Could an atheist run for President?

_Timmeh_

Would that person even get any votes? Seems what religion the candidate is plays a big part in the vote getting.
I don't ever remember a candidate for president claim to be atheist.

_binary_jester_

Would that person even get any votes? Seems what religion the candidate is plays a big part in the vote getting.
I don't ever remember a candidate for president claim to be atheist.

No chance. Many think that unless there is a threat of divine retribution, we feel we can act in any way we want.

MikeSEA

I think it's probably highly unlikely at this time. I think it's possible that there could be a candidate who is so charismatic and competent that they would be able to deflect it as an issue, but there would need to be some outstanding global issue that would need to serve center stage as a distraction.

At some point in my lifetime? Maybe.

vim_n_vigor

I think it could happen someday, but not likely anytime soon. Of course, if there was a candidate that actually appealed to the majority of voters it could be possible. Right now, none of the candidates appeal to the masses, but tend to gravitate to the polar opposites of each other.

Grimmerick

no no no, next is a female, then a black female then we can move into the atheist and alternate religion section, baby steps people lol.............totally joking just in case someone didn't catch it

SwannySez

Sure an atheist can *run* for President. Hell, I can run for President. We'd both lose, but that person would most assuredly get more votes than I did. Because the American people are not ready for what I have to say, man. Also because there's sure at least a couple hundred thousand atheists and a few more hundred thousand folks who would support the idea of a non-religious president and a few more thousand who are contrarian enough to vote that way just to spite both parties (i.e. themselves since protest votes NEVER work).

Whether an atheist could be elected? Not in this or probably the next generation couild an admitted atheist run and win. But I would like to think, even as the altar-boy buggering Catholic that I am, that we are slowly evolving to a place where we see people for what they can do and what they offer as opposed to which church they go to.

UponThisRock

Only way they would win is if they were running against a Muslim.

SwannySez

Only way they would win is if they were running against a Muslim.

At that point actually, Secret Order CRM-119 is engaged and Chuck Norris takes over as dictator.

BrettPGH

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

dragonbait0126

Sure they could run. They just wouldn't win or even get very far. I think the same could be said for someone who is agnostic or gay. The country isn't ready for it and there are too many people who would not be willing to look past that one trait to all of the qualities the person has.

vim_n_vigor

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

It isn't just atheists that should step back and think about that man.....

SwannySez

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

But Rick Santorum IS Pennsylvania. :bigsmile:

As a Republican and a Catholic I will have you know that it is my most fervent wish that Rick Santorum wins the GOP nomination. Only Rick with his magical belief can inspire an Obama victory on the level of Reagan in 1984 or Nixon in 1972 and force the GOP to face its demons and recognize that they need to completely re-tool the party even if that should inspire some of the more radical so-cons to break off and start a 'Everything Started to go Bad When We gave Women the Vote" Party. I can say that. I'm a Republican. And a Catholic.

And Rick Santorum is...well, just google him.

I'm sorry, I just joined the group and went running off the rails. I'll try not to do that.

_Timmeh_

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

Yea I thought posting the topic in there would only get one side.
And if you go with Mitt Romney, LDS....well that's even worse IMO.

UponThisRock

And Rick Santorum is...well, just google him.

he he

SwannySez

And Rick Santorum is...well, just google him.

he he

It never gets old, Rock. Ne-vah.

adrian_indy

At the moment, no. Too many single issue voters on both sides of the isle. The guy/gal could defecate gold, have 3 medals of honor, the voice of James Earl Jones and the face of Rock Hudson and people (about 50 % of the nation I'm guessing) wouldn't here anything past "atheist".

california_peach

Run, yes. Win, no. Certainly not in the current climate. That being said, there is no doubt in my mind that we have already probably had few Atheist presidents. How are we to know what is in someone's heart?

Azdak

I think a convicted child molester could be elected president before an open atheist could.

OTOH, a number of our presidents have likely been non-churchgoers or have not participated in religion. They just have never been open about it.

