Would You Vote for an Atheist President?

[MandaMeena]

white avenger agrees: But that miht only mean that he's not a very devout Muslim. I know Jews who regularly eat bacon and ham, and almost never

You make a good point. He's still not Muslim. But again, it don't mean a thang.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

Sure I would vote for atheists. I'd actually feel more comfortable that way, like a lot of atheists I'm sure. It's not like I wouldn't vote for someone just because they are following a religion, but if they kept pushing it in front of their campaign, I'd actually wonder what's wrong with them. There's nothing wrong with having your beliefs, but sorry, as soon as you really play them out I think it gets freaky.

 

[MandaMeena]

Man, I shudder to think what you guys must have thought of the U.S. 3 or 4 years ago... haha

 

[Crashing Doors]

Religion shouldn't matter one way or another and lately I've been a bit annoyed by ads--all by local politicians of course, as it is the season--that focus heavily on Christian values; half of their "platform" is "I believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman" and that kind of garbage. (Beyond politics, that kind of treatment of fellow people is SO far from what, IMO, Christian beliefs should be about... I hate organized Christianity!

And I can hardly believe that that kind of platform is even acceptable--seriously, how is that not a violation of Separation of C&S? If an atheist said they're against gay marriage for civil reasons (ie: s/he thinks it would make taxes go up, or something) then fine, I wouldn't agree but that's his/her choice. But a Christian making that statement is obviously motivated by "Christian values" and not by political stance. AGH!

As far as the topic question goes, I'll vote for whomever I believe in, as long as I think that person--whoever he or she is, whatever religion, parentage, background, etc--will do this country some good.

Off to work. Yippee.

 

[Mumrik]

Sure I would. If they were the person I thought best suited for the job, I would definitely vote for them. But I wouldn't vote for them no matter what, if there's a candidate who's Christian or Muslim or whatever I think is suited better, I'll vote for them. Easy as that.

Who I will NOT vote for is someone who pushes their religion in front of their campaign or worse makes their campaign all about their religion and its values. I get if you value for example the "normal" family with husband, wife, 2.3 children, a dog and a white picket fence but not if you use your religion as a reason/excuse for it. Religion should be something practiced in your private life and shouldn't influence your work, especially if you're a politician. Church and state should be separated for a reason and I think it can only lead to disaster if the two are combined. I'm okay with any religion as long as they don't shove their agenda down my throat, since what whoever believes in is their own business.

I'm talking about my own country here, obviously, not the US.

 

[Cohen]

I personally would definitely accept an Atheist as a political leader. I think we need much more separation in the government from the church. I'm so tired of all the "Christian values" crap. It's the "christian values" that get in the way of governing correctly. Conservatives are so close-minded to change, it's unbearable. I can't stand organized religion anymore, honestly. The mother of a friend of mine won't let her see an R-rated movie, even though she's 17, because it has too much sinful temptation in it. Really? Because as humans, we don't have the choice between right and wrong. And just because we see sex, drugs, and violence in the movie, we're gonna go copy it? As a whole, religion IMO seems to be a hindrance in being able to govern properly. There was a bill a politician tried to get passed in SC in order to give gays the rights to have civil unions (specifically civil unions to please the Christian masses, and specifically for gay couples to give them the rights they already should have), and the Governor decided not to sign it because he didnt want the fall out of letting gay civil unions become law in SC because he knew of all the conservatives who lived there. So it went to the House, and got passed over. And then the governor went to Argentina on the STATE'S money to have an affair. Damn, what awesome Christian values, Sanford.

 

[NY State of Mind]

What about Family Values...Would you vote for a single male/female..no wife/husband or kids?

 

[Flannen]

It wouldn't really bother me, speaking of voting for a Prime Minister in my country. I don't know whether any of the three candidates in our last election were of any religious background so maybe that doesn't matter so much over here?

Like many I think that as long as someone has policies and values that benefit your country then nothing else should matter. I'm a Christian and I have been for most of my life but I wouldn't come down on any politician for being atheist. As long as they're not hateful and rude I don't care whether a candidate is a martian to be honest.

