Rep. Pete Stark, the only open atheist in Congress (I’m sure there are more, but they pretend not to be to preserve their political careers), has issued a statement in support of the National Day of Reason, a counterpoint to the National Day of Prayer. The NDR is today.
MR. STARK: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Thursday, May 3, 2012 as the 2012 National Day of Reason.
The National Day of Reason celebrates the application of reason and the positive impact it has had on humanity. It is also an opportunity to reaffirm the Constitutional separation of religion and government.
On March 24th, I was proud to address the tens of thousands of Americans who gathered on the Mall for the Reason Rally. These individuals came from all around the country to deliver a simple message: reason must be the guiding principle of our democracy. In a nation of citizens from so many different backgrounds and beliefs, the only way we can solve our problems is through cultivating intelligent, moral, and ethical interactions among all people.
Our nation faces many problems—bringing our troops home from Afghanistan, creating jobs, educating our children, and protecting our safety net from irresponsible cuts. We will solve these issues through the application of reason. We must also protect women’s reproductive choices, the integrity of scientific research, and our public education system from those who would hide behind religious dogma to undermine them.
Finally, the National Day of Reason is about taking time to improve our communities. Every year, events are held on this day that demonstrate the desire of secular Americans to help their fellow citizens and our nation as a whole. Community service events, such as food drives and blood drives, are just some of the ways that people will be working to help those in need on the Day of Reason and throughout the year.
I encourage everyone to join in observing this day and focusing upon the employment of reason, critical thinking, the scientific method, and free inquiry to improve our world and our nation.
The most remarkable thing about this statement, said on the floor of the House, is that it’s so remarkable. We hear statements every day from legislators about how all our problems would be solved if we would just pray more, or follow the Bible. It’s pretty incredible to hear a legislator say no, we will solve our problems only by the application of reason. And he’s right.
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Eric R
May 3, 2012 at 11:51 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Seems to me the most remarkable thing about this statement is that he wasnt shouted down or tarred and feathered by the remaining theocratic thugs who were sitting in that same chamber.
reasonbeing
May 3, 2012 at 11:56 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It is a shame that more members of Congress do not take courage from him and “come out” as well. One of the most remarkable things about his statement is the apparent lack of a counter-statement. I have yet to hear one of the Christian Right members criticize Stark. Perhaps I missed it, if not, that is also pretty remarkable.
tomh
May 3, 2012 at 12:04 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@ #1
Quite often those statements are read to an empty House or he might have been.
Randomfactor
May 3, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Taking nothing away from Stark’s support for the NDoR, I wonder if he actually gave this address on the floor of Congress. Congressmen have the ability to “revise and extend” their remarks for the Congressional Record, putting in whole tracts which were not actually spoken aloud.
Michael Heath
May 3, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ed writes:
We’ve greatly advanced our understanding of reality and how to optimally think in order to better perceive reality, so it’s even more remarkable this argument is rare in spite of being common hundreds of years ago. Such arguments were popular in chambers like the Virginia General Assembly in 1786 when they passed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom or the two chambers of the 1st U.S. Congress from 1789 through 1991.
I think it’s the determined ignorance and fierce defense of belief and faith, at the expense of reason and scientific understanding, that’s both suppressed our growth and increased income inequality. We needed relatively fewer rational educated people in the late-18th century, we need far more now. Yet Sarah Palin’s brand of ignorance, faith, and antipathy towards reality is now predominate amongst the Republican party.
d cwilson
May 3, 2012 at 12:21 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So, how long did it take for one of his colleagues to condemn Rep. Stark for promoting the religion of Secular Humanism ™?
Skip White
May 3, 2012 at 3:03 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
November 7, 2012:
Yesterday, Rep. Pete Stark was overwhelmingly voted out of office by what experts suggest was a mass migration of voters from across the Midwest and Deep South. This mass of voters is expected to return to their original homes by the end of the week to support amendments to their states’ constitutions to outlaw atheism and impeach the re-elected President Obama for, quote, “still not giving us his real, Kenyan birth certificate.”
alternative energy
May 3, 2012 at 9:34 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
alternative energy…
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