Atheists want God stricken from inaugural oath

[roblikestoskate]

it's nice that we live in a country that is willing to rethink it's traditions, but i don't know what to think. i do believe that the US is experiencing the growing pains of a cultural shift away from religious thought.

 

[Meshakhad_v1legacy]

Obama can say whatever he wants. If I were elected President, I would change it to "G-d help me".

 

[cuddly_tomato]

These Atheists make themselves look unreasonable and petty.

O rly?
--pics snipped--

Sure, asking that a couple words be withdrawn is a little silly (and I don't necessarily agree with that sentiment), but you must be living under a rock if you think that's "unreasonable and petty."

There have been cases of atheists doing some horrendous things in the name of atheism. That is not the topic at hand here. So with regard to that pic - pot, kettle.

What the people outlined in the op are doing is unreasonable and is petty. Even most atheists posting here apparently think so.

 

[Untamed Waters]

I like how posters with faith love putting atheists into a little box and make them sound like some evil religion.

Because it technically is a religion.

(By the way, if we're still talking about the original lawsuit, the atheists are pushing their faith/views on others.)

How has being an atheist suddenly become a religion? They just seem like normal people who don't need the cushion of a religion to be happy or moral people and be told simple answers for everything.

They are not pushing anything on you, they just have an opinion on matters. You just sound like a bigoted asshole when you try to slap a name on and generalise people like that but i guess thats hardly surprising is it.

Go look up the word "religion" in the dictionary.

Oh, and by the way, it's ok, you can call me names on the internet. It makes you cool.

Well in that case, they are not a religion then because they don't all share a similar set of ideas and practices. And whatever moral code they have is also different from person to person.

And i will glady call you names as much as i like. I can do that asshole.

Like I said, it makes you cool.

And I really hope you know that that was sarcasm.



'tard

 

[Aardvark Soup]

On the question on the last page wheter America was founded by deists or Christians I'd say both. Almost all settlers came from Europe and it that time deism was pretty popular, but only under the wealthier people. The average civilian however was almost always either Protestant or Catholic. The people who founded the US where simply a mix of Christians, deists, Jews and athiests. And I do not think that is important.

Also it's important to note that currently about 90% of the Americans are Christian. Since most presidents are populist (otherwise they wouldn't be elected) they want to be popular by the people, and therefore say things that will make them look good for the majority. So for them it would be illogical to stop saying this.

 

[Danprezco]

The constitution states that there must be a separation of church and state. This is a perfect example of the two mixing. I, for one, don't say the pledge of allegiance, not because I hate America, but because during the McCarthy trials they added "under god".

America is mostly christian, it is also mostly white, and mostly conservative, but we should not discriminate against those who are a minority.

P.S. I am not an Atheist, nor am I a Democrat.

 

[Easykill]

This thread contains far too much hate.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

Aw, boo hoo. Are you afraid your children might get converted?

no there needs to be a seperation of church and state(look at the 40s to 70s propaganda and opresion)

We've been living like this for hundreds of years. Why change the foundation of our country if it isn't affecting us in any way?

but this isnt the foundation of this country I AM TIRED that people think this is a christian nation this goverment was established TO GET AWAY FROM RELIGOUS INTOLERENCE

Getting away from religious intolerance and not tolerating religion are two entirely separate things. Many atheists seem to fail to realize this difference. I'm religious, but if you don't see things my way I don't get bent out of shape about it. I might have an interesting discussion with you about our differences, but I'm not going to call you an idiot and refuse to talk to you ever again.

dont you get it freedom of religoun means(and exactly this not an opresive religous goverment)that you can chose to belive or not to belive any religion thus you have a choice what you say religous freedom is is that you have to chose a religion and non religious people are opressed by those who do belive thus you are saying atheists are a minority that should be ignored

I never said anyone had to choose or ignore anything. Stop trying to put words in my mouth. I'm saying that religious intolerance is different from not tolerating religion. Religious intolerance is when people use Biblical writings to justify mistreatment, discrimination, and war (this is bad).