Many of the comments against a Christian politician seem to be centred around the attitudes towards homosexuality. Sure there are some Christians of some denominations that are against homosexuality - and trust me I have plenty of issues with that - but being an atheist doesn't make someone more tolerant than if they were a Christian. Sometimes, due to religious labels, I think we forget that people are people no matter what faith they have. If a person wants to be hateful, they're going to be hateful Christian or Atheist. For the most part people aren't motivated to behave in certain ways or carry certain attitudes because of their "Christian values"; if they did every Christian of every denomination, every single person of each religion would think the same, and they don't, simple as. Sure some people USE their faith to make some kind of justification for the disgusting way they view and treat other people, but that isn't the religion's fault.

Any politician that makes me feel like they want to do more for their country than just eradicate financial anxiety and make calls on wars, is going to get my vote. But sadly, there aren't a lot of politicians in the world who are like that.

 

[LizzieRainbow]

It doesn't bother me. Im not religious and i don't see why someone should either have to or not have to be religious to be voted for. At the end of the day it's their policies and what they are planing on doing that matters not whether they belive in god or not.

 

[Cohen]

As far as the south goes, most people are very conservative in the south, so they're gonna want a Christian president because of the values they agree with.

 

[Washburne]

What about Family Values...Would you vote for a single male/female..no wife/husband or kids?

I don't see why that would be a problem. But then again what I'm thinking isn't always what a lot of others think.

What makes a person that's single worse at making decisions than someone that's in a relationship? Considering how many people that get in/are in bad relationships and get unwanted kids you could argue that singles have better judgement. 😉

Sadly I know a lot of people think that's there's something wrong that people that are single (too long).

I guess the "problem" would be to have someone in a high position dating or sleeping around with all secrets or possible assassination atempts. People having affairs is so much better...

Many of the comments against a Christian politician seem to be centred around the attitudes towards homosexuality. Sure there are some Christians of some denominations that are against homosexuality - and trust me I have plenty of issues with that - but being an atheist doesn't make someone more tolerant than if they were a Christian. Sometimes, due to religious labels, I think we forget that people are people no matter what faith they have. If a person wants to be hateful, they're going to be hateful Christian or Atheist. For the most part people aren't motivated to behave in certain ways or carry certain attitudes because of their "Christian values"; if they did every Christian of every denomination, every single person of each religion would think the same, and they don't, simple as. Sure some people USE their faith to make some kind of justification for the disgusting way they view and treat other people, but that isn't the religion's fault.

Very important point. Thank you.

 

[Flannen]

What about Family Values...Would you vote for a single male/female..no wife/husband or kids?

Personally, none of these things should matter but unfortunately in this world, they really, really do and that makes me so sad and so angry.

Values, become like labels, and that leads us to believe that the way a person lives their life, either by choice or not, allows us to make judgements about their ability to be a world leader, or a parent, or anything they we don't see fit for them to be.

If a there is a person who envisions and can enact a world/country that makes it better then who are we to dictate how they should live? The problem then, I guess, is that people differ over what would make it better. As far as politics goes, I'm much more interested in those that actively want to remove ignorance, prejudice, hatred and improve the diabolical lives that some people have to lead and if someone shares that same vision me, no matter who they're married too, how long they've been or single, or what sex/sexuality they are, they're going to get my vote.

And I should probably get off my soapbox now...*bows out*

 

[Kemy]

I would certainly prefer more secular representatives in the legal and political system, and for places like America who for claiming to be the land of the free to repeal stupid laws that prevent Atheists from even acheiving political stations above a certain level.

I support institutions like the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society who attempt to remove such overwhelming negative and backward religious influence in law such as the continued prejudice against homosexuality and so on.

 

[Professor Walsh]

Well, as I live in a monarchy there are no presidential elections here. I'd happily vote any prime minister candidate who does not allow her religious views to influence on how the country is run.

