Religious Vote

[PeteAtoms]

I'm curious about view points from religious people concerning the electability and rule of atheist politicians. The view that I've been hearing is that a lot of people think out of any segment of the population (race, religion, gender, etc), an atheist is the least likely to be elected into office.

I'm not sure if there has been or are atheists in the Federal or State level, so it might have already happened. But I think the statement usually concerns Presidential elections.

So, religious people:

If you would never vote atheist, how would your life be ruined? How would you be impacted in your personal life?

In what ways would an atheist cause the downfall of America, democracy or freedom?

 

[JollyRoger]

I just cannot imagine voting for anyone that didn't believe in Zeus.

 

[shadowplay]

I'm religious, and I'd vote for an atheist if their political views were in line with mine. I'm not terribly concerned about the religious affiliation of the people I vote for.

 

[Camikaze]

The Australian Prime Minister is an avowed atheist. But even then, that fact is often brought up, and it would've impacted on some votes. I (indirectly, kinda) voted for her. I don't think it really matters one whit when it comes to political office. But I can understand where the idea comes from. If you are assuming that your religion offers some form of higher moral basis for individuals, then it kinda makes sense to want your politicians to be members of that religion.

 

[Dachs]

I just cannot imagine voting for anyone that didn't believe in Zeus.

Aaand somebody's already said what I wanted to say, albeit with the wrong deity.

 

[PeteAtoms]

Yeah, I'm just trying to get specific fears that people have concerning this. I don't recall hearing anything specific, just the notion that 'atheist elected -> Bad stuff happens -> end of world'

Or for the atheist: atheist elected -> ??? -> PROFIT

Isn't it kind of petty and dramatic to lose the pledge of allegiance, 'in god we trust' on money, and react in such a paranoid way?

 

[Masada]

Far more problematic for me is that the Australian PM is the child of economic refugees: THEY TOOK OUR JEBS.

 

[GhostWriter16]

I'd vote for an atheist if I could trust them and they were better than the other options. It probably wouldn't be too big a deal.

Now, I would never vote for any kind of anti-theist (Someone who actually believes religion is harmful) however...

 

[Dachs]

Yeah, I'm just trying to get specific fears that people have concerning this. I don't recall hearing anything specific, just the notion that 'atheist elected -> Bad stuff happens -> end of world'

Or for the atheist: atheist elected -> ??? -> PROFIT

Isn't it kind of petty and dramatic to lose the pledge of allegiance, 'in god we trust' on money, and react in such a paranoid way?

When one elects one's representative in government, one should take care that that person's views are in fact representative of one's own. A presidential candidate that does not regularly sacrifice a firstling to Athena Promachos as I do is hardly going to represent me well in government, is she?

 

[PeteAtoms]

When one elects one's representative in government, one should take care that that person's views are in fact representative of one's own. A presidential candidate that does not regularly sacrifice a firstling to Athena Promachos as I do is hardly going to represent me well in government, is she?

That's a pretty good point. It makes sense to vote for someone who is most like oneself. Given two identical candidates, sans faith, voters will vote for the familiar option.

But if some freak occurrence somehow puts an atheist into the White House, let's just assume it happens, are religious fears or paranoia justifiable? I'm wondering in what ways the negativity would be justified with.

So specific predictions about an atheist president impacting your personal life is what I'm after. How would people react? Would people run to the hills to hide from the anti-christ?

 

[madviking]

I'd vote for an atheist if I could trust them and they were better than the other options. It probably wouldn't be too big a deal.

Now, I would never vote for any kind of anti-theist (Someone who actually believes religion is harmful) however...

I assume the second statement overrides the first?

 

[Dachs]

That's a pretty good point. It makes sense to vote for someone who is most like oneself. Given two identical candidates, sans faith, voters will vote for the familiar option.

But if some freak occurrence somehow puts an atheist into the White House, let's just assume it happens, are religious fears or paranoia justifiable? I'm wondering in what ways the negativity would be justified with.

So specific predictions about an atheist president impacting your personal life is what I'm after.

An atheist - or Christian, as it were - president is about as likely to impact my personal life as any other president, that is to say, barely at all. I don't expect the Christians to outlaw my religious practices anytime soon, and if they do, it won't be because of the actions of just the president.

 

[emzie]

Just ask Mobboss if he'd vote for an atheist!

 

[Maniacal]

I'd only be concerned if I felt there was a conflict of interest with their religion and their ability to make the right decisions in government. Otherwise I don't really care if they are religious or not.

