A majority of Americans now say they would vote for an atheist for president of the United States if their political party nominated one, says a new Gallup poll.
Between June 7-10, Gallup asked 1,004 American adults about whether they would vote or not vote for someone based on their religion, race or sexual orientation. Specifically, relevant to atheism, Gallup asked: “Between now and the 2012 political conventions, there will be discussion about the qualifications of presidential candidates--their education, age, religion, race, and so on. If your party nominated a generally well-qualified person for president who happened to be an atheist, would you vote for that person?”
Fifty-four percent of respondents said, yes, they would vote for an atheist for president if their party nominated one. Forty-three percent said they would not. [snip]
According to the Gallup survey, Democrats (58 percent) and Independents (56 percent) would be more likely to vote for an atheist if their party nominated one than Republicans (48%) would.
Also, younger people are far more likely than older people to say they would vote for an atheist nominated by their party. Among 18 to 29 year olds, 70 percent say they would vote for an atheist. That falls to 56 percent among 30 to 49 year olds, 48 percent among 50 to 64 year olds, and 40 percent among those 65 or older. (continue reading)
Interesting. I have been roundly criticized for declaring I am sitting out the 2012 election. Sitting it out because Mitt Romney is a RINO and not a conservative.
What if he were an atheist? Would the criticizers still criticize?
Frankly I equate Romney's RINOism equal to someone else's atheism. In fact I could vote for an atheist if they were a conservative, although I don't think it's possible to be a true conservative and an atheist.
Posted by: Grouch at Right Truth | June 23, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Personally, I would rather vote for an honest atheist than a dishonest Christian. Some of the nicest people that I have met had claimed to be "Atheist" and some of the worst villains I've encountered claimed to be believers in God.
I just believe that our nation needs to return to George Washington's declaration that it is impossible to rightly govern the nation without God and the Bible...and firearms in the hands of the population.
Posted by: R.J. Godlewski | June 23, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Sometimes it boils down to the lesser of two evils. The evil is usually a member of the DNC and an atheist, and rarely a member of the GOP and a Christian. What we have in Obama is a member of the DNC who has moved it even closer to the CPA (Communist Party of America) and a Muslim. We can thank the DNC, esp. LBJ for loading the country up with Muslims. And for those who have not seriously considered it - what kind of religion is based on tyranny and hate? Yeah, that's right. It is not a religion but it masquerades as one.
Posted by: Susan Benton | June 23, 2012 at 10:58 AM
No wonder the country is in such dire straits. Atheism is a slow death for any country that chooses that path, for without a moral compass it will cease to exist. Look at society and looks what happened...no morals in business, goverment, relations. Like the old sheriff said in the movie " No Country For Old Men" It's the dismal tide.
Posted by: PALADIN | June 23, 2012 at 02:17 PM
I was heartened to see Marco Rubio is such a man of faith. I doubt that he should run for VP this time around, but it was super to hear a man who knows our fate is not in OUR hands and that honoring God will bless us as individuals or societies.
I think that we could lose our country because people think Romney's not conservative enough; to hand it to Obama in that way is astonishing and hurtful to people who love this country.
Posted by: z | June 23, 2012 at 02:45 PM
Grouch: You are right when you say "I don't think it's possible to be a true conservative and an atheist." I'm not sure I could vote for an atheist. I suppose who their opposition candidate is would make a difference.
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RJ: Our nation was founded on God, the Bible, Biblical principles, not sure how we would do with a president who rejects all of that. Oh wait! We have one now.
Obama isn't an atheist, but what he worships is himself, he is a Socialist.
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Susan: Excellent point. I could vote for an atheist before a Muslim. We already have Obama who would be fine with a form of Communism. He actually belonged to the Communist party before he ran for president.
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I didn't see that movie. I'll have to put it on my 'bucket list', ha.
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Z: Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Allen West, ... any of them would be great.
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Posted by: Debbie | June 23, 2012 at 02:52 PM
Some of the biggest scoundrels I have met in my life have been preachers.
Posted by: Grouch at Right Truth | June 23, 2012 at 04:53 PM
Deb, what the heck is a bucket list ? ?
Posted by: PALADIN | June 24, 2012 at 01:25 AM
A 'bucket list' is a list of things you want to do before you die. There was a movie made about it, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. They were two terminally ill men with a list of things they wanted to do, places they wanted to see, Nicholson was rich, so off they went...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/
The term bucket list has become slang for a lifetime 'to do list'.
Posted by: Debbie | June 24, 2012 at 09:50 AM