 

[InsaneMystic]

Assuming their political views are compatible to mine, and their general competence were equal, I'd vote for an Atheist politician as soon as for one of any other faith... but a vociferous Atheist (the likes of Richard Dawkins) would be a definite no-go, just as much as a publicly preachy Christian/Muslim/Hindu/whathaveyou. The less religion and state politics are mixed, the better - and Atheism rates as a faith like any other. (Indeed, I was not fond of the Bush Jr presidency, at all... glad when that mess ended!)

As for family values... seeing that I, myself, aren't much for marriage, heterosexuality, family and all that kafuffle, lack of all that certainly would not work against a candidate, in my eyes. 😀

 

[randiann]

Would You Vote for an Atheist President?

Depends on his/her stance on the issues I care about. A person's own personal religious beliefs are just that-personal. Gotta agree with Flannen (for some reason I can't rep you) and Insane Mystic; as well as many others on here. If a person wants to hate on others, it doesn't matter which religion they claim; they are gonna support their hate by using one excuse or another. I wouldn't vote for anyone whom I would fear would force their own religious/moral/any other personal beliefs down my throat.

Just like I wouldn't restrict myself from voting for a candidate based on political party or any other defining category alone; its the issues that matter, not the labels we place on ourselves.

 

[Harley]

I know most people wont agree with me here, but if I had the choice between a Christian President and an atheist President, I would vote Christian. I was raised as a Christian and I believe in those values. I would want someone who will make decisions that I agree with; the ones that I see as important or right.

 

[BuffyElevated]

The United States is founded on, among other things, the separation of Church and State, so I don't see where a person's religious beliefs, or lack of them, should be any sort of a deciding factor in his or her ability to serve as President.

I see what you're saying, but this country was also founded on Christian beliefs. That's why our pledge says "One nation under God...". This being said, if someone was Atheist (or any other religion) and wanted to run for President, as long as they could respect the Constitution and other documents from the founding of our country, I might still vote for them.

 

[Washburne]

I know most people wont agree with me here, but if I had the choice between a Christian President and an atheist President, I would vote Christian.

No matter what their opinions are or only if they're basically the same?

There's christians that think homosexuality is an abomination and quotes the bible. It would take a lot (if it's even possible) for me personally to vote for someone that's very outspoken about that and want to ban gay marriage or something, no matter if they're christian or not. But that's me and why I'm curious about how you think.

I was raised as a Christian and I believe in those values. I would want someone who will make decisions that I agree with; the ones that I see as important or right.

I think everyone want that. If anyone got another reason to vote I might be scared. It isn't as easy as everyone claiming to be christian has the exact values and opinions. Or am I wrong? What values does atheists automatically lack that christians have besides the belief in God? Which I personally wouldn't even call a value but due to possible language misunderstandings I call it that anyway. You want to call it something else it's fine by me.

 

[Harley]

No matter what their opinions are or only if they're basically the same?

There's christians that think homosexuality is an abomination and quotes the bible. It would take a lot (if it's even possible) for me personally to vote for someone that's very outspoken about that and want to ban gay marriage or something, no matter if they're christian or not. But that's me and why I'm curious about how you think.



I think everyone want that. If anyone got another reason to vote I might be scared. It isn't as easy as everyone claiming to be christian has the exact values and opinions. Or am I wrong? What values does atheists automatically lack that christians have besides the belief in God? Which I personally wouldn't even call a value but due to possible language misunderstandings I call it that anyway. You want to call it something else it's fine by me.

I'm not really sure how to explain what I'm thinking. With a Christian President (at least in an ideal world) I can trust that he/she would stand the same place I stand on abortion, gay marriage, etc. If an athiest candidate and a Christian candidate both had the same stand on issues that I have, I would still vote for the Christian because I'm Christian and would want them to advance. Does that make sense? On the same coin, if two candidates we running and they were both atheist, I wouldn't not vote for them because of their belief (or lack-there-of). It would come down to who I think is best for the position.