Poll on whether you’d vote for an atheist


Hoo boy, this is such a familiar story.

Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of revered televangelist the Rev. Billy Graham, appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, where she joined other faith leaders in discussing religious freedom and politics. Among the topics debated and the statements made, Lotz said that she would not vote for an atheist — a statement that will certainly ruffle non-believers’ feathers.

In making the bold claim,

STOP RIGHT THERE!

What “bold claim”? We live in a country that’s something around 70% Christian, in which about half the people reject all of science to believe the earth is 6000 years old, in which almost every elected official bends the knee and praises Jesus every time a camera is aimed at them. There is absolutely nothing brave about going on TV and professing the standard, boring dogma.

Lotz is just another sheep. We don’t praise the courage of sheep for bleating.

Well, they do on the Blaze. Bonus here: the Glenn Beck fan site has a poll.

Would you vote for an atheist?

Absolutely. It’s about policies, not religious beliefs. 8.94%

No way. A belief in God is essential. 87.09%

I’m in the middle on this one. 3.97%

No matter how you vote, expect the Blaze to whine about you atheists voting, and they’ll probably shut the poll down or start changing the numbers. Then we win.

Comments

  1. says

    What in the world is the “I’m in the middle on this one” option supposed to mean? It is a binary question – either you would or would not vote for an atheist. Is that for people who would half-vote for an atheist?

  2. IndyM, pikčiurna says

    “I would not vote for a man who was an atheist because I believe you need to have an acknowledgement or a reverence or a fear for almighty God,” Lotz said. ”I believe that’s where wisdom comes from.”

    Yo, Anne, what about a woman who was an atheist?

    And “reverence” (read: obedience) and “fear” are definitely the wellsprings of wisdom, creativity, and knowledge. (My head, it hurts.)

    Let’s pharyngulate the fuck out of this stoopid poll.

  3. says

    I think it’s starting, Go Pharyngula Nation:

    Absolutely. It’s about policies, not religious beliefs. 28.01%
    No way. A belief in God is essential. 68.58%

  4. Gregory in Seattle says

    I would be happy to Pharyngulate the poll, but my company’s web blocker has the site flagged out of bounds as an “advertisment only” site lacking any meaningful content.

    Well, it [i]is[/i] Glen Beck’s playground, after all. The only surprise is that it is not blocked for being a hate site.

  5. Becca Stareyes says

    The only thing I can think of for the use of ‘bold’ is that she actually said it, rather than veiling her bigotry. But, then again, even that use of ‘bold’ isn’t correct, Maybe if we didn’t spend all of last election listening to how Obama was secretly a Muslim, with the idea that it was actually important and relevant to the election I could believe that veiling one’s religious bigotry was considered polite.

    aaronpound @ 2

    Maybe they’d vote for an atheist as long as they were sufficiently contrite about not believing in God? Or maybe agnostics are okay.

  6. says

    It seems to be all about the polls these days.

    Take a look at this one from 2006 in Canada: Canada in 2006

    A 2006 Ipsos Reid poll showed the percentage of Canadians willing to vote for a prime minister who is evangelical had fallen 17 percentage points in a decade.

    Only 63 per cent of Canadians said they’d vote for a prime minister if he were an evangelical, below the 68 per cent who wouldn’t hesitate to vote for an atheist or a Muslim.

    Borders make a big difference… maybe they are magical.

  7. alankrueger says

    It seems to have some kind of referrer filter up that threw up a semi-transparent div that blocked interaction with the site. Clicking on the address bar and reloading the URL manually (without a referrer) seems to get around that.

  8. ianash says

    On the ABC (Australia) debate between Dawkins and Cardinal Pell tonight they asked a question: “Does religious belief make the world a better place?”

    76% NO
    24% YES

  9. Reginald Selkirk says

    It seems to have some kind of referrer filter up that threw up a semi-transparent div that blocked interaction with the site…

    Yes, I went in through the Pharyngula link and was blocked from voting. Then I started at the top page of theblaze.com and was able to click to the article and vote.

