Personman - Latest Comments on The atheist candidate http://personman.com/?disp=comments en-US http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 Andrew [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:52:39 +0000 Andrew [Visitor] c80361@http://personman.com/ <p>I say do it. Even if you can&#8217;t be elected, you have the potential to bring attention to it. The issue of Atheism in politics, or Religion in Politics, and of the bigotry against atheists, needs to be on the national stage. If you&#8217;re able to do that wiht a candidacy, even if you can&#8217;t win, that&#8217;s a great thing.</p> <p>People make the world out to be this very religiously driven place, where that&#8217;s all that makes one good, and all of that BS, but if you can just make a matter of it, well, then you&#8217;ve done something that I, as a member of the Atheist community, will greatly appreciate.</p> I say do it. Even if you can’t be elected, you have the potential to bring attention to it. The issue of Atheism in politics, or Religion in Politics, and of the bigotry against atheists, needs to be on the national stage. If you’re able to do that wiht a candidacy, even if you can’t win, that’s a great thing.

People make the world out to be this very religiously driven place, where that’s all that makes one good, and all of that BS, but if you can just make a matter of it, well, then you’ve done something that I, as a member of the Atheist community, will greatly appreciate.

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80361 gringo [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:58:05 +0000 gringo [Visitor] c80357@http://personman.com/ <p>danny4prez</p> danny4prez

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80357 Accountant By Day [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:51:08 +0000 Accountant By Day [Visitor] c80356@http://personman.com/ <p>As much as I love the idea of seeing an atheist candidate running for office, I do think you did the right thing to mention it up front, even though the consequence was that the offer was withdrawn. As you said, the party probably appreciates it that you are allowing them to direct campaign funds toward a more electable candidate. Unfortunately, I don&#8217;t think our area (I&#8217;m northwest of you, in Kansas City), is ready to look at even a non-theist candidate with open-mindedness, let alone an atheist. We&#8217;re still stuck with a lot of people who consider strong spiritual belief a basic prerequisite (or substitute?) for competence, integrity, and so on. </p> <p>Congratulations on the nomination, and sorry things didn&#8217;t work out. But I admire the candid, upright way you handled it.</p> As much as I love the idea of seeing an atheist candidate running for office, I do think you did the right thing to mention it up front, even though the consequence was that the offer was withdrawn. As you said, the party probably appreciates it that you are allowing them to direct campaign funds toward a more electable candidate. Unfortunately, I don’t think our area (I’m northwest of you, in Kansas City), is ready to look at even a non-theist candidate with open-mindedness, let alone an atheist. We’re still stuck with a lot of people who consider strong spiritual belief a basic prerequisite (or substitute?) for competence, integrity, and so on.

Congratulations on the nomination, and sorry things didn’t work out. But I admire the candid, upright way you handled it.

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80356 stk [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:42:50 +0000 stk [Visitor] c80355@http://personman.com/ <p>Wow. What a ride, eh?</p> <p>This really brings up a lot of divergent thoughts.</p> <p>On one hand, to truly &#8220;represent", a candidate should be &#8220;representative&#8221; of the district. So, in a conservative Christian district, I could see that having a conservative Christian candidate would be of some import.</p> <p>However &#8230; (1) Isn&#8217;t there supposed to be a separation of church and State? If so, why would religion even enter into the matter (and indeed, it shouldn&#8217;t). (2) I for one, would rather have a <em>thinking</em> athiest as a representative, than a follow-the-sheep &#8220;believer", any day.</p> <p>I believe you would make an excellent representative and I&#8217;d have voted for you, for sure.</p> <p>Well &#8230; you&#8217;ll have more family life if you limit your political career to a tick at the polling booth. ;)</p> Wow. What a ride, eh?

This really brings up a lot of divergent thoughts.

On one hand, to truly “represent", a candidate should be “representative” of the district. So, in a conservative Christian district, I could see that having a conservative Christian candidate would be of some import.

However … (1) Isn’t there supposed to be a separation of church and State? If so, why would religion even enter into the matter (and indeed, it shouldn’t). (2) I for one, would rather have a thinking athiest as a representative, than a follow-the-sheep “believer", any day.

I believe you would make an excellent representative and I’d have voted for you, for sure.

Well … you’ll have more family life if you limit your political career to a tick at the polling booth. ;)

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80355 ¥åßßå [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:40:03 +0000 ¥åßßå [Visitor] c80354@http://personman.com/ <p>[quote]"Why are you an atheist?&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;Because I don&#8217;t believe in god."[/quote]</p> <p>&#8220;duh&#8221;</p> <p>¥</p> [quote]"Why are you an atheist?”

“Because I don’t believe in god."[/quote]

“duh”

¥

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80354 EdB [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:38:25 +0000 EdB [Visitor] c80353@http://personman.com/ <p>Oh man you shoulda gone for it! I mean, if all we ever get to elect is more of the same then how will people who refuse to try to see the world a different way ever going to have the truth shoved in their smug little faces?</p> <p>Gotta admire your honesty though. Cuz, you know, if you didn&#8217;t tell them about the &#8220;skeleton in the closet&#8221; they would have eventually found out and felt, without cause, that you somehow mis-represented reality by not pointing out you&#8217;re not gonna wear the suit they think fits.</p> Oh man you shoulda gone for it! I mean, if all we ever get to elect is more of the same then how will people who refuse to try to see the world a different way ever going to have the truth shoved in their smug little faces?

Gotta admire your honesty though. Cuz, you know, if you didn’t tell them about the “skeleton in the closet” they would have eventually found out and felt, without cause, that you somehow mis-represented reality by not pointing out you’re not gonna wear the suit they think fits.

]]> http://personman.com/the-atheist-candidate#c80353 peter [Visitor] in response to: The atheist candidate Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:23:27 +0000 peter [Visitor] c80352@http://personman.com/ <p>I say go for it. Knowing that you won&#8217;t win is just the kind of freedom that you need to be totally honest. That is, as long as you&#8217;re not automatically disregarded for being an atheist, which will be a key strategy to oppose you. At least you will know you&#8217;re being taken seriously.</p> <p>I would contribute to your campaign. (But I don&#8217;t think used socks would help.)</p> I say go for it. Knowing that you won’t win is just the kind of freedom that you need to be totally honest. That is, as long as you’re not automatically disregarded for being an atheist, which will be a key strategy to oppose you. At least you will know you’re being taken seriously.

I would contribute to your campaign. (But I don’t think used socks would help.)

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