Atheist US president? No way!

[Flame]

In 1999 a Gallup poll inquired of Americans: “If your party nominated a generally well-qualified person for president who happened to be an X would you vote for that person?” X represents Catholic, Jew, Baptist, Mormon, black, homosexual, woman, or atheist. Although six of the eight received more than 90 percent approval—showing that America has become a more tolerant and ecumenical society—only 59 percent said they would vote for a homosexual, and less than half, 49 percent, would vote for an atheist.

http://www.skeptic.com/brightBrouhaha.html

I can't say that I'm surprised, but I was wondering if anyone else was...

Bearing in mind that the candidate is from your party and is thought to be a well qualified candidate.

The article implies that the words in themselves matter but I put it out there that it's also to do with predjudice and fear.

I'm not sure how a homosexual being president could be a problem because their love-life shouldn't interfere with the job (hear that, Bill?)

As far as an atheist candidate, well it just seems to me that it might be far worse to have a religious zealot as president :confused:

The article goes on, but I was stopped by the figures of the poll.

Toni

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by Flame
I'm not sure how a homosexual being president could be a problem because their love-life shouldn't interfere with the job (hear that, Bill?)


I have heard that homosexual politicians are more susceptible to blackmailing.

[Segnosaur]

Originally posted by Cleopatra


I have heard that homosexual politicians are more susceptible to blackmailing.

I always assumed that the homosexuals most susceptible to blackmailing were the ones who were 'in the closet' and didn't want their sexual preferences made public. If they were already known to be homosexuals, that wouldn't be a problem.

As Homer Simpson said: "I like my beer cold, my stereo loud, and my homosexuals flaming."

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Segnosaur


I always assumed that the homosexuals most susceptible to blackmailing were the ones who were 'in the closet' and didn't want their sexual preferences made public. If they were already known to be homosexuals, that wouldn't be a problem.

As Homer Simpson said: "I like my beer cold, my stereo loud, and my homosexuals flaming."

So the trick, then... if you don't want to vote for a homosexual that might be blackmailed... don't vote for someone who claims to be heterosexual. Then you're absolutely safe!

[mummymonkey]

Athiests? Aren't they evil communists?

[Segnosaur]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


So the trick, then... if you don't want to vote for a homosexual that might be blackmailed... don't vote for someone who claims to be heterosexual. Then you're absolutely safe!

Unless of course the 'homosexuals' are really heterosexuals who only pretended to be gay, in which case they can be blackmailed by people who have proof that they're straight.

[shemp]

The real issue is, how many would vote for a black female homosexual atheist whose grandparents were a Catholic, a Jew, a Baptist and a Mormon?

[Suddenly]

Originally posted by shemp
The real issue is, how many would vote for a black female homosexual atheist whose grandparents were a Catholic, a Jew, a Baptist and a Mormon?

Only if she promises never to walk into a bar...

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by Segnosaur


I always assumed that the homosexuals most susceptible to blackmailing were the ones who were 'in the closet' and didn't want their sexual preferences made public. If they were already known to be homosexuals, that wouldn't be a problem.

As Homer Simpson said: "I like my beer cold, my stereo loud, and my homosexuals flaming."

I wonder how can somebody discuss about this without sounding politically incorrect... let me give it a try :)

I have the feeling that usually people that are involved in politics for years are not that open with their sexual preferences. Also, however open they might be the majority of homosexuals don't have a steady partner and they have wild stories to share from their youth.

I have a colleague who is an open homosexual. I mean he values his privacy, he doesn't adverize his preferences but he admits that he is a homosexual.

Some months ago the PM proposed him the position of the Minister of Justice. His status would give many points to the government so a Journalist that works for a paper that supports the opposition informed him that if he accepted the position he would be obliged to bring in public an affair he had with a Muslim-Turk when he was a professor in Heidelberg-Germany and he would ask the public if this would affect the Greek-Turkish relationships. He would be asked to clarify who was the energetic in their relationship :rolleyes:

It was a blackmail. My friend is a serious person and he didn't wish to be involved in such stories so, he turned down the offer.

Don't you think that such stories could affect the status of a politician however open he might be about his preferences?

[Flame]

Good point about the vulnerable homosexual president.

With all that said, they still want the homosexual over the atheist.

Toni

[LuxFerum]

The last Brasilian president is atheist. :cool:

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by Flame
Good point about the vulnerable homosexual president.

