Poll: Most Americans would vote atheist for president

[cbayer]

Last edited Sat Jul 28, 2012, 09:56 PM - Edit history (4)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-07-26/athiest-poll-president/56516466/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+(News+-+Top+Stories)

By Kimberly Winston, Religion News Service Updated 12h 18m ago

(RNS) For the second time in less than a year, the Gallup poll reports that a majority of Americans would vote for an atheist for president.

The latest survey, from June, found that 54 percent of those asked said they would vote a "well- qualified" atheist into the Oval Office— the highest percentage since Gallup began asking the question in 1958, when only 18 percent said they would back a nonbeliever.

On the other hand, the survey showed that those who do not believe in God still come in behind every other group polled for, including gays and lesbians (68 percent) and Muslims (58 percent).

Still, an imaginary atheist candidate passed the 50 percent threshold for the first time when Gallup asked the question in August 2011, so the trend is upward.

more at link

[longship]

1. This is an important change.

I would like to say that it is because of militant, loud-mouthed, outspoken atheists and people like Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens, Harris, Stenger, and the rest.

I would also like to say that it is because of the utter douche-baggery of the religious right.

I would like to think that it was the Freedom From Religion Foundations atheist billboard campaigns that showed atheists to be just ordinary people.

I would like to think that it was the part of the sacred community who are taking on the lunacy of the religious right head on, nullifying the demonization of non-believers.

But these would all be post hoc fallacies.

Really, it has to be a cultural change, by definition. So, it is likely all of the above and more.

As a lifelong atheist, this is the best news I've heard in a long time.

Thanks.

See you in church.

[cbayer]

2. Totally agree. It is the combination you describe and more.

I think the rise of the unaffiliated as well.

Prejudices die off with new generations sometimes.

This is good news all the way around.

See you in church, lol.

[dmallind]

3. Great - all a nonbeliever needs is to convince 93% of voters who even consider him to vote that way!

Easy Peasy. Nice fair level playing field.

Great! People hate us only about 8% more than Muslims after people purportedly acting as Muslims killed thousands and dramatically attacked our biggest city, when we have military action in several Muslim countries, a leading news channel that demonizes them 24/7, and in tests of free association, overwhelmingly choose "terrorist" as a companion word to "Muslim". And just think atheists, who are imprisoned at a far lower rate than any other segment defined by religious opinion, who make up huge ratios of the top researchers in science who are curing deadly diseases and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge, and whose greatest offense is writing some snarky books, may one day in a few decades if this great trend is continued hope to be held in equal regard.

[cbayer]

5. It's the trending that is notable, IMO.

[dmallind]

8. No trust me the hate is pretty notable too. And the ranking.

Nobody anywhere on DU would ever dare say there is not irrational bigoted hatred of gays or Muslims in the US, but about half of this site would eat broken glass before admit there is the same directed against the only group that finishes lower than both - not just on this survey but on many more like it that measure trust, fellow-feeling or the like.

Why is that "trend" still true eh?

[cbayer]

9. Well, then they are not well informed, are they?

[dmallind]

12. A serious question - why do you think they remain in that state?

My money's on intentional bigotry.

[cbayer]

13. Depends what you mean by intentional bigotry, I guess.

Bigotry is often rooted in tribalism and can occur whenever a group circles the wagons or exists in an echo chamber. It can occur in religious group and areligious groups. It may even have served an evolutionary purpose by defining and defending against a perceived enemy.

But, imo, it is more often rooted in ignorance and fear of the *other* who is unknown or poorly understood. It may be based on impressions gathered from a very small sample size of those who don't really represent the group as a whole. If I have a very negative experience with a rotweiler, I may come to fear and loathe all rotweilers.

Atheists have the most to gain, imo, by becoming known and then being seen as a simple variation of normal. That seems to be happening, albeit slowly. Granted, there will still be populations who will maintain their bigotry towards atheists, just as there are those that continue their bigotry towards other marginalized groups.

[MineralMan]

4. I suspect that Americans have already elected more than one

atheist to the Presidency. Not an open atheist, probably, but...

Franklin Pierce, our 14th President, was the first President, and maybe the only one, to affirm his oath of office, rather than to swear, and had his had on some other book than the Bible. He entered office while still in mourning for his son, who was killed in a train accident that also involved Pierce and his wife.

He wasn't a particularly effective President, unfortunately, and few people think about him today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Pierce

[cbayer]

6. Did not know that about Pierce, but I agree

That we have probably already elected more than one atheist for president. But he probably had to lie. Will be nice when that is no longer the case.

[jeepnstein]

11. Quite a few probably just paid lip service to it.

I can only think of one off the top of my head who I would call deeply religious, Jimmy Carter.

[Silent3]

7. Progress, but since most elections hinge on just a few percentage points...

...the large number of Americans who would refuse to vote for an atheist, still close to 50%, and the wild frenzy that fundies would be whipped into to defeat an open atheist, means getting elected as an open atheist would still be damn near impossible.

[jeepnstein]

10. I'm a Christian.

I don't have a problem with voting for an atheist. I usually try to avoid mixing religion with politics. Some times its unavoidable but I really don't care much for religious litmus tests for candidates.

[dimbear]

14. Where the Aussies lead, we can follow: Julia Gillard, PM of Oz, is an atheist.

What brought our antipodal friends to so much enlightenment isn't obvious.

Perhaps it's the simple fact that you can't see the "Stars of God"* from there. They're below the horizon. ( There's been some interesting work on the autochthonous religions of the southern hemisphere, BTW. The southern sky has great ominous dark patches.)
Or it could be that Australians are just more forgiving.



* "Stars of God" or as we call it, "The Great Bear" or for the nonursine, "The Big Dipper." So called because in the northern hemisphere they never set.

[cbayer]

15. Oz is, and always has been, a pretty nonreligious place, but I like your theory.

[LAGC]

16. Your link in your OP is broken. It takes me to a "post new message" screen.

I'd be interested in reading more of that article.

Thanks!

[cbayer]

17. You are so right and I am so sorry. Should be fixed now.

[LAGC]

18. Thank you!!

That is a great article, gives me so much hope for the future.