# Your Vote for President



## Glinda (Apr 14, 2015)

Would you vote for an avowed atheist for president?


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 14, 2015)

Yes.  Religious persuasion has no effect in who I would vote in for president.


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## Josiah (Apr 14, 2015)

Of course, heck I might even vote for a Republican atheist.


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## drifter (Apr 14, 2015)

Yes, of course.


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## Warrigal (Apr 14, 2015)

This is an American hangup. 

Why not vote for an atheist? 
For that matter, why not vote for a Jew, a Mormon, a Muslim or a Catholic? 

Oh wait, you did once vote for a Catholic but you went and shot him.
Has that experiment ever been repeated?


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## Glinda (Apr 14, 2015)

Dame Warrigal said:


> This is an American hangup.
> 
> Why not vote for an atheist?
> For that matter, why not vote for a Jew, a Mormon, a Muslim or a Catholic?
> ...



DW, your implication that all Americans collectively shot President Kennedy is unfair and, frankly, uncalled for.


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## AZ Jim (Apr 14, 2015)

I would vote for an Atheist without reservation.  In fact I would prefer that to a Huckabee etal.


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## Butterfly (Apr 14, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I would vote for an Atheist without reservation.  In fact I would prefer that to a Huckabee etal.



I agree.  The few atheists I know are not nearly as scary as those right wingers are.  Besides which, I don't think a person's religion has anything to do with a person's qualifications to do the job.  The big trouble is, a lot of people DO believe that.


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## AZ Jim (Apr 14, 2015)

DW, When John Kennedy was killed it was a horrible day for America and I among million of others shed many tears over those few days after that cowardly maniac snapped out that young life.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 14, 2015)

Of course. Religion or lack of is irrelevant.

I voted for an atheist as leader of the Labour party in the UK. He is running for PM next month.


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## Warrigal (Apr 15, 2015)

Glinda said:


> DW, your implication that all Americans collectively shot President Kennedy is unfair and, frankly, uncalled for.



Sorry about that, Glinda. I was being a smart alec and overstepped the mark. Please forgive.
I was focussed on the fuss about his Catholicism during his campaign and I also note that (as far as I know?) there has not been another Catholic since then.

Your presidents do seem to have been almost exclusively male, white and (outwardly) protestant. 
Anything else doesn't seem to make it through to the White House.

I can't see any reason why an atheist couldn't do a good job as President.
Our first female PM was atheist. There have been others in the past but it is not generally commented upon.


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## Warrigal (Apr 15, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> DW, When John Kennedy was killed it was a horrible day for America and I among million of others shed many tears over those few days after that cowardly maniac snapped out that young life.



I've already apologised, Jim, and on that day I wept too.


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## Glinda (Apr 15, 2015)

Dame Warrigal said:


> Sorry about that, Glinda. I was being a smart alec and overstepped the mark. Please forgive.
> I was focussed on the fuss about his Catholicism during his campaign and I also note that (as far as I know?) there has not been another Catholic since then.
> 
> Your presidents do seem to have been almost exclusively male, white and (outwardly) protestant.
> ...



DW, I accept your apology.  I'm sure you realize what a painful time that was for us and I know President Kennedy's death was mourned in Australia and the rest of the world as well.


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## Warrigal (Apr 15, 2015)

Inappropriate black humour on my part, Glinda.
National failing, I'm afraid.



> *Black Aussie Humour
> 
> *When  comforting someone who is dying of cancer, it probably isn't tactful to joke about  how much one is enjoying a mini-series, but such black humour is one of the most  notable aspects of Australian comedy. For example, when a serial  killer kidnapped backpackers and buried their bodies in the _ Belangalo State  Forest_, a hardware shop in _Moss Vale_ (near the forest) began selling  souvenir shovels with the letters 'B.S.F' engraved upon them.
> 
> ...


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## Ralphy1 (Apr 15, 2015)

I will always take humor to mawkishness even when the humor goes up to the line and occasionally over it...