With all that said, they still want the homosexual over the atheist.

Toni

Maybe it's because they believe that at the end the Grace of God will win.:p

Ok, you will fry me for that.

For the majority, people that believe in God have strict moral values and however we tend to laugh at the current morality when it comes to ourselves, it seems that we want that the administrators abide by the rules of the current morality.

So, it doesn't surpize me that people want the homosexual over the atheist.

BTW Great avatar!!!! The dancing Shiva is one of my favorite figures but as a purist I prefer the depiction of Shiva dancing in the flaming arch :)

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by LuxFerum
The last Brasilian president is atheist. :cool:

Is this the reason why Brazil belongs to the Third World? :p

[LuxFerum]

Originally posted by Cleopatra


Is this the reason why Brazil belongs to the Third World? :p
He was the best president we ever had, imo.
And we belong to third world long before his presidency.

[Hal 2001]

In Denmark we had a minister (at least) who was openly gay.

I can't remember it was the subject of much serious discussion. The press only found it amusing when he went to an annual event with the queen, and he went with his boyfriend. Didn't bother anyone though.


As a matter of statistics I am for Gay men and against gay women. Because it means more women for me. :D

Mss Hal

[ceo_esq]

There have already been several Baptist presidents - including two of the last five (Clinton and Carter) - so I don't see why voting for a Baptist would be a current indication that the country is becoming more tolerant.

[Shane Costello]

Wasn't Jefferson an atheist, or at least ambivalent in his attitude to religion?

[Visloch]

Jefferson was a diest but I don't think it was widely known at the time of his presidency.

[Tmy]

Id wager that our last 4-5 presidents have atheist leanings. I always felt that when politicans go to church its nothing morethan a photo op. Theyr insencere church goers.

[pupdog]

Amen, Tmy! There's no way someone running for office would declare his (or her) atheism if they wanted to get the Fundie vote. Just look at the waffling that went on when primary candidates were asked about teaching Creationism in school (Arlen Spector was the only one to say it would be inappropriate).

[Dorian Gray]

Why did you make the assumption that a homosexual wouldn't be suceptible to the same activities that a heterosexual would? There are gay male interns.

[Luciana]

Our last elections for governor in Rio was very curious indeed. Of the top 4 candidates...

The first, elected, was an Evangelist woman, who used to sell Avon. Most of the population in the state is Catholic.

The second was a black female, born and raised in a slum, a rape victim.

The third was gay, leftist, in the closet, but everybody knows.

The fourth was a lesbian, far-right, in the closet, but everybody knows.

But then, speaking of zero prejudice, California elected Arnold!!! :D :D

Fernando Henrique Cardoso was elected twice, by popular vote, and he was a self-proclaimed atheist. The matter wasn't emphasized in the campaign, and it shouldn't. No one really cared.

The previous president, Collor, claimed to be Catholic, but everybody knew he participated in Afro-Brazilian pagan rituals...

I believe that, although Brazil is a Catholic nation, no doubt, the number of fundamentalists is considerably smaller than that of other nations.

[Thumper]

Just for the record, the US has already had its first openly homosexual president. He made his lover the ambassador to some foreign country, but they wrote long love letters to each other through his presidency. Just like many, he was known to be homosexual, but a story was floated in order to 'keep up appearences' about his sexuality. He would probably have won re-election if the Republicans had not become a powerhouse in American politics, playing the race card. Too bad this democrat couldn't say that he supported equal rights for both races. It doomed him and his presidency to the bowels of history.

I would be willing to bet that not one person here can name this president. This fact bespeaks the second-class citizenship of homosexuals in this country.

The story circulated? He was engaged to a beautiful woman (her name escapes me). They argued about something minor, and she ran off in a s**t. She died in an accident within a short period of time (an hour, I think). This man never forgave himself, and decided to remain a bachelor for the remainder of his life.

Are you ready for the name of the president? James Buchanan, the fifteenth president of the US.

[peptoabysmal]

Originally posted by shemp
The real issue is, how many would vote for a black female homosexual atheist whose grandparents were a Catholic, a Jew, a Baptist and a Mormon?

I think a lot of people would vote for Oprah.

[zakur]

For anyone interested in the numbers, here they are (from Pew) (http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=28#1):

http://people-press.org/reports/images/189-15.gif

Atheists are more feared/disliked than Muslims in the U.S., apparently.