Survey: US voters would prefer Muslim president over an atheist

[manifold]

It shows that Americans are in the habit of discriminating on the basis of religion.

And then some.

 

[manifold]

Okay, America's gone mad. Good to know.

No shit. I'd take an atheist over a muzzie every time.

you would?

Why"? What have you got against the Muslim Religion?

I don't like it's politics.

 

[Jarhead]

Most athiests I know criticize those that believe in God...regardless of religion.
NO member of any religion that I know, criticize atheists for their lack of beleif in a God.

I guess you don't know many Christians.

I stay away from the far right religious groups....

I know many Christians...

I guess you know of only those that make the news.....maybe?

 

[Charles_Main]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

 

[Inthemiddle]

I stay away from the far right religious groups....

I know many Christians...

I guess you know of only those that make the news.....maybe?

No, I know a good many Christians. Some are pretty indifferent to people's religious differences. Some are generally good people but given the opportunity will "remind" you that you're "wrong" if you don't believe as they do. And then there's the ones (I've encountered quite a few unfortunately) who insist on accusing me of worshiping Satan. Which is funny, because the only people who believe in Satan are Christians. I certainly don't.

 

[Photonic]

I like my question better. Moreso given your inability/unwillingness to address it.

Someone answered your relatively pathetic question.

And in the context of my statement they are misunderstanding atheism.

Why would you conclude that that a misunderstanding of atheism is the reason for the level of discomfort illustrated by the survey?

Misinformation spreads, with it misunderstanding based on that misinformation.

Their level of discomfort is usually based on the premise that;

A. Atheists do not believe in anything whatsoever.

False. Buddhists are considered atheist if they follow non-deistic Buddhism, which is most common. You can be spiritual and be an atheist.

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

C. Atheists are Satanic.

Fun, but also false. Pretty sure I haven't been going around breathing fire and eating infant children.

There are a few others I can go into but these are usually the ones I come against.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Most athiests I know criticize those that believe in God...regardless of religion.
NO member of any religion that I know, criticize atheists for their lack of beleif in a God.

Thus why people are not fans of athiests. It has nothing to do with their lack of belief in God. It has to do with their attitude toward people that think differently than them.

I have no idea what world you live in, not this one.

There's asshole atheists who call believers silly, stupid, whatever.

There's asshole believers of all god(s) who call non-believers hellbound, heathens, infidels etc.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

I would say that there are many reasonable people who probably have this kind of concern. But there are a great many people who actually think that the nation should be run by people specifically of their own religious persuasion, a la Robert Jeffress and the like. Fortunately, I believe that those people are a decreasing portion of the community.

 

[Photonic]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

I trust more in a person who has their own set of internalized morals that they adhere too, rather than something shoved down their throat.


A VAST, and I mean absolutely VAST majority of those who commit crime are those same people you just described.

 

[Charles_Main]

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

It makes no sense? You can't see how believing in a god that will punish you with eternity in Hell if you are not Moral, might make one more likely to be moral?

lol

Don't get me wrong, I am an agnostic myself, and I know you don't have to believe in God to have Morals, but I can see why a person who does believe in god, and an eternity of consequences for being immoral, May think someone who does not believe might be less inclined to be Moral.

 

[Charles_Main]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

A VAST, and I mean absolutely VAST majority of those who commit crime are those same people you just described.

well gee braniac, A Vast and I do mean Absolutely Vast Majority of People in this country are those people I described so of course they are going to commit the most crime. 89% of Americans profess to believe in some sort of God.

 

[manifold]

Someone answered your relatively pathetic question.

And in the context of my statement they are misunderstanding atheism.

Why would you conclude that that a misunderstanding of atheism is the reason for the level of discomfort illustrated by the survey?

Misinformation spreads, with it misunderstanding based on that misinformation.

Their level of discomfort is usually based on the premise that;

A. Atheists do not believe in anything whatsoever.

False. Buddhists are considered atheist if they follow non-deistic Buddhism, which is most common. You can be spiritual and be an atheist.

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

C. Atheists are Satanic.

Fun, but also false. Pretty sure I haven't been going around breathing fire and eating infant children.

There are a few others I can go into but these are usually the ones I come against.

I agree with point A that people believe that atheists do no believe in anything. But of course how can you blame them when that's the precise dictionary definition.

As for B & C they're just horseshit strawmen.

 

[Photonic]

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

It makes no sense? You can't see how believing in a god that will punish you with eternity in Hell if you are not Moral, might make one more likely to be moral?

lol

Don't get me wrong, I am an agnostic myself, and I know you don't have to believe in God to have Morals, but I can see why a person who does believe in god, and an eternity of consequences for being immoral, May think someone who does not believe might be less inclined to be Moral.

