Would Voters Entrust The White House To An Atheist?

[LiberalAndProud]

The answer surprises me.

In a 1958 poll of Americans, only 18 percent of respondents said they would vote for a generally well-qualified presidential candidate nominated by their political party if that person happened to be an atheist. In 2015, that number has jumped to 58 percent.

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/08/10/431205042/should-we-distrust-atheists

[DetlefK]

1. With JFK the voters had doubts whether the country is ready for a catholic POTUS.

Okay, here's my timeline: First we had a catholic guy, then a black guy.

Some time in the near future there will be a female president.

After that, the country will be ready for a gay president.

And a while after that, the US will be ready for an atheist president.

[onager]

2. And some time after the gay president...

The voters might elect a transgender Muslim Communist werewolf from outer space.

And some centuries after that, America might be ready for an atheist President.

But I'm an optimist. You can tell by the smiley

More seriously, it is encouraging to see the increase from the old numbers. This is why I'm always happy to see anybody coming out as atheist, including Republicans. The more of us there are, the more mainstream we look.

[Lordquinton]

5. You're forgetting an option

Are we ready for a jewish president?

[AlbertCat]

9. Are we ready for a jewish president?

Oh, get real!











namaste

[progressoid]

3. Wow, that is surprising.

Seems just a few years ago it was much worse.

[Warpy]

4. Probably more now than at any other time

Evangelicals are losing their death grip on the Republicans, generally losing influence, and are despised by an increasing number of people.

I think a large part of Trump's popularity is that he's a secular Republican. All the other candidates are getting messages from Jesus and seem to be running for Pope, not president.

Stranger things have happened in my lifetime, and an atheist who doesn't wear his atheism on his sleeve might just have a chance in a country weary of sanctimony.

[PassingFair]

6. The internet has dragged them into the sunlight.

Their views cannot be sustained under dissent and mockery.

[LiberalAndProud]

7. You said "them." I thought "me."

I don't remember how I would have answered this question while I still believed. I seem to remember thinking that believing was important. And now I'm one of 'em. Times change. Minds change.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I am not sure that I believe this.

I hope it is true, but I am skeptical based on people that I know.

[LiberalAndProud]

10. Polls is polls.

Among Americans 18 to 29 years old, 75 percent said they would vote for an atheist presidential candidate. Among Americans 30 to 49, it was 63 percent; among Americans 50 to 64 it was 50 percent; and among Americans 65 and over it was 48 percent.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/gallup-record-58-americans-would-vote-elect-atheist-president

I was watching a roundtable discussion on youtube with Dan, Sam, Richard and Ayaan in which Dennett expressed true optimism for substantially winning the debate. Something important is happening, I do believe.

[Iggo]

11. They probably already have.