  10. Brownian says

    Then we win.

    No, we don’t win.

    As long as the fucking trogs are on the air and stupidity is part of the discourse because “fair and balanced” are genital-stimulating buzzwords among the fearful masses, there’s nothing like a win even possible.

  11. carlie says

    I want to answer “Absolutely. It’s about not having stupid religious views that could cloud your judgment.”

  12. StevoR says

    Voted. Latest figures :

    *****

    Thank you for voting!

    Absolutely. It’s about policies, not religious beliefs. = 49.7%

    No way. A belief in God is essential. = 48.28%

    I’m in the middle on this one. = 2.03%

    Return To PollShare This

    *****

    PS. Australia already has an atheist woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard who won the 2010 election – or at least pulled together enoughof a coaliton tokeep governing after a political tie. Her rival Tony Abbott is nicknamed the “Mad Monk” or “Captain Catholic” so quite a contrast.

  13. Brownian says

    Maybe they’d vote for an atheist as long as they were sufficiently contrite about not believing in God?

    You mean like a Faitheist? I don’t know. We’ll see how Romney does, and use that to gauge the public’s reaction to shamelessly opportunistic manipulators.

  14. JdRock says

    Made the mistake of scrolling down to the comments…first one I see.

    “I would not vote for an atheist and I did not vote for the one we have in the white house now.”

    Oh boy.

  15. Pteryxx says

    Small World
    Posted on April 9, 2012 at 11:30am

    I would not vote for an atheist and I did not vote for the one we have in the white house now.

    *snicker*

  16. StevoR says

    See :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BC49dJSo5k

    For “the Fundamentalist adventures of Tony Abbott” clip which is pretty funnyand accurate if obviously Oz-centric.

    This one :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJTX0iWYX9A

    alos has more on what Abbott “thinks” and has said.

    “Mad monk” Abbott is a climate change denier and homophobe, a real dropkick who is consistently unpopular and who beat former opposition leader Malclom Turnbull by one vote to become the new Opposition leader and scuttle former PM Rudd’s Emissions Trading Scheme.

    Very worryingly his party would win in a landslide if an election were held in Oz right now. An election won’t come until 2013 though and hopefully things will change by then. I hope.

  17. StevoR says

    @ JdRock :

    Made the mistake of scrolling down to the comments…first one I see : “I would not vote for an atheist and I did not vote for the one we have in the white house now.” Oh boy.

    But ,, but, Baracxk Hussein Obama is NOT an atheist he’s a really a secret Moos-lem!!!!!1! Right?

    Or is that a Socialist-Nazi-Commie-Muslim-atheist-Ayrab-Mohammetan-Kenyan-N*** combo?

  18. raven says

    The fundies wouldn’t vote for an atheist, no surprise there.

    They are going to vote for a nonXian though. Romney is a Mormon. 75% of all xian ministers and most xians in general do not consider that Mormons are…xians.

  19. robinjohnson says

    I hate those little statements that come after the “Yes” and “No” in yes-no polls, to load the question and taint your answers. Making decent people commit to “It’s about policies, not religious beliefs” hides the fact that policies and religious beliefs are inseparable. If I knew that one of the candidates on the ballot paper was an atheist, it would a point in their favour, since they’d be more likely to be pro-choice, pro-science, etc. But that poll makes me pretend it’s an irrelevant non-political detail.

  20. StevoR says

    BTW. Personally I suspect that Obama is too smart to believe in *any* religion but knows very well that he has to pay the lip service that is politically essential.

    When (not “if” now) he wins his second term later this year maybe he’ll come out and admit as much?

  21. says

    Look at that number climb. At present, 60% ‘Yes.’ Better start preparing your political campaign, PZ. ;-)

    In any case, I always appreciate the chance to crash a silly poll.

  22. Attila says

    Voted and commented. Someone there has already Godwined the thread pointing out Hitler and Stalin were Atheists.