In the USA however there is a huge evangelist/fundamentalist attitude problem which is a huge obstacle for any non-christian.

 

[GhostWriter16]

I assume the second statement overrides the first?

The statements are not related. I don't care if someone doesn't believe in God enough to not vote for them (Admittedly, if it were close to even I'd vote for the believer) but I would NOT vote for someone who believed religion was a harmful thing, even if they didn't actually want to ban it. While I don't necessarily need to have someone believe what I believe religiously to vote them in, I don't want someone who has no respect for what I believe representing my country.

 

[Dachs]

In the USA however there is a huge evangelist/fundamentalist attitude problem which is a huge obstacle for any non-christian.

No, it's not. I've never faced any meaningful persecution for my beliefs.

 

[Mango Elephant]

If you would never vote atheist, how would your life be ruined?

Well, obviously aside from the fact I'd have to answer to God on judgement day regarding my voting for an atheist, my life wouldn't be ruined. However, it is a known fact that atheists don't have any morals, so the atheist I voted in would do something like steal all the tax dollars and buy a new state in the Carribean or Canada or somewhere instead of fixing the many problems with America today. So really, I would be contributing to America's downfall.

How would you be impacted in your personal life?

Damn Carribean people took mah jawb!

In what ways would an atheist cause the downfall of America, democracy or freedom?

Nothing about democracy or freedom, but an Athiest would destroy America with his or her vile thinking and vile mind and they would have orgys in the Oval Office which would make the heavens rebuke America's place as God's Land and send our people into a horrible destruction the likes that havn't been seen on this mortal Earth since the judgement reigned on Sodom.

 

[madviking]

The statements are not related. I don't care if someone doesn't believe in God enough to not vote for them (Admittedly, if it were close to even I'd vote for the believer) but I would NOT vote for someone who believed religion was a harmful thing, even if they didn't actually want to ban it. While I don't necessarily need to have someone believe what I believe religiously to vote them in, I don't want someone who has no respect for what I believe representing my country.

The reason I asked was because there are plenty of anti-theist atheists. You made it sound like: "Yea I'd vote for an atheist, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T HATE RELIGION"

 

[carmen510]

I'm an atheist, thus I'd be totally fine with either a religious or atheist being voted into office, as long as they were the most qualified/fit in line with my political views.

I wouldn't vote for an anti-theist though, because I perceive that as a potential risk for religious discrimination; if I wouldn't vote for a religious fundamentalist that called for the Christianization of America on the basis of intolerance, why would I vote for an anti-theist that called for the banning of religion?

 

[GhostWriter16]

The reason I asked was because there are plenty of anti-theist atheists. You made it sound like: "Yea I'd vote for an atheist, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T HATE RELIGION"

Oh I understand.

But that's sort of what I meant. I would vote for someone who believed differently than me (Assuming, of course, that there wasn't someone who believed the same as me and also was just as politically sound) and yes, that includes an atheist. However, I would NOT vote for an anti-theist, meaning someone who hates religion or thinks it harmful to society.

Yes, there are anti-theists who are atheist. Frankly, I don't think you can really be anti-theist and NOT be atheist

In any case, I think Anti-theist to be more specific than atheist. Atheist is just a lack of belief in God. That could mean you don't think there's a God but you admit you could be wrong, you claim to know there's no God but you think religion is fine, you hate religion and think its harmful, you think its so harmful you want to ban it, or even just you are totally apathetic towards a God, but have never decided to accept one (There's considerable overlap with agnosticism in the latter case, a person with no opinion on God would be agnostic, but if they thought God was in any way less probable than there being none, they'd be an agnostic atheist.)

So yeah, there are a lot of different types of atheists. Some types I might vote for, others I would not. Anyone in the specific subset of atheist that is anti-theism I would not vote for unless I have no other choice. I think my post was fairly clear on what I meant.

Why wouldn't I? Simple, I don't want someone who hates my belief representing me.

Why would I vote for an atheist? Well, the short answer is, perhaps I wouldn't. I wouldn't vote for an atheist because he's an atheist, and if there was someone religious with political views that I similarly liked, I'd prefer to vote for him. But ultimately, simply having an atheist in political office will not do the country harm. If I agreed with him politically, and didn't agree with someone else politically a similar amount, I'd vote for him.

I don't think its really possible I could agree politically with an anti-theist, simply being an anti-theist would make one oppose many things I support and vice versa. But even if they could, I don't want someone who hates my belief representing me.