Your Vote for President

G

Glinda

Senior Member
Would you vote for an avowed atheist for president?
 

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?
 
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?

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

DW, your implication that all Americans collectively shot President Kennedy is unfair and, frankly, uncalled for.
 
AZ Jim said:
I would vote for an Atheist without reservation. In fact I would prefer that to a Huckabee etal.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Glinda said:
DW, your implication that all Americans collectively shot President Kennedy is unfair and, frankly, uncalled for.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.

Similarly, when seven bodies where discovered decomposing in barrels of acid in the country town of Snowtown, the town's stores began selling souvenir coffee mugs with captions such as "come to Snowtown, you'll have a barrel of a time." Finally, when Prime Minister Harold Holt went for a swim at a Portsea beach and was never seen again, construction soon began on the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Pool.

Psychologists have offered two different explanations for the origins of black humour. The first is 'incongruity theory.' Incongruence is caused when someone experiences conflicting motivations after being presented with disparate ideas. For example, if someone wants to like Australians but also believes one should respect the dead, they will have conflicting motivations about the Snowtown souvenir mugs. This attitude incongruence may cause one of the attitudes to 'give'. For example, they may decide they don't like Australians anymore or decide they don't care about disrespecting the dead. If attitude change is not a desirable outcome, the person may just laugh and then move on.
The second theory is a 'catharsis release'. Freudian psychologists believe that humour allows people to release tension associated with difficult experiences. This helps them address those issues that they can not openly discuss. For example in the Convict era, Convict etiquette demanded suffering in silence whilst the law considered complaints as insolence and punished it with flogging. As both Convict etiquette and the law prevented the Convicts from discussing their emotional distress, they were forced to make jokes to deal with their emotional turmoil.
​
The same kind of needs are still expressed today. When Australian comic Bill Leak found out that his mate had lost his right-big toe in an accident, Leak had confused emotions. Although he could have sent flowers and a get well card, instead he sent a thong with big toe attached in the appropriate position and a note: 'Glue here.'

http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/comedy.htm
Click to expand...
 
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?

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


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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

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

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

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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top