    My Reply:
    Please stop lying Hitler was in no way an Atheist. He may not have been a Christian, but espoused all sorts Christian platitudes in Mein Kampf . He also lead a country that was predominately Catholic and Lutheran and had Gut Mit Uns (God with us) stamped on all the SS belt buckles.

    Now Stalin was an Atheist or believed God’s name was Joseph Stalin. What Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot all have in common is they were Arationalists (without reason). Far more Christians will fit the Arationalist label than Atheists.

  23. koncorde says

    It’s a sad state of affairs that, even here in Britain, we are currently experiencing something of a theological renaissance. Although I think the use of the word renaissance is anything but accurate.

    The BBC have taken it upon themselves of late to pretty much throw in every reference that they can to the church and it’s remaining strands of relevance – be it the “remembrance service” mentioned for murder victims, or the obligatory commentary from local pastors. The politicians have made their overtures (and people like Gove have nailed themselves firmly to the cross). And now we have Roman Catholic Bishops (silent for 2 decades other than to deny abuse) in uproar.

    There’s a long way to go for the US (or even Canada or the UK) to really free public discourse from the religiously fed opinions of a majority, minority, or even just those tenacious social mores.

    People like Lotz hold a lot of sway by setting very public standards for those that identify with her.

  24. Blondin says

    I feel sorry for Anne Graham Lotz, daughter. Having a pillar of salt for a mother can’t have been easy growing up.

    What?

  25. iknklast says

    “Personally I suspect that Obama is too smart to believe in *any* religion”

    I don’t think that necessarily follows. I know Obama is smart, and well-educated, but I know plenty of smart people who have so partitioned their mind that they are able to short circuit their critical thinking when it comes to religion. One of my best friends is a Mormon who fits this mold totally. Brilliant thinker, but thinks the Mormon church is a bastian of liberal respectability and sanity, with a huge social conscience. Geesh!

  26. d cwilson says

    Well, I would never vote for an avowed theocrat, so I guess Lotz and I are even.

  27. Jubal DiGriz says

    84% “Yes” when I voted.

    Poll is now thoroughly borked. That’ll teach ’em about statistical sampling!

  28. RW Ahrens says

    Pharyngulated!

    Thank you for voting!
    Absolutely.
    It’s about policies, not religious beliefs. 66.64%

    No way. A belief in God is essential. 32.15%

    I’m in the middle on this one. 1.21%

  29. raven says

    It’s a sad state of affairs that, even here in Britain, we are currently experiencing something of a theological renaissance. Although I think the use of the word renaissance is anything but accurate.

    More like an infection. You got it from the USA.

    If the Canadians aren’t careful, they will catch it too.

  30. says

    # 2 aaronpound asks if ‘I’m in the middle on this one’ is ‘for people who would half-vote for an atheist?’

    maybe it’s for me: I could conceivably vote for an A but never for a Theist.

  31. DLC says

    Attila @28 : Adolf Hitler was a confirmed catholic right up until he comitted suicide in 1945.

    Vote for an Atheist ? damn right I would. If said non-believer was someone who held political views even close to mine, 67% of the time.

    And… the Blaze had a pic of Lotz. Man, she looked seriously manic. Angry and ecstatic at the same time. I’ve seen people who looked like that just before doing something rash. ::Shrug:: no telling from just one head-shot on a web page.
    Oh, and — no, I don’t like the Grahams. I consider them to be the worst sort of grifter. The patriarch, Billy, went to DC with 10 grand and a change of clothing and came home with a national prayer breakfast and an “in” with the White House. You can guess where the 10k went. From there, Graham rolled up tens of millions in personal wealth, and established a school for witch-doctors. Sorry, but he may have been “America’s Pastor” but he sure as fuck wasn’t mine.

  32. says

    See :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BC49dJSo5k

    For “the Fundamentalist adventures of Tony Abbott” clip which is pretty funnyand accurate if obviously Oz-centric.