However, atheists who are trying to get the "So help me God" part out of the oath are being just as bad by trying to prevent any expression of religion. If you're an atheist, why does it matter if someone says, "So help me God" when they're being sworn in? Doesn't it essentially mean that this person holds themselves to a moral standard and believes that they must do their best to uphold it? How is it any different than an atheist saying, "I will uphold the laws of the land to the best of my ability"? If the president starts letting his religious beliefs dictate legislation too much (forcing certain beliefs on the general public) then yeah, it's gone too far. But if he's just generally trying to uphold values that a huge majority of the country shares, why does it matter if he was sworn in on a Bible, Quoran, Torah, or the Necronomicon?

I meet so many people who bag on religious folks for not being "open minded". I find this terribly ironic. If you're so "open minded" then why do you care if someone believes in God, or just thinks differently than you do? Being open minded, to me, means that you hold true to what you believe but you also don't slag people who believe differently. Talk to them. Try to understand why they think differently. Maybe you'll learn something interesting. And always be willing to modify your beliefs if things change.

 

[Taerdin]

What the hell? Whats with atheists and always pushing their beliefs on other people... I'm getting awfully tired of it

 

[cuddly_tomato]

The constitution states that there must be a separation of church and state.

No it doesn't. It says the state may not make laws promoting the establishment of a religion nor must it make laws that prohibit the free exercise of religion.

In this case, no law is being made, so no constitutional right is being violated.

Unless that is he believes in god. In which case preventing him from saying this would be a violation by prohibiting him from exercising his religion. Being president doesn't mean he can't be religious and can't make an oath to his god.

 

[Shoyuu]

Personally as an devoted agnostic (Get it?), I don't really care. People can believe in whatever they want to as long as they let me believe what I want to as stated in the First Amendment. I do not promote my religion, and I expect others to do the same.

I can, however, understand why some atheists/agnostics are fighting this but they are seeing it as an "threat" to their practice of their beliefs. During the Cold War, the United States became increasing paranoid about communism and decided that 'commies' were godless sons-of-bitches. Whats a good way to fight godless sons-of-bitches? God. In 1954 Eisenhower added the "Under God" phrase to the US pledge of allegiance. I mean, it makes sense. 80.8% of Americans according to the CIA World Factbook [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html] believe in a monotheist religion of some sort. That's the clear majority people. President-elect Obama, is a Christian (He's a 'good family man' according to Senator McCain)and has the right to say his inaugural oath under god. I'll stop here because I can go on forever...

 

[Mrsoupcup]

The majority of the world belevies in some kind of creator and scientist even say the univeres is unlikly to have always just been here.

I say accept there is some kind of god and move on its not going to hurt them, but give a sense of security. Thats how I feel at least.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

However, atheists who are trying to get the "So help me God" part out of the oath are being just as bad by trying to prevent any expression of religion.

Unless that is he believes in god. In which case preventing him from saying this would be a violation by prohibiting him from exercising his religion. Being president doesn't mean he can't be religious and can't make an oath to his god.

When you function as President of both atheists and religious people, that's not the time for you to be expressing your religion. Now, I think in this case it's a little ceremonial deism which is okay, but if it's an actual religious expression, it's no more acceptable than a Catholic going up there and asking for the intercession of saints and the Virgin Mary.

Obama, just like everyone else in the United States, has the constitutionally protected right to practice whatever religion he so chooses. He isn't trying to form a law on it, he isn't promoting it, he isn't attempting to convert others to his way of thinking. If there are atheists who can't handle a president who believes in god they had the opportunity to change that at the ballot box. If (and I think this is the case for the majority) there are atheists who don't care as long as he is a good president then there is absolutely no harm in him saying "So help me God" once or twice during a speech. If no candidate was atheist they should have fielded their own.

Whoever is trying to interfere with what is just a handful of words really needs to take a step back and grow up a little. They are doing atheism more harm that good with this kind of immature and frivolous behaviour.

Maybe it is my Europeanness coming out here but what the hell is the big deal?

Note: I am not a Christian.

 

[The Grue]

The Grue thinks that presidents should swear in by whatever they believe, and thinks that those atheists are being bigots. Note that the Grue is in fact atheist.

You do know that talking about yourself in the third person is a sign of mental instability?

The Grue is above any such trivialities as "mental instability" *scoffs*

 

[Alex_P]

What the people outlined in the op are doing is unreasonable and is petty. Even most atheists posting here apparently think so.

Most people posting here can't understand the difference between an injunction to stop Obama from saying the words and an injunction against Roberts to stop him prompting Obama to say them.

-- Alex