Referencing this Gallup Poll from 2007.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/26611/some-a ... tes.aspx#2

Willingness to vote for an atheist
1999
Yes - 49%
No - 48%

2007
Yes - 45%
No - 53%


Homosexual
1999
Yes - 59%
No - 37%

2007
Yes - 55%
No - 43%



In every other category people have more or less gotten more willing to vote for certain minorities as the years have passed. I don't think there's enough data for the Mormon one to really definitively say what the trend is.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Perhaps it's a natural sentiment of push-back because over the last 20 years those two groups have lobbied successful public campaigns to advance their causes.

No one was talking about gay marriage in 1999.
Richard Dawkins wasn't calling 75% of the population deluded in 1999.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I think that the younger generations are making decisions to stay out of religion (in their beliefs) because they have had to live through a country thats trying to coerce it's population into religion. You can't and will NOT get elected if you don't associate yourself with a monotheistic religion that considers its supreme being the word "god".

No political figure should be allowed to associate with a religion by the constitution, but yet they all feel obligated to say "and god bless America", for fear of not getting re-elected.

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huh?

That makes no sense.

You have 2 parts that are in the constitution dealing with this...the Establishment clause:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"
(that is a direct shot at crap like the Anglican church)

...and the free exercise clause:
"or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
(everyone is free to believe what they want)

How do you turn that into "No political figure should be allowed to associate with a religion"

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Ill be honest


I would rather vote for a Hindu(just an example) who followed his beliefs and we knew for the most part what he was and where he was coming from, as compared to someone like Pelosi, who claims to be Catholic but constantly votes against Church teaching

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PSA: I am an overly sarcastic person. If you take me at my word, then i will most likely anger and offend you.

Yeah, I'm with Ed on this.

You can't say that all religions have to be respected and treated fairly, yet also say that politicians can't participate in their chosen religion.

Could be. My parents seem to think it's largely a result of eight years of Bush. It's something I really don't have an answer for. Maybe the public sentiment is being misrepresented, I don't know. Maybe it's due to a reaffirmation of faith in most people due to September 11th.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

I'm thinking Bush did more harm to the standing and numbers of evangelicals in this country than he did good.
That's just me though.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Perhaps. I don't really remember much of a religious aspect to Bush. Between 9/11 and the war in Iraq it just didn't ever seem to be very apparent. But then again he went into office when I was only 14 so I might just not remember.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

You should consider voting for people based on their political views, as opposed to how religiously devout they are.

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

Actually that's a good idea for a thread in itself...one moment...

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Pretty much. I mean if it isn't a blantant "Hey you're wrong" it is a "why do you care so much?" or some other trolling statement. Oh well. See above pot stirring pic.

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I don't know about the numbers of people being religious in general but there does seem that the religious right has become much stronger both in numbers and political weight. That political weight is what concerns me and seperation of church and state seems to lose importance to politicians when money is thrown at them by these evangelical organizations and votes are to be had. Here in Colorado Springs they are like a fucking sparkling army of witnesses. They have their hands into everything and have even been confronted by the military bases about their recruiting tactics and such.

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And just how exactly do these religious organizations wield this political power you say they have?
You know...since they're prohibited by law from engaging in politics.

When we have the very real and measurable influence of PAC's, Unions and Corporations, any perceived influence of a church seems minuscule.

If it's simply a case of a politician pandering to their constituents, then where is the problem?

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I blame Ghandi.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

There is no problem. No religious organization impacts political decisions. No policies or laws have been decided based on christian values instead of scientific validity or constitutional rights. No madatory christian rhetoric, dogma or prayer is forced on children in public schools. No minority is being impacted by christian "entitlements", rationalized by twisting the religious allignments and intentions of our country's founders. All is right in the world and I am just blowing smoke up your skirt by complaining. These are not the droids you're looking for.

Off to play discgolf now.

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We've been down this road before and it was concluded you were wrong.
Evolution isn't taught in public schools.
There is no prayer in public schools.

This boogie man exists only in your head.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Nope, and no one is forcing kids to say "Under God" either. You're just a bully with a forum dude. You have nothing valid to add to the discussion. You just troll on in and start shit with me any chance you can get. Go ahead and throw up your hands declaring "Who ME?" now. The only reason no one lumped you in with ETC and the like before is that you started this forum and they cut you slack, but in reality you pull the same bull. You come on into a thread time and time again, make a baiting post then wait and see what happens. We all know it but who cares right? The only shit I can post on here that won't get instantly troll raped by you is about beer or some funny comericial. If I say the sky is blue you'll say "not at night!". Meh, fuck it. Later.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Cross, DF. This is just a case of two people vehemently attached to their own opinions, and it's becoming more of a futile attempt to try to change the other persons mind. In this case it's probably gone far enough (including myself). I strongly urge you two to accept the differences, and say enoughs enough and move on. If not I'll probably end up closing this thread, and subsequent threads this continues in.

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