Blah to the whole 'need a faith' realy. The fact is, having a 'faith' =! having morals, or discipline or anything of that matter. It's having a belief in something...well... that's not easily seen in a science lab.

Morals, character, honesty, all that, unless you actively believe that it ONLY comes for a source (i.e. All good comes from God, all that isn't from God is Not Good) then voting on faith won't work. Double that since a person claiming a faith doesn't have to follow it, or even be truthful about it (and for many religions, they can still follow it and be truthful and STILL be the worst pick).

If you want something from your leaders, look for that particular something, and don't use "Oh, he is (this) so he must be (that)". If you want honesty, look specificly for honesty. If you want morals, look Specificly for morals. If you want specificly for a Wiccan specificly BECAUSE they are wiccan, THEN vote on faith.

I'm personally an aethiest, i believe we all go into the ground and rot when we die.

vote murphy for president

Murphy for president of kitties!

NO! Cats are already evil militants who have already successfuly taken over the world. They don't need murphy.


I DO NOT want to see my burmese get a case of Harden Up! If you knew her, you'd agree!

Say NO to bloodthirsty, swordswinging kittens. Say NO to Murphy.

(paid for by the Faelings for the Liberation of Cat Owners Everywhere)

anyway, generally i don't care what someones beliefs are (unless of course they want to burn me at the stake thats just mean and dark agey)

but!

if you try to convert me i will find flaws in your beliefs (hehe only christians try to convert me so i pull out the "why do you celebrate pagan holidays?" logic oh and "the bible says they should kill me" one too... yes i'm serious)

I'm not inclined to believe an online "dictionary" that can't spell "there" correctly. At least they spelled the wrong way right.

Become Theravada Buddhist!

aww meanie.

hehe the bible is funny, one single "mistake" in the translation was the basis for the entire witch trials ("thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" originally had poisoner instead of witch, take that all you poisonists)

I think this is a bit foolish for a couple reasons. First, one thing I do respect about most atheists is that for some reason or another they have considered the issue of religion and decided that they feel that a "high power" is simply illogical and unlikely.

While I disagree with this specific belief, it is in fact a belief. What irks me more than anything is the person who was raised in X-religion who is incapable of considering anything outide of X-religion because "that's how I was raised."

I have far more respect and trust in people who have the ability to at least approach the matter instead of just writing it off "as the way it is because that's what I've always been told." I find this to be pre-dominant in Christianity (in my area, at least). I would go so to speculate that 75% of people who claim to be "good christians" have likely never read the Bible cover to cover. Most of what they know is something told to them, and they were so ready to accept it, they didn't even bother to read the damn information for themselves to verify.

woo Narsrim

though i was raised as a godbotherer... ... ... i mean christian (never more than what you described though) and after like 7th grade i was like hrm, so christianity isn't for me (this was after i learned there were these things called other religeons)

From what I understand, I am largely agnostic. I do not care whether there are gods or not, as no one will ever prove their existence. As I am a scientist at heart and judge things mostly in a logical manner, I find most religions to be a crock of bull. Despite that, I have a very strong code of honor and morals that is inflexible at best and illogically stubborn the rest of the time. I don't have a lot of self esteem, but nothing breaks my code. Nothing.

On the other hand, I do have religious beliefs. Most of them aren't very strong save for one; I believe in the soul. I don't care if there's an afterlife, I don't care what happens to my body (though I wish to be cremated), and I am apathetic at best to 'higher powers'.

I live in Utah, land of the Mormons. Take that how you will. I'm just glad I was raised to have an open mind and figure out my beliefs for myself, unlike the vast majority of the people I have come into contact with.

As far as voting people into office? I don't give two hoots about their 'faith'. If they are passionate about what they say and practice those beliefs accordingly, I am going to be more inclined to support that individual. I loathe hypocrites with a passion and will swiftly grow to dislike them. Take that as you will.

you know.. the spanish inquisition was really rather enlightened.. just been smeared by protestant propaganda and the passage of time. They hardly executed anyone.. they had an extremely sceptical view of witch-claims and the like.. and I could go on and talk about this for quite a while but I can't be arsed.

Personally.. I couldn't give a rat's bottom what a politician believes, given that most of what they're saying is invented for the benefit of the voter anyway. If a politician is sensitive to the views of others, it really doesn't matter what they believe or don't believe... the only reason why I might not cast my vote for someone with non-orthodox beliefs is if I thought they would use them to make minority decisions against the wishes of majority interest.

Here's an idea! Why don't you vote according to the issues at hand instead of giving out a blank check? So many people bring religion into politics where it doesn't belong, period.

... I guess because your political beliefs are inevitably going to be affected by your religious ones? but I agree with you, by the way..

believe it or not i've read the bible cover to cover more than once, i find it interesting but i'm still an aethist.

It's a good story as far as i'm concerned and if it can scare/force/charm/inspire people to be good and whatever then its all good

I find it bloody dull, and I've read through vast tracts of it for my degree. As far as the stories go, they're surely only interesting if you're searching for theological answers rather than looking for plot.

.. and how do you define 'good'? Given that our definition of 'good' has been changed irrevocably by the arrival of Christianity and subsequent literature.

ok by good, i mean the absence of modern day chirstians killing raping pillaging plundering.

Most christians i know are happy to love everyone, worship god and whatnot. I define good as the intention to not be doing things that hurt others i suppose. Good would be a good samirtan type, rather than a terrosit type

I just realized that alot of us are assuming that Nyla is voting non-athiest because of a belief that Beliefs mean more morality, better ideals, more confidence, ext.

But first we realy should ask: just WHY a politician must have a belief to you? I mean, if one of your beliefs in leadership is "I simply don't like following someone who doesn't believe in (insert ideal here)" then voting on faith actualy makes sense.

Myself, I don't vote on religion but get ansy when a politician evokes alot of religion into their plan in principle, even if it is my own religion: My faith tells ME and those that think similarly what to do, it has no command over anyone that doesn't follow it.

but then we must remember this, hitler did all he did and he had morality, that was part of his morality.(and he claimed to be christian, too!)

and some of the best leaders(stalin, ghengis khan) were aetheist.(i'm counting ghengis khan because buddhisms ussually called an aetheist religion)

No evoking Godwin's Law, Tsaephai.


Besides, I WAS saying that religion =! great leadership. All I'm saying is that if you want a leader SPECIFICLY because you want someone of a particular religion (i.e "I want a christian because they believe in Christ" and not "I want a christian because they are more honest") then it makes sense to vote on religion. Doesn't mean you'll vote the best, but there you go.