Why would this not fly in America?
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josie (
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June 30th, 2010
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27 Answers
I think I’ll just follow this one.
I’ve revealed myself as a Canadian who want to hear from some Americans before jumping in with my foreigner opinions!
@josie What is a “non hacker”?
@Pied_Pfeffer Somebody who can’t take the challenge. Somebody who folds under pressure, or more specifically under fire. Something I heard in basic training. It was meant in fun.
@josie Thanks for the definition, and no offense taken. I can’t think of a time that I’ve folded under pressure, but I have learned to pick my battles.
It’s something else.
Americans are still Puritans at heart. The religious majority (something like 85% of Americans identify as a follower of some religion or other) would never allow such a thing. Granted, one would also have a hell of a time being elected if they professed belief in Krishna, the Triple Goddess, or Allah.
We’re getting closer though, according to the studies quoted in the site above, Atheists have doubled in number since 1990, and adults who leave Christianity don’t seem to be joining other religions. There may be hope for my lifetime!
Austrailians are already used to living in the land “down under”.
GA^
Daniel Dennett feels that not enough people have stepped forward out of the atheist closet, particularly in America.
In my experience Dennett has the most to say on this issue.
I am gay for Daniel Dennett, and motorcycles.
Aussies are more honest. I think many Americans pay lip-service to religion merely to conform to social expectations. We’re hypocrites. Good on the Aussie PM!
As people have said above many Americans seem to think that if you are agnostic or atheist you are less trustworthy, and there is a percentage of Christians who believe the US is a Christian Country to be run by Christians, and there is not enough Christianity, and they fear that liberals are trying to secularize everything, and they try to bring up historical facts supporting mixing together church and state. Drives me nuts. They are a minority, but large enough to influence things and sway elections.
By the way the recent, but former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, is a woman and agnostic. That in a Catholic country. I guess other countries seem to understand that the government is separate from religion.
Just a matter of time. After all we have a Black President not many thought that would ever happen!
I heard Bill Maher on Larry King Last night saying that he is annoyed there is not an agnostic or atheist on the Supreme Court yet.
I doubt it would make any difference in the long run. There are a few who would loudly complain.
I don’t think it’s near as big of a deal as it used to be. Soon, very soon, I think.
Congratulations to Australia for not having a powerful Christian right that political leaders must kowtow to or at least make certain obeisances to. Even big George [Herbert Walker Bush} had to come out against abortion, which he did not personally believe, to appease this powerful lobby.
The Christian right has got the American GOP by the shorthairs.
Way to go Australia. I think @josie is sadly right that most Americans aren’t ready for this sort of person as a national leader yet. Many of the 85% who attend church really don’t believe in the hocus-pocus they recite. But they aren’t about to face the social pressures of being intellectually honest.
Perhaps even more amazing, Prime Minister Gillard is known for giving straight, honest answers to point-blank questions. What kind of American politician does that?
Just to add about Bill Maher on Larry King, they were talking different stats, and it seems 24% is the magic number. 24% of Americans believe every word the bible says, and that Obama was not born in America, and that he is a Muslim, and some other stuff he mentioned. The stats were compiled separately, different polls, but the percentage is always around the same for such extreme thinking. I think 24% more or less is a lot. 24%!
@YARNLADY “I doubt it would make any difference in the long run. There are a few who would loudly complain.”
I wonder if an atheist president would get more or less complaints than Obama has?
@ipso Daniel Dennett is pretty awesome. Maybe you should mention him here.
When it comes to professing Christian faith at least, America is a very conformist country. There are a number of such conformist central dogmas to which Americans pay lip-service. Most are observed more in the breach than in the observance.
Many of the so-called “Freedoms” are such central hypocrisies which are routinely undermined or denied in common practice and in legislation (much of which is the legacy of the (G. W. Bush) Cheney regime). Just try exercising these so-called freedoms and you will feel the painful consequences!
Such hypocrisy is observed is common in other countries, many of them despised by the USA.
No irony in that!
@Dr_Lawrence Are you saying Christians in America talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk? Wouldn’t you think that when it came time for the secret ballot voting booth they could then actually vote what they know is true, instead of what they profess. Or, am I misunderstanding your point to begin with?
I believe we should look at what people do rather than what they say they believe.
There are Christians who live their faith and act righteously towards others who have different belief systems.
There are many more Sunday morning Christians. The same is true for other faiths, including my own (except for the day of the week~).
It is not enough to believe in the founding principles of a country. When a country actively undermines those principle in practice (Guantanamo) and in law (Patriot Act), mere lip-service to founding principles is a crock!
Perhaps the answer is because the U.S. has a much higher proportion of people who profess belief in God than is the case in most other countries.
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