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## Debby (Apr 15, 2015)

Dame Warrigal said:


> This is an American hangup.
> 
> Why not vote for an atheist?
> For that matter, why not vote for a Jew, a Mormon, a Muslim or a Catholic?
> ...




One of our cities (Calgary, Alberta) has a Muslim mayor and he's considered one of the best mayors in the country.  I'd vote for anyone that I thought had good ideas, was honest, consistent and had an open and welcoming attitude about people.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 15, 2015)

Dame Warrigal said:


> Inappropriate black humour on my part, Glinda.
> National failing, I'm afraid.



Scottish humour is much like yours.


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## Glinda (Apr 15, 2015)

DW, thanks for the interesting explanation of Australian humor.  While the U.S. also received some convicts from Europe, many of our early colonists were seeking religious sanctuary and/or a place where hard work would be rewarded with a better life.  With this in mind, I can see the differences - and similarities - between us and our friends, the Australians.


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## oakapple (Apr 15, 2015)

Explains why people often get the desire to laugh or giggle at inappropriate times.
I have no problem with religion or lack of it in a leader of a country. we have had all kinds of people here in Britain as Prime Minister, including a Jewish PM (Benjamin Disraeli.) We have also had a woman PM of course, Margaret Thatcher.I don't think we have had a Catholic PM although  it was said that Tony Blair was considering becoming a Catholic.It just isn't an issue here at all.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 15, 2015)

oakapple said:


> Explains why people often get the desire to laugh or giggle at inappropriate times.
> I have no problem with religion or lack of it in a leader of a country. we have had all kinds of people here in Britain as Prime Minister, including a Jewish PM (Benjamin Disraeli.) We have also had a woman PM of course, Margaret Thatcher.I don't think we have had a Catholic PM although  it was said that Tony Blair was considering becoming a Catholic.It just isn't an issue here at all.



No, it isn't an issue here and that is such a relief for me who didn't grow up here.


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## Lon (Apr 15, 2015)

Yes, I would prefer an atheist, but an atheist has no chance of ever winning the presidency in this country. Where are the modern day Thomas Paine's?


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## oakapple (Apr 15, 2015)

This is so interesting, I had no idea that an atheist would not become President, is this really true?So, does that mean that would be Presidents have to pretend to be practising Christians?


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## Ameriscot (Apr 15, 2015)

oakapple said:


> This is so interesting, I had no idea that an atheist would not become President, is this really true?So, does that mean that would be Presidents have to pretend to be practising Christians?



Too many Americans think you can't be a good person if you aren't religious.  Sigh.


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## Glinda (Apr 15, 2015)

oakapple said:


> This is so interesting, I had no idea that an atheist would not become President, is this really true?So, does that mean that would be Presidents have to pretend to be practising Christians?



Oakapple, we do not have a law that says atheists can't run for president or other political office.  But based on polling, many people would not vote for an atheist.  We have probably had some atheist presidents who pretended to be Christian for the sake of getting elected.  Yes, it is ridiculous and pathetic.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 15, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Too many Americans think you can't be a good person if you aren't religious.  Sigh.



Double sigh.


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## Sunny (Apr 15, 2015)

I would absolutely vote for an atheist, in fact, I would very much prefer one.  I can remember when it was considered an absolute truth that a Catholic could never be elected president. Kennedy was very much loved, and it was a huge tragedy when he was shot. And Obama? A black man president? Good heavens, what an idea!  I suspect that from now on, race will be pretty irrelevant as well.

And now, our next president will finally be a woman!


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## tnthomas (Apr 15, 2015)

Glinda said:


> Would you vote for an avowed atheist for president?



Good question, I had never given it any thought until this thread.   Looking back to President Jimmy Carter's term, I have to say that even though he was a religious man, he was not a particularly effective president.   And, looking at the presidency of GW Bush, despite his professed religiosity he was neither a good person, or an effective president.
So, in assessing the notion of voting for an atheist, I would have to say that the candidate would have to earn my subjective "lessor-of-two-evils" evaluation, which is what it always boils down to anyway, for me.


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