    This one :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJTX0iWYX9A

    alos has more on what Abbott “thinks” and has said.

    Unfortunately, where I live, QLD, the media’s rhetoric is strong against Labour.

    The first link is too crude to get across to a general audience (at least where I live, the caveat always exists that maybe people outside my personal experience would be receptive) without referencing enough actual facts for my liking (that’s not to say that I don’t think it’s good, it just, to my slightly intoxicated mind, referenced things that are a little too ad-hominey for my liking). The second was, hahaha, perhaps too subtle. They’re literally repeating arguments I’ve heard in the local rag, so it’s almost a Poe’s law style attack. The people who agree with it won’t recognise the humour and the people who disagree with it will find it unnervingly similar to what they’ve heard from True Believers TM.

    All in all, the local populace are frustrating in their lack of depth with political positions and also their apathy. While not yet as bad as America (as far as internet rumour has led me to believe), Australia definitely has a lot of shaping up to do to be considered a truly open and accepting country.

  33. Sean Boyd says

    Just tried to vote, and was directed to a page with the following:

    The Blaze is experiencing a high load at the moment. Please be patient while we get things back up and running.

    I suppose this is in contrast to the hot, steaming load The Blaze normally serves up.

  34. Zugswang says

    This poll has been successfully pharyngulated, with the “yes, I’d vote for an atheist” sitting at around 67%.

  35. Grumps says

    Just tried to vote, and was directed to a page with the following:

    The Blaze is experiencing a high load at the moment. Please be patient while we get things back up and running.

    I think we broke it.

    I just tried to spread a little ridicule in the comments and was met with the same message.

  36. says

    I don’t buy it. You mean to tell me that if it was Ayn Rand vs. Barack Obama, all these Republicans would vote Obama because he is a Christian and Rand was an atheist? I doubt it.

  37. Sean Boyd says

    @Grumps,

    It must be part of some heinous, liberal plot to silence the great man: visiting his web site and participating in activities while there.

  38. says

    To make a “bold claim” often just means “stated strongly,” or even something that’s a lot like a “rash claim.”

    Hers was a “bold claim” because it wasn’t couched in polite language, nuanced, or clever, or at least that is how the author might defend it.

    It still strikes me as not a particularly apt use of the term, however. A “bold claim” tends to be more of a blunt statement about the facts, not “I won’t do” this or that. A “bold claim” might be that atheists are all God-haters, or that theists are stupid.

    “I’d never vote for an atheist” sounds mostly like a statement of opinion, and a particularly prejudicial one at that. “Strongly prejudicial opinion” would have fit rather better.

    Glen Davidson

  39. fallingwhale says

    75%

    Anyone want to place bets on their response?
    I say ‘hacking’ atheists.

  40. Brownian says

    If the Canadians aren’t careful, they will catch it too.

    Ever tried to put a jumbo condom over the head of a theist? Their eyes get all bulgy, their skin turns blue, and they start to go limp. We might need to come up with a vaccine.

  41. Gregory Greenwood says

    74% for “Absolutely. It’s about policies, not religious beliefs”.

    The Pharyngulation process is proceeding as planned. I estimate that the fundies will panic and fake the numbers or pull the poll within the next couple of hours.

    Now to sit back and enjoy the inevitable whining about evil atheists ruining their poll…

  42. tim rowledge, Ersatz Haderach says

    Good grief – the ‘article’ was bad enough but did you see the link-things on the right edge? I’m not going back to that site again even to pharyngulate a poll, it’s just too likely to cause nightmares!

  43. Woo_Monster says

    Ersatz Haderach

    Good grief – the ‘article’ was bad enough but did you see the link-things on the right edge? I’m not going back to that site again even to pharyngulate a poll, it’s just too likely to cause nightmares!

    Are you not the one who can go where no one else can go?

