Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) is the first openly nontheistic member of congress.

[More Than A Feeling]

Congressman Holds No God-Belief
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) is first Congress member in history to acknowledge his nontheism
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lori Lipman Brown, [phone]
March 12, 2007

There is only one member of Congress who is on record as not holding a god-belief.

Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his nontheism in response to an inquiry by the Secular Coalition for America (www.secular.org ). Rep. Stark is a senior member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and is Chair of the Health Subcommittee.

Although the Constitution prohibits religious tests for public office, the Coalition's research reveals that Rep. Stark is the first open nontheist in the history of the Congress. Recent polls show that Americans without a god-belief are, as a group, more distrusted than any other minority in America. Surveys show that the majority of Americans would not vote for an atheist for president even if he or she were the most qualified for the office.
http://www.secular.org/news/pete_stark_070312.html

You can thank him for coming out here: http://www.secular.org/activism/thank_stark_070312.html

[Parche]

1. GOD

He should watch out for Mr looney, Congressman Virgil Goode............

[Ian David]

3. That's okay. He can be sworn into office on Thomas Jefferson's copy of "On The Origin of Species."nt

[ArbustoBuster]

17. I have to acknowledge how awesome that joke is.

Bravo, sir. :D

[Canuckistanian]

21. Excellent point

I'm humbled in your presence.

:thumbsup:

[IWantAChange]

2. Separation of Church and State anyone??

[varkam]

6. Name the church?

:D

[kestrel91316]

4. If I were in Congress, or running for office, and someone asked me what

my religious beliefs were, I'd politely but firmly say that they were PRIVATE; none of anybody's goddam business.

One more reason why I'm not in office. My mouth.

[kiahzero]

5. Outstanding. (n/t)

[varkam]

7. Guess who's not getting re-elected!

Good for him, though. Someone's got to start it.

I guess I can't cry anymore about being oppressed.

[More Than A Feeling]

8. He's been there since 1972, and Bush only got 28% in his district in '04.

I think he's fine.

[varkam]

15. Time will tell.

Atheists are the most distrusted minority in the United States.

[kiahzero]

9. I doubt it.

If he's been serving for 34 years, he's probably not going to lose his seat unless he's involved in a major scandal, retires, or dies.

[salinen]

10. Being a non-theist

is a major scandal.

[kiahzero]

12. In California? Doubtful. (n/t)

[bananas]

27. Bob Matsui, Mazie Hirono, Hank Johnson all beat Pete Stark

Bob Matsui was openly non-theist and elected to Congress in 1979 - decades before Pete Stark.

[varkam]

16. As posted above.

Being an atheist is kind of a major scandal.

[progressoid]

11. Not re-elected... that was my first thought too, but who knows.

On second thought...it's more likely that some rabid believers are going to bombard his district in the next 18 months.

By the looks of his website, he's completely without moral fiber. :sarcasm:
http://www.house.gov/stark/

[NAO]

23. Jim Kolby (R-AZ) openly came out as gay and was re-elected

People did not seem to mind. Then again, atheists are more reviled than gays. But if more of us come out...

[Book Lover]

25. Dude, he represents the East Bay

His seat is safe.

[Vektor]

13. There's probably more.

They just aren't open about it. Sadly, to many there's something "shameful" about being non-theistic, and most members of congress whether Dem or Rep, seem to want to make sure the public knows they are "people of faith", despite the fact that there is SUPPOSED to be a separation of church and state.

Well, news flash, there's nothing wrong with being non-theistic, and it shouldn't even be an issue for a congressional job, anyway.

Well, you know, if the principles of our founding fathers were adhered to...

Many forget "Freedom of Religion" which is what we are supposed to have in America, also means freedom FROM it if we so choose.

[charlie]

14. Lol

So it was Pete! Figures it would be a take-no-shit old bird like him. Remember a little brouhaha a few years ago, a committee room of mewling Republicans calling the Capitol cops, saying a Democrat was holding them hostage and they feared for their safety? That was Pete. They had procedurally excluded Democrats from taking their seats. He also delivered what I thought was the finest, most incisive (and prescient, as it turns out) IWR opposition floor speech, which included, among others, these zingers directed at Bush:

"The bottom line is I don’t trust this President and his advisors."

...

"Congress must not walk in lockstep behind a President who has been so callous to proceed without reservation, as if war was of no real consequence.

You know, three years ago in December, Molly Ivins, an observer of Texas politics, wrote: 'For an upper-class white boy, Bush comes on way too hard. At a guess, to make up for being an upper-class white boy.'"

...

"So we have a President who thinks foreign territory is the opponent’s dugout and Kashmir is a sweater."

...

"Rich kids won’t pay. Their daddies will get them deferments as Big George did for George W."

http://www.house.gov/stark/news/news_2002_10_09_iraq.htm

[Imperialism Inc.]

18. I think you should post this in GD or LBN if it is still soon enough.

This is important, Church-State related and does not need to be relegated to this forum.

[SidDithers]

19. Good for him...

but why couch the language? Are the words "atheist" and "atheism" just too politically loaded? Is "non-theist" or "non-theism" softer?

Really, tho, good for you, Pete!
:applause:

Sid

[Gelliebeans]

20. Ye Pete

:yourock:

[NMMNG]

22. I wonder

Will his career be in trouble or has his action paved the way for more nontheists to hold office?

[nolies32fouettes]

24. This made my day

I sent my letter expressing thanks.

Its sad how far removed we've become from the ideals of seperate church and state. As a "nonthiest" myself, whose seen a lot of the prejudice against the belief system, I admire his bravery! Heres hoping that his 30 year record will be enough to allow him to continue his work!

[bananas]

26. The article seems incorrect

"the Coalition's research reveals that Rep. Stark is the first open nontheist in the history of the Congress"

For one, Bob Matsui served 13 terms in Congress from 1979-2005,
he was Buddhist, which is a non-theistic religion.

edit to add reference: http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/id65.html

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. And Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) lists his religious affiliation as "none"

:shrug:

[NMMNG]

30. Just because a person does not have a religious affiliation

That doesn't mean they don't believe in god(s). :shrug:

[NMMNG]

29. Buddhists aren't necessarily non-theistic

Some may believe in god(s), particularly if they have taken up Buddhism along with another religion or converted to Buddhism from another religion. Even those who are Buddhist from an early age may not consider themselves non-theistic but instead agnostic. http://www.beliefnet.com/story/35/story_3562_1.html