Finally some progress... sort of

[fester30]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/majority-of-americans-would-vote-for-an-atheist-for-president_n_1708044.html

Good news... that more than half of Americans would be willing to vote for a well-qualified atheist for president.

Bad news... that 43 percent still would not, and increase in poll numbers for an atheist candidate appears to be leveling off.

Of course it shows shifting attitudes toward atheists in American society.  However, I have a feeling in a real election, many of those who claimed they would vote for an atheist wouldn't actually do it.  It's a different thing to say so on a phone call when a person may be trying not to sound like a bigot, then to actually dimple the chad on the ballot for an atheist candidate in private.  More white people claimed in polls they would be open to voting for Obama in '08 than actually did.

[hismikeness]

However, I have a feeling in a real election, many of those who claimed they would vote for an atheist wouldn't actually do it.

I believe this is spot on. It seems on a few issues where polls have shown majority in favor (or against, depending on wording), actual voting results don't match.

[fester30]

However, I have a feeling in a real election, many of those who claimed they would vote for an atheist wouldn't actually do it.

I believe this is spot on. It seems on a few issues where polls have shown majority in favor (or against, depending on wording), actual voting results don't match.

There were at least a couple of state amendments to ban gay marriage that were voted on by the people of the state that were like that.  If memory serves, most Californians actually supported gay marriage back in 2008 when that happened, yet it was still voted down.  I think I know why.  Let's say 60% of the state in polls claim they are for gay marriage, and 40% are against.  Out of the 60% that are for it, a very small minority are actually gay or have a real personal reason to show up to the polls in November to vote.  Out of the 40%, many of them are relgious and feel their religion is being attacked, so more of them have a reason to show up. 

Sure all these people SAY they would be willing to vote for a well-qualified atheist.  However, some people's standards of well-qualified might be different than others.  Even out of those people who responded positively, their standard for a well-qualified atheist may be above their standard for a well-qualified theist.

[AnimatedDirt]

Obviously I'm not going to vote someone who promotes ideals which I do not support.  I don't 'support' atheism, nor do I 'support' theism in a President.  I don't support our current...leader and he claims to be Christian.  I could vote for an atheist as long as he/she wasn't an angry atheist...angry at God/god(s).

[Sandra Craft]

Sure all these people SAY they would be willing to vote for a well-qualified atheist.  However, some people's standards of well-qualified might be different than others.  Even out of those people who responded positively, their standard for a well-qualified atheist may be above their standard for a well-qualified theist.

And they may just be saying "yes to atheists" to look cool or avoid being un-PC or whatever.  When it comes to making a vote no one is going to see, however, that's different.

In the meantime, I don't think I've ever not been stuck in the position of having to decide between theists and hoping the one I choose for all the other reasons doesn't give me a nasty surprise in the religion department.

[xSilverPhinx]

I could vote for an atheist as long as he/she wasn't an angry atheist...angry at God/god(s).

I really don't see how this idea of an atheist being angry at god(s) isn't a fallacy. How can a person be angry at something he or she doesn't even believe in? Angry at religions and religious institutions and/or authorities, yes. But angry at something you see as non existent just doesn't make sense. 

[hismikeness]

I could vote for an atheist as long as he/she wasn't an angry atheist...angry at God/god(s).

I really don't see how this idea of an atheist being angry at god(s) isn't a fallacy. How can a person be angry at something he or she doesn't even believe in? Angry at religions and religious institutions and/or authorities, yes. But angry at something you see as non existent just doesn't make sense. 

I've often wondered that myself. I can see becoming an atheist, and not believing, because one is angry at god, but after you don't believe you can't be angry.  ???

[Firebird]

I could vote for an atheist as long as he/she wasn't an angry atheist...angry at God/god(s).

I really don't see how this idea of an atheist being angry at god(s) isn't a fallacy. How can a person be angry at something he or she doesn't even believe in? Angry at religions and religious institutions and/or authorities, yes. But angry at something you see as non existent just doesn't make sense. 

I've often wondered that myself. I can see becoming an atheist, and not believing, because one is angry at god, but after you don't believe you can't be angry.  ???

Fallacy to us. To religious people, being angry at religions and religious institutions is the same thing as being angry at god. They don't separate the two.

[Guardian85]

A person who is angry at god can by definition not be an atheist. Simple as that.

[Icarus]

Try to imagine the picketing at a political rally whose candidate was an announced atheist.  Imagine the pressure that you and I would endure for being in favor of voting for the atheist candidate.  Now imagine the shitstorm if a closet atheist came out publicly after having been elected to some high office. Kansas might secede along with South Carolina and Iowa.

I think that this would make a good horror movie.

[AnimatedDirt]

A person who is angry at god can by definition not be an atheist. Simple as that.

...and yet angry atheists exist.

[xSilverPhinx]

A person who is angry at god can by definition not be an atheist. Simple as that.

...and yet angry atheists exist.

Well...of course. There's plenty to be angry at. But saying that an angry atheist is angry at a concept (god) doesn't make sense.

What do you think about Sharia law or radical terrorist Muslims, for instance? Does it make you hate Allah?

[AnimatedDirt]

A person who is angry at god can by definition not be an atheist. Simple as that.

...and yet angry atheists exist.

Well...of course. There's plenty to be angry at. But saying that an angry atheist is angry at a concept (god) doesn't make sense.

What do you think about Sharia law or radical terrorist Muslims, for instance? Does it make you hate Allah?

I don't think of it much as if it comes into the U.S. as any sort of force, I'll be long gone.  Do I hate Allah?  Not at all. 

However, as someone already pointed out, 'angry atheist' normally means one who hates everything to do with religion/religious people and so might seem to do anything in their power to stop religion and/or religious liberty on their belief that everything bad that happens is a direct result of religion, and therefore "God/god(s)"

[Crow]

Well...of course. There's plenty to be angry at. But saying that an angry atheist is angry at a concept (god) doesn't make sense.

Yeah it does, being angry at a concept makes sense for an atheist but being angry at a god doesn't.

[xSilverPhinx]

A person who is angry at god can by definition not be an atheist. Simple as that.

...and yet angry atheists exist.

Well...of course. There's plenty to be angry at. But saying that an angry atheist is angry at a concept (god) doesn't make sense.

What do you think about Sharia law or radical terrorist Muslims, for instance? Does it make you hate Allah?

I don't think of it much as if it comes into the U.S. as any sort of force, I'll be long gone.  Do I hate Allah?  Not at all.  

However, as someone already pointed out, 'angry atheist' normally means one who hates everything to do with religion/religious people and so might seem to do anything in their power to stop religion and/or religious liberty on their belief that everything bad that happens is a direct result of religion, and therefore "God/god(s)"

Still a non sequitor between being angry and religious institutions or the way that some religious people want to infringe on people's liberty to be free of religion and being angry at an idea that in your reality doesn't even exist.

okay, maybe shouldn't have used the Allah example, but why don't you hate that god even if there are very vocal people who do terrible things in that god's name? Even if a world away?

Take this hypothetical example. Someone hates Christmas for whatever reason. They see cultural deprivation or excessive capitalist greed (to take a few common examples for reasons why some don't like Xmas) and someone comes and tells them that they hate Santa too. That would be more or less an equivalent, and a fallacy.