http://stormyscorner.com/2007/02/would-you-prefer-a-homosexual-president-or-an-atheist-one.html Mon, 21 May 2012 13:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://stormyscorner.com/2007/02/would-you-prefer-a-homosexual-president-or-an-atheist-one.html/comment-page-1#comment-1409 Stormy Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:32:44 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2007/02/would-you-prefer-a-homosexual-president-or-an-atheist-one.html#comment-1409 Chris, That's a really good point - when atheists are vocal they generally sound condescending. Stormy Chris,
That’s a really good point – when atheists are vocal they generally sound condescending.
Stormy

]]> http://stormyscorner.com/2007/02/would-you-prefer-a-homosexual-president-or-an-atheist-one.html/comment-page-1#comment-1408 Chris P. Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:54:50 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2007/02/would-you-prefer-a-homosexual-president-or-an-atheist-one.html#comment-1408 I think one reason that the notion of an atheist President is unattractive to some people is because -- whether they are service goers or not -- the idea of God provides them with their conception of right and wrong, good and evil. The President will be faced with such questions on a monumental scale that will affect everyone. If he or she has no conception of God or a higher power, many wonder just where will he or she turn for guidance. Another reason may be that many people's exposure to atheists and atheism is unpleasant given how many atheists look down on and attack belief in God or a higher power. Many online atheist websites and blogs, for example, regularly characterize Christianity or faith as a mental disease or defect, something no reasonable person could believe in, something that is the cause of much of the world's evil. Religion to them is just a virus of the mind (or "meme") propagating itself among the gullible. Another example would be books like Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion, whose title apparently captures the tone of his reaction to theistic belief. As a result of this, theists may ask, "If so many (and so prominent) atheists think that theists -- the vast majority of the population -- are mentally defective and clueless and delusional, why should I elect one as President and trust him or her with protecting my values and way of life?" Of course there are nice atheists who are good people and can respect the beliefs of others, but they are not the most vocal and the rest of have given atheism a bad name. I think one reason that the notion of an atheist President is unattractive to some people is because — whether they are service goers or not — the idea of God provides them with their conception of right and wrong, good and evil. The President will be faced with such questions on a monumental scale that will affect everyone. If he or she has no conception of God or a higher power, many wonder just where will he or she turn for guidance.
Another reason may be that many people’s exposure to atheists and atheism is unpleasant given how many atheists look down on and attack belief in God or a higher power. Many online atheist websites and blogs, for example, regularly characterize Christianity or faith as a mental disease or defect, something no reasonable person could believe in, something that is the cause of much of the world’s evil. Religion to them is just a virus of the mind (or “meme”) propagating itself among the gullible. Another example would be books like Richard Dawkin’s The God Delusion, whose title apparently captures the tone of his reaction to theistic belief. As a result of this, theists may ask, “If so many (and so prominent) atheists think that theists — the vast majority of the population — are mentally defective and clueless and delusional, why should I elect one as President and trust him or her with protecting my values and way of life?”
Of course there are nice atheists who are good people and can respect the beliefs of others, but they are not the most vocal and the rest of have given atheism a bad name.

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