Excuse me, but do you see an all loving God punishing someone with infinite torture for a finite crime moral?

 

[Dr.Drock]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

There's believers who think they get a pass because they're a believer, the one hour a week type of religious people.




There's people of all kind who lack accountability, giving a bigotted reason why you think that only applies to people of one set of beliefs or non-beliefs is frankly pathetic and immoral.

 

[Photonic]

Why would you conclude that that a misunderstanding of atheism is the reason for the level of discomfort illustrated by the survey?

Misinformation spreads, with it misunderstanding based on that misinformation.

Their level of discomfort is usually based on the premise that;

A. Atheists do not believe in anything whatsoever.

False. Buddhists are considered atheist if they follow non-deistic Buddhism, which is most common. You can be spiritual and be an atheist.

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

C. Atheists are Satanic.

Fun, but also false. Pretty sure I haven't been going around breathing fire and eating infant children.

There are a few others I can go into but these are usually the ones I come against.

I agree with point A that people believe that atheists do no believe in anything. But of course how can you blame them when that's the precise dictionary definition.

As for B & C they're just horseshit strawmen.

Except you are wrong, Sir. (just about the definition. )

The definition is a lack of belief in a deity.

 

[Dr.Drock]

B. Atheists can't have morals because they don't believe in something that gives morals to them. (Makes no sense I know, but this is often the case of reasoning)

It makes no sense? You can't see how believing in a god that will punish you with eternity in Hell if you are not Moral, might make one more likely to be moral?

lol

Don't get me wrong, I am an agnostic myself, and I know you don't have to believe in God to have Morals, but I can see why a person who does believe in god, and an eternity of consequences for being immoral, May think someone who does not believe might be less inclined to be Moral.

What do morals matter? Most religions I've heard of say you can live your whole life immorally as long as at the end of it you're a believer and you ask the correct god and/or prophet for forgiveness.

 

[Inthemiddle]

It makes no sense? You can't see how believing in a god that will punish you with eternity in Hell if you are not Moral, might make one more likely to be moral?

Taking one look at all those pedophile priests out there, no I can't make sense of that.

That's not to say that I don't understand their position. But understanding their position does not mean that you agree it actually makes sense.[/QUOTE]

 

[Photonic]

Accountability is why people don't trust Atheists. The way people that believe in a higher power see it. If you don't believe in one, then when you alone are there to judge your actions, and keep you honest. They, rightly or Wrongly believe that someone who believes in a God is likely to be more Trustworthy.

A VAST, and I mean absolutely VAST majority of those who commit crime are those same people you just described.

well gee braniac, A Vast and I do mean Absolutely Vast Majority of People in this country are those people I described so of course they are going to commit the most crime. 89% of Americans profess to believe in some sort of God.

Thankfully I did not invent this statistic.

Denise Golumbaski, Research Analyst for the Federal Bureau of Prisons released the following numbers in 1997 under the Freedom of Information Act. take a look:

Response Number %
---------------------------- --------
Catholic 29267 39.164%
Protestant 26162 35.008%
Muslim 5435 7.273%
American Indian 2408 3.222%
Nation 1734 2.320%
Rasta 1485 1.987%
Jewish 1325 1.773%
Church of Christ 1303 1.744%
Pentecostal 1093 1.463%
Moorish 1066 1.426%
Buddhist 882 1.180%
Jehovah Witness 665 0.890%
Adventist 621 0.831%
Orthodox 375 0.502%
Mormon 298 0.399%
Scientology 190 0.254%
Atheist 156 0.209%
Hindu 119 0.159%
Santeria 117 0.157%
Sikh 14 0.019%
Bahai 9 0.012%
Krishna 7 0.009%
---------------------------- --------
Total Known Responses 74731 100.001% (rounding to 3 digits does this)

Unknown/No Answer 18381
----------------------------
Total Convicted 93112 80.259% (74731) prisoners' religion is known.

Held in Custody 3856 (not surveyed due to temporary custody)
----------------------------
Total In Prisons 96968

 

[Inthemiddle]

well gee braniac, A Vast and I do mean Absolutely Vast Majority of People in this country are those people I described so of course they are going to commit the most crime. 89% of Americans profess to believe in some sort of God.

Right, so if 89% of criminals believe in God, then such belief does not actually do anything to establish morality in a person.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Go to a commie meeting.....you'll find plenty of atheists.....

which is probably why most Americans won't elect an atheist....commies are against religion...except of course when it suits using religion....kinda like our Prez does....