    And since you can be many places at once, you should be able to check out the Blaze while at the same time enjoying a beer at a pub.*

    * If your handle “Ersatz Haderach” is not a reference to the Kwisatz Haderach, sorry about this nonsensical comment. And also, please explain what Ersatz Haderach refers to.

  44. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    I don’t think that necessarily follows. I know Obama is smart, and well-educated, but I know plenty of smart people who have so partitioned their mind that they are able to short circuit their critical thinking when it comes to religion.

    Part of the brain in FAT32 and the other in ext4. No tunnel between the two, lest the data becomes corrupt.

    However, it might be that god-thinking runs on a virtual science-machine these days, so that it becomes harder for one to ignore the other.

  45. twist says

    Criteria for a good political leader: The belief that a supernatural entity made the world and everything in it. The belief that the same supernatural entity intervenes in the day to day lives of everyone on the planet and cares deeply about what all 7 billion + of us get up to in the bedroom.

    Something is wrong here.

    Still, the guy who may well end up being the next prime minister of the UK is an atheist.

  46. Antiochus Epiphanes says

    Ever tried to put a jumbo condom over the head of a theist?

    I hadn’t until just now. Surprisingly easy. I think I need to go one size down to achieve the effects you predict.

  47. says

    From 8.94% to 79.08%. There’s no poll PZ’s minions can’t fix.

    Would you vote for an atheist?” equals “Would you vote for somebody who isn’t a cowardly gullible idiot?

    I noticed Australia has a female atheist prime minister. I often wonder what it’s like to live in a normal country instead of Idiot America.

  48. d cwilson says

    @jarredcaldwell:

    Um, Wikipedia says he’s a Christian. Conservapedia, of course, says he’s “probably the first Muslim president”.

  49. ricardoa. says

    It’s almost 80% on YES now:

    — Absolutely…. 79.67%
    — No way…19.44%
    — I’m in the middle on this one (!?) 0.89%

  50. donnbarnes says

    It’s about policies, not religious beliefs. 79.96%
    No way. A belief in God is essential. 19.17%
    I’m in the middle on this one. 0.87%

  51. scrawnykayaker says

    Pharyngulated over 80% in under three hours. They’re not as popular as they think.

    I can’t believe the poll hasn’t been pulled down yet.

  52. says

    It is amazing how she claims to be brave in making her statement. There really is no objectivity with the religious is there? She doesn’t realize that what she is saying is not surprising at all, let alone “bold”

    The idea that a belief in god is necessary for a politician is utterly ridiculous. The idea that it is more important than a politicians stance on germane issues is insane–perhaps that is why so many of our “issues” are screwed up?

    This type of nonsense in politics needs to be fought. I am so tired of seeing the religious claim a moral, intellectual, and political high ground. I believe that there are many more non-religious people or moderately religious people out there who are tired of this crap than people realize. I try to speak up as often as I can about the hypocrisies of religion. I think that we all need to do this in whatever means we have have available to us or are comfortable doing. For me, it is in my community and through my blog. One thing is for sure, if we stay quiet the religious/political juggernaut will keep on rolling…

  53. says

    @57 Brownian said –

    “Ever tried to put a jumbo condom over the head of a theist? Their eyes get all bulgy, their skin turns blue, and they start to go limp. We might need to come up with a vaccine.”

    So you’re saying this isn’t the sort of efficacy and results we are looking for? :)

  54. yec123 says

    I doubt PZ Myers would even carry his home state if he stood for election as the Democratic party’s presidential nominee. Atheists are the most hated social group in America…by far.

  55. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Atheists are the most hated social group in America…by far.

    Yes we know, just as fuckwitted idjits godbots like you, who can’t follow anything cogently, are the most hated group here at Pharyngula. What’s your excuse for your continued idiocy? Too stupid to stop???

  56. Woo_Monster says

    I doubt PZ Myers would even carry his home state if he stood for election as the Democratic party’s presidential nominee. Atheists are the most hated social group in America…by far.

    Good christians like yec are proud of being bigoted.

    Feel like supplying those citations for people being resurrected yet, yec?

    Or for your magical imaginary friend?

  57. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    I doubt PZ Myers would even carry his home state if he stood for election as the Democratic party’s presidential nominee. Atheists are the most hated social group in America…by far.

    We’d welcome him in Canada. He could even become PM here if he so chose. In fact we’d welcome all your scientists, engineers, artists, and all other atheists.

    We’ll send you our fruitcakes from Alberta and our libertarian in exchange and everyone will be happy.

    Well, ’till we implement our Ebil Atheist Agenda, which will be made easier by having got rid of the Jebus-polluted brains and having acquired the best minds in the world.

    Muahahahahahahah !

  58. flyv65 says

    Did anyone wander down to the comments following the op-ed piece? That’s some weapons grade stupid: starting with the one cherry picking quotes from the FF, to the ones saying that they’d rather vote for an atheist than Obama, ‘cuz at best he’s an atheist-at worst, a Mooslem! I had to stop reading before I felt compelled to ask how many people there knew what the word “establishment” in both current and period vernacular.

    Bryan…WTF, people?

  59. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    Even homosexuals are more favored. Of course, many gays are atheists. I don’t think it is bigotry, just a healthy reaction.

    Of course you would – well assuming anything that goes on it that rotten, chritoxified brain of yours can be described as “thinking”.

    You’re a ghoul.

  60. Woo_Monster says

    yec the un-self-aware bigoted pustule,

    Even homosexuals are more favored. Of course, many gays are atheists. I don’t think it is bigotry, just a healthy reaction.

    What a boring troll yec is. Do you think we are unaware of the prejudice against atheists coming from the delusional majority? Wait, what am I saying, of course your comments do not involve any thinking. Just lies and hate. Go fuck yourself yec.

  61. Brownian says

    I don’t think it is bigotry, just a healthy reaction.

    Like throwing Christians to the lions.

    It’s a damn shame that we stopped. Why, a large Christian family and a few lions could provide hours of enjoyment.

    Of course, it’s a shame for the Christians too that we stopped. The cushier they have it on earth, the less is their reward in heaven. From Jesus’ own mouth.

    You can tell a Christian doesn’t really know his Bible when he gloats about being in the majority.

    Spineless cowards they are these days. Utterly spineless.

  62. imthegenieicandoanything says

    I had time enough to kill by voting. My inner Nelson took one look, pointed, and said “HA-ha!”

  63. says

    Looks like the ship is turning our direction. 89.5% Absolutely would. Looks like the Freethought Blogs carry more weight than any others.

    Curious.

  64. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    It’s a damn shame that we stopped. Why, a large Christian family and a few lions could provide hours of enjoyment.

    Like, totally.

    And look at what their martyrs are reduced to these days. Soft, weak, whiny, sniveling “Spiritual Warriors”.

    Needs moar lions. Gladiators. Sharks with laser beams on their heads. Mutated fleah-eating otters.

    Come on people, we owe it to them.

  65. Brownian says

    Come on people, we owe it to them.

    Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

    By their Messiah’s own words, it’s practically criminal to stand by and not persecute Christians.

  66. Anri says

    I doubt PZ Myers would even carry his home state if he stood for election as the Democratic party’s presidential nominee. Atheists are the most hated social group in America…by far.

    And blacks are less trusted than whites, women less trusted than men, and Jews less trusted than Christians.

    What conclusions do you draw from these facts?

    Aw, shoot, I’ve done it again – asked yec to actually state what he/she’s arguing for.
    Sorry, I’ll learn someday.

  67. crissakentavr says

    89.88% policies.

    Of course, that’s probably what the authors wanted, from the language of the poll, but… I wonder if their crowd will become unhinged at being a minority on their own poll.

  68. yec123 says

    I do think that true atheists don’t really care about religion. They just don’t believe in God and that’s that. You rarely hear from them. But the folks on this site are anti-religion bigots who make denigrating Christianity a sport and a favorite pastime. They are giving non-belief a bad name.

  69. Hairy Chris, blah blah blah etc says

    [blockquote]And blacks are less trusted than whites, women less trusted than men, and Jews less trusted than Christians.

    What conclusions do you draw from these facts?[/blockquote]
    People are idiots, obviously!

  70. tim rowledge, Ersatz Haderach says

    Quoth the Woo Monster –

    Are you not the one who can go where no one else can go?

    There are places from which even the Spice cannot bring you safely back. Places so awful…. {shakes head sadly} so… awful….{ragged intake of breath} where they don’t even have lattés.{thumps table with bloodied fist}

    Besides, if it’s really awful I get my S.Maj. to send in a platoon to clean it out. Much more hygenic.

    And ‘ersatz’? There’s a thesaurus for that and I don’t mean “a dinosaur with a really varied vocabulary”.

  71. KG says

    yec123@94,

    Look you fuckwitted liar, you’ve spent the last several days displaying your idiocy and bigotry on a wide range of topics. On another thread, you were recently informing us that you believe atheists want to take over the US and ban religion. Now you say that “true atheists” don’t care about religion. So you must necessarily be lying on one thread or another. Do you really think your stupidity, bigotry and lies are a good advertisment for Christianity?

  72. Anri says

    I do think that true atheists don’t really care about religion. They just don’t believe in God and that’s that. You rarely hear from them. But the folks on this site are anti-religion bigots who make denigrating Christianity a sport and a favorite pastime. They are giving non-belief a bad name.

    The instant religion leaves me alone, I’ll leave it alone.

    For example, one consequence of religion is believing atheists to be less trustworthy than the faithful. Now, if someone were to put forward evidence that this was the case, it might go a long way towards informing thinking people about why atheists are often vocally angry.

  73. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    I do think that true atheists don’t really care about religion. They just don’t believe in God and that’s that. You rarely hear from them.

    I bet they even politely listen and respect* your beliefs a lot.

    But the folks on this site are anti-religion bigots who make denigrating Christianity a sport and a favorite pastime.

    You say that like it’s a bad thing. Your own babble says that you should rejoice in being denigrated and persecuted, that it’ll make it easier for you to get in heaven. Anyhow, you personaly do seem to like it a lot, what with the number of posts you make here, on multiple threads. We’re performing a public service here, pandering to good old self-flagellating xians and would-be martyrs.

    And xian-baiting keeps our coats sniny.

    See, it makes everyone happy.

    They are giving non-belief a bad name.

    You already think we’re evil, so how is that even possible ?

    Oh, right, ghoul. Rotting brains.

    *respect == keeping silent and nodding at irregular intervals in hopes that annoying deluded person will leave you alone sooner so that you can return to important task.

  74. says

    They are giving non-belief a bad name.

    We’re looking at a poll here that treats “would you vote for an atheist” as a legitimate question, that regards “no, I would never vote for an atheist” as a legitimate political opinion. And it does this despite a Constitution that specifically forbids any religious test for office and despite evidence that shows we’re as moral and kind as any religious group. And without our participation, the “no” votes would likely win the day. Surveys show that atheists are considered less trustworthy than convicted rapists, all due to centuries of propaganda and baseless claims of moral superiority by the religious.
    And you want us to shut up and take it, and if we don’t, we’re “bigots.” And we’re “giving non-belief a bad name,” as if people like you haven’t spent hundreds of years telling us we deserve eternal torture for our beliefs (or lack of them).
    Pardon us for not taking your advice, shithead.

  75. Therrin says

    On another thread, you were recently informing us that you believe atheists want to take over the US and ban religion. Now you say that “true atheists” don’t care about religion. So you must necessarily be lying on one thread or another.

    Now now, it’s not fair to reference more than one thread at a time. Every new post gives all commenters a Romney Reset™.

  76. says

    Poor Glenn Beck. So pathetic that a small town college professor at a little liberal arts college has more clout on his site than he does.

  77. frankb says

    Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me

    Hey, he’s talking about us atheists. The theists are saying all sorts of evil things about us because of Jebus. But I don’t like the idea of inheriting the kingdon of heaven, having to worship a tyrant while hearing the screams of the damned in the background. No thanks.

  78. Ogvorbis (no relation to the Ogg family) says

    I do think that true atheists don’t really care about religion.

    Oh. Wow. I’m not a true atheist.

    They just don’t believe in God and that’s that.

    That’s part of it.

    You rarely hear from them.

    Which would make you and your fellow theocrats quite happy.

    But the folks on this site are anti-religion bigots who make denigrating Christianity a sport and a favorite pastime.

    Well, no. For me, religion itself is of little interest. However, the access that religious thought, the power of religious people, the power of faith-based magical thinking, is scary. Anyone, Christian, atheist, Jew, Muslim, Jain, you-name-it, who thinks that a magical sky-daddy can solve problems is a danger to the survival of civilization. Anyone who thinks that their personal version of gods is telling them who can, or can not, have rights, is wrong. And immoral by any just definition of morality.

    They are giving non-belief a bad name.

    No. That would be people who claim that atheists are not human, cannot be citizens of the United States, and make the unsubstantiated claim that, without a magic skydaddy looking over our shoulder, an atheist cannot be a good person.

    Why do you continue to lie, yecch?

  79. A. R says

    From The Blaze comments:

    It’s interesting to see how the poll has changed. In the first hour it came out, it was about 90% “No, I would not vote for an atheist.” Now it’s about 85% “Yes, I would.”

    Not sure if that just means more hardliners are on in the morning, or if someone’s hijacked the poll (as happened every so often).

    Someone over there knows the poll is being messed around with, but they don’t know who is doing it.

  80. says

    Look you fuckwitted liar, you’ve spent the last several days displaying your idiocy and bigotry on a wide range of topics. On another thread, you were recently informing us that you believe atheists want to take over the US and ban religion. Now you say that “true atheists” don’t care about religion. So you must necessarily be lying on one thread or another. Do you really think your stupidity, bigotry and lies are a good advertisment for Christianity?

    Both. He’s just trying to get a rise out of us. He’s like one of those pull string dolls that slings comments meant to be offensive to nonbelievers. I think he’s run through his entire recording list and is starting over now.

  81. A. R says

    yec123: Why don’t you go over to This thread. There are people over there who are more than willing to argue with you without you ruining other threads.

  82. A. R says

    Ing: Very possible. I do believe that we had the privileged of seeing his creationism playlist yesterday.

  83. Pierce R. Butler says

    Attila @ # 28: … Hitler … had Gut Mit Uns (God with us) stamped on all the SS belt buckles.

    The slogan was spelled Gott Mit Uns, and it had been part of the German Army’s buckles before the Nazi takeover in 1933. The SS, invented from scratch by Heinrich Himmler after that date, came up with buckles reading Meine Ehre Heisst Treue (My Honor Is Loyalty).

  84. IslandBrewer says

    Oh, Jesus fucking monkey balls! I mistakenly started to read some of those comments. The stupidity is thick enough chainsaws couldn’t cut through it!

    And eeeewwww! Look! Someone stepped in moron pooh over therand tracked yec123 all over this thread!

  85. Woo_Monster says

    from JJBLAZEREADER, commenter at The Blaze,

    Disregard the poll. I believe this poll has been hijacked by the atheists. They have done this in the past and even brag about it. Such “moral” people aren’t they!

    lol

  86. fallingwhale says

    I’m a little disturbed by the people in the comments saying that Jefferson wanted christens to run the country as christens.

  87. Alverant says

    #115
    Don’t you know, our existence is offensive to them and to express our opinion in a public forum is immoral.

    #116
    Voted

  88. Davros says

    I did vote for an atheist the last time we voted here (Australia)
    our current PM is an atheist(and female)
    it was not an issue