a governing body you have not stated although without a doubt i suspect t ...[text shortened]... to deny
that they were motivated to a lesser or greater degree by their religious convictions?

I really dont think that true Robbie. Good people are good people. I can imagine the same people being socially aware and caring whatever their relgious beliefs.

Originally posted by josephw
I don't get it robbie. How do you both speak about America and Americans so negatively when you don't know what you're talking about, and kiss ass all at the same time?

I don't get it robbie,

exactly!

Originally posted by whodey
He makes evangelicals like me cry. :'(

there are worse than you Whodey, much worse. you are at least willing to listen to
other perspectives, even if you dont agree with them, heck, you even are prepared to
ask thought provoking questions, ol Joseph is stuck in at around 1692.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
I really dont think that true Robbie. Good people are good people. I can imagine the same people being socially aware and caring whatever their relgious beliefs.

yes i agree wolfie, I was watching an interview the other day, an altruistic kidney
donor. I was amazed, the dude essentially gave another person a lease of life and
seemed to be motivated purely by altruistic reason. He seemed not to be religious at
all, or if he was, he did not mention it. That is not to say that a persons religious
conviction shall not motivate them to do likewise.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I don't get it robbie,

exactly!

Exactly typical of someone who calls others phony when they themselves pretend to know something about the other, when in reality they don't know the other at all.

Don't you realise that the more you attack and call others names the more you sound just like those you attack with your ridicule? It's no wonder you think you get along better with the atheists.

What would you rather have, a Christian friend who tells you to your face that you are mistaken, or someone who pretends to be your friend, but really believes you're just as delusional as any other believer?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
there are worse than you Whodey, much worse. you are at least willing to listen to
other perspectives, even if you dont agree with them, heck, you even are prepared to
ask thought provoking questions, ol Joseph is stuck in at around 1692.

I'm sure that makes whodey feel so much better.

Originally posted by josephw
I'm sure that makes whodey feel so much better.

it makes me feel better and should make you feel your bum.