There is some belief that Lincoln--while he kept his beliefs to himself as he campaigned for national office, and while he attended church services with his wife and enjoyed reading the bible--was a deist or atheist.

Azdak

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

But Rick Santorum IS Pennsylvania. :bigsmile:

As a Republican and a Catholic I will have you know that it is my most fervent wish that Rick Santorum wins the GOP nomination. Only Rick with his magical belief can inspire an Obama victory on the level of Reagan in 1984 or Nixon in 1972 and force the GOP to face its demons and recognize that they need to completely re-tool the party even if that should inspire some of the more radical so-cons to break off and start a 'Everything Started to go Bad When We gave Women the Vote" Party. I can say that. I'm a Republican. And a Catholic.

And Rick Santorum is...well, just google him.

I'm sorry, I just joined the group and went running off the rails. I'll try not to do that.

Why should you be any different?

Running off the rails is one of our most effective forms of exercise.

fbmandy55

I'd like to see one try and what happens. I mean, how many "religious" presidents have we had that are openly religious people? I think they all just pick a religion and pretend. I knwo there are plenty of people who would vote based on THEIR religious beliefs but not sure if there are enough to make a difference or care about that quality in a candidate.

sdrawkcabynot

no no no, next is a female, then a black female then we can move into the atheist and alternate religion section, baby steps people lol.............totally joking just in case someone didn't catch it

I voted for Hillary in the primaries!

And Atheist can run... they just wouldn't win.

Elizabeth_C34

I'll throw my chips in behind "someday, but certainly not today."

Rick Santorum, an actual possible candidate said something along the lines of he "feels it's disgusting that non-believers are allowed to openly speak their minds." I'll have to try to dig up the actual quote. Made me red with anger. I hate that man.

I would hope that every one of you, regardless of political affiliation, knows that as an atheist you simply can not vote for him. I don't like making such a statement but he's clearly defined himself as an enemy of anyone who isn't catholic.

ETA: WHOA thought I was in my atheist forum, not debate group! Of course you all can vote however you like, I thought I was speaking to only my fellow heathens.

But Rick Santorum IS Pennsylvania. :bigsmile:

As a Republican and a Catholic I will have you know that it is my most fervent wish that Rick Santorum wins the GOP nomination. Only Rick with his magical belief can inspire an Obama victory on the level of Reagan in 1984 or Nixon in 1972 and force the GOP to face its demons and recognize that they need to completely re-tool the party even if that should inspire some of the more radical so-cons to break off and start a 'Everything Started to go Bad When We gave Women the Vote" Party. I can say that. I'm a Republican. And a Catholic.

And Rick Santorum is...well, just google him.

I'm sorry, I just joined the group and went running off the rails. I'll try not to do that.

Nopedotjpeg

Atheists will probably be the last of the belief systems (or lack thereof) to get voted into the presidential office. People can't understand that you can be moral without religion.

Nopedotjpeg

Oh and since Mr. *kitten*+Lube was mentioned.

>Be conservative
>Want to ban porn and contraception
LOLWUT?!

What happened to "government minding its own business"?

LorinaLynn

Not a snowball's chance. :ohwell:

But four years ago, I thought a dark-skinned guy with a funny name didn't stand a snowball's chance, either. I'd love to be proved wrong.

mikajoanow

My guess is we have had many atheists in the white house. Christopher Hitchens thought that Obama was an atheist.

Azdak

My guess is we have had many atheists in the white house. Christopher Hitchens thought that Obama was an atheist.

I don't know about "atheists" per se, but I suspect that most of them are too busy to care all that much.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

I want a gay Jewish woman for president. Or a ninja. Ninjas are cool.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

My guess is we have had many atheists in the white house. Christopher Hitchens thought that Obama was an atheist.

I thought Obama was Muslim... ::rollseyes::

UponThisRock

I want a gay Jewish woman for president. Or a ninja. Ninjas are cool.

Or a Gay, Jewish, Female Ninja. Iran would surely back down.

DieVixen

No you have to be a christian or atleast claim to belive in god in some form to get into office,which is funny since most christians are so so "persecuted ":huh: