Atheist or Agnostic President?

[33]

Women's voting rights, gay rights, civil rights....

I would say the bolded one isn't completely done being fought over.

[Teller]

You know its Kool and the Gang. I did answer the OP's question if you would care to retort.

Where? This ****ing thread is moving too fast. :laugh:

*edit* I'm leaving work in a minute. I'll try to get back on later.

[Mooka]

*btw, sorry for going off on this tangent.

Care to explain that a little more? The sole reason people become slaves is due to the fact that the race enslaving them thinks they are a lower race of people.

No, not at all. That is our modern interpretation of slavery. How else could a Greek have a Greek slave or an African have an African slave? How else could someone have a slave because they owed them money?

There are a million examples. Slavery in the ancient world was not a racial thing. Not the way we see it today. For example, the Romans loved and adopted Greek culture. (religion, art, language, philosophy, tragedy, etc) The Roman elite could all speak, and read/write in Greek. The source of teachers were usually Greek slaves.

[rincewind]

Where? This ****ing thread is moving too fast. :laugh:

You quoted the damn post. Read mother ****er... :laugh:

2nd half below

Thought that post was in the spirit of the thread, but I guess you don't want to answer a logical step in your argument. Instead you want to call me self-righteous and suggest I called you a nazi - and then play the bigger man by 'getting back on topic'. Okay, that's cool.

I think we will eventually get to a time in place where we are enlightened enough to have an openly non-believing or, God forbid, Jewish president. I just don't think that ever so oppressed silent majority will allow it right now. Damn shame too, because I truly believe agnostics are the most levelheaded, rational people amongst us. Present company excluded, evidently.

[33]

*btw, sorry for going off on this tangent.

No, not at all. That is our modern interpretation of slavery. How else could a Greek have a Greek slave or an African have an African slave? How else could someone have a slave because they owed them money?

There are a million examples. Slavery in the ancient world was not a racial thing. Not the way we see it today. For example, the Romans loved and adopted Greek culture. (religion, art, language, philosophy, tragedy, etc) The Roman elite could all speak, and read/write in Greek. The source of teachers were usually Greek slaves.

You could even say that slavery in the modern world as we know it/was not a racial thing. African slaves were cheap. It was much more about money than race.

[outbaksean]

Women's voting rights, gay rights, civil rights....

I could argue that the majority was for these things, but the vocal minority is what prevented them for so long.

[zoony]

Majority rule BUT NOT at the expense of minority rights is what seperates our democracy here in this great country from most everyone else. I think it's one of the things that makes us great. Sure, we haven't (and don't) always get it right, but I think we try, and we do a better job of it than any country in the world.

As for the thread topic, no, I do not think we will have an atheist / agnostic president for a very long time, if ever.

And quite frankly, I tire of hearing atheists/agnostics whine like little girls. So you had to see a nativity scene and talk to a jehova's witness. Oh the horror! Get over yourselves. This is a Christian country, so expect more of it. There is no law saying you have to believe, and there is all the protection in the world built into the framework of this country in protection of your rights. Be thankful for that and :stfu: Thanks.

.......

[BigMike619]

*btw, sorry for going off on this tangent.

No, not at all. That is our modern interpretation of slavery. How else could a Greek have a Greek slave or an African have an African slave? How else could someone have a slave because they owed them money?

There are a million examples. Slavery in the ancient world was not a racial thing. Not the way we see it today. For example, the Romans loved and adopted Greek culture. (religion, art, language, philosophy, tragedy, etc) The Roman elite could all speak, and read/write in Greek. The source of teachers were usually Greek slaves.

I tend to think that an endentured servant is different then a slave. But maybe its as simple as potato potatoe.

American white males seem to be enamored by the African-American culture now. Can we chalk that up to being a different kind of slavery and bury it?

[DjTj]

What I'm saying is that many people of minority racial decent, minority viewpoint, minority party, minority voice have found means to draw into the public attention their concerns; and do so QUITE vocally.

Of course, minorities speak up because it's the ONLY way to advance their cause. The majority can simply vote, but in a democracy, if the minority ever hopes to make their views heard, they must convince some of the majority - they must speak up.

I mean when it looked like Mike Huckabee was a realistic contender for president, there was a thread on here DAILY, or hijacked threads talking about how the atheists didn't want that "whackjob" in there.

Also, I'm sure you realize that the majority on ES is very different from the majority in the real world. We have way more atheist/agnostics, way more libertarians, and way more computer geeks than the general population. We are also majority male, majority twenty-something, and majority Redskins fan ... all not true of the general population. ES members are a minority unto themselves ... and Tailgate regulars are minorities within ES - how are we going to get our posts to count if we aren't loud and whiny about it? :cuss:

[Corcaigh]

I'd like to think one day someone could be elected president and we would all not know (nor care) what his or her religious beliefs were.

[zoony]

Prohibition.

My understanding is that prohibition was never supported by the majority, but was forced on the rest of us by a few prudes (namely females who'd just gotten the right to vote)

That said, I don't agree the majority is always correct.

[33]

This is a Christian country, so expect more of it. There is no law saying you have to believe, and there is all the protection in the world built into the framework of this country in protection of your rights. Be thankful for that and :stfu: Thanks.

What is it exactly you mean by saying this is a Christian country? How can you define or back that statement up? I'm curious.

[rincewind]

And quite frankly, I tire of hearing atheists/agnostics whine like little girls. So you had to see a nativity scene and talk to a jehova's witness. Oh the horror! Get over yourselves. This is a Christian country, so expect more of it. There is no law saying you have to believe, and there is all the protection in the world built into the framework of this country in protection of your rights. Be thankful for that and :stfu: Thanks.

.......

I'm agnostic and have no problem with nativity scenes, saying merry christmas, the Charlie Brown christmas special, or any of that other crap you/we do to celebrate a guy that lived 2,000 years ago and thought it would be a good idea to be nice to each other. I don't like jehova witnesses because they come to my door and preach - **** you, get off my stoop. Since you guys love to wear your religion on your sleave, then you shouldn't complain when you get mocked for being naive enough to believe that some chick got knocked up even though she never had sex. Yeeeeeahh.

[zoony]

I'd like to think one day someone could be elected president and we would all not know (nor care) what his or her religious beliefs were.

So you don't think anything can be gleaned from a person's character by his spirituality? Interesting.

...

[33]

I could argue that the majority was for these things, but the vocal minority is what prevented them for so long.

Could you argue against the fact that the majority of the south was for slavery?

[zoony]

I'm agnostic and have no problem with nativity scenes, saying merry christmas, the Charlie Brown christmas special, or any of that other crap you/we do to celebrate a guy that lived 2,000 years ago and thought it would be a good idea to be nice to each other. I don't like jehova witnesses because they come to my door and preach - **** you, get off my stoop. Since you guys love to wear your religion on your sleave, then you shouldn't complain when you get mocked for being naive enough to believe that some chick got knocked up even though she never had sex. Yeeeeeahh.

First, good on ya (the first part).

Second, mock all ya want.

...

[rincewind]

Could you argue against the fact that the majority of the south was for slavery?

Ummm... the majority of the south was black. I'm pretty sure they were against slavery.

[BigMike619]

I'm agnostic and have no problem with nativity scenes, saying merry christmas, the Charlie Brown christmas special, or any of that other crap you/we do to celebrate a go that lived 2,000 years ago and thought it would be a good idea to be nice to each other. I don't like jehova witnesses because they come to my door and preach - **** you, get off my stoop. Since you guys love to wear your religion on your sleave, then you shouldn't complain when you get mocked for being naive enough to believe that some chick got knocked up even though she never had sex. Yeeeeeahh.

youre right, we should let the people who cant even make a stand on what the do or dont believe make the decisions for us.

I would rather listen to an athiest who at least has the balls to say they DONT believe then someone who cant decide wht to believe.

[zoony]

What is it exactly you mean by saying this is a Christian country? How can you define or back that statement up? I'm curious.

Would you say Turkey is a Christian country?

..

[rincewind]

So you don't think anything can be gleaned from a person's character by his spirituality? Interesting.

...

I do. It bothers me that are current president is so gullible.

[BigMike619]

Ummm... the majority of the south was black. I'm pretty sure they were against slavery.

the majority of the south was black but they werent able to vote. so that pretty much is nonsense there.

[DjTj]

My understanding is that prohibition was never supported by the majority, but was forced on the rest of us by a few prudes (namely females who'd just gotten the right to vote)

That said, I don't agree the majority is always correct.

I'll admit I don't know much about the history, but how did the Eighteenth Amendment get a 2/3 vote in the House and Senate, and then pass 44 state legislatures if it wasn't supported by the majority? That would be one hell of a powerful minority ...

[rincewind]

youre right, we should let the people who cant even make a stand on what the do or dont believe make the decisions for us.

I would rather listen to an athiest who at least has the balls to say they DONT believe then someone who cant decide wht to believe.

Yeah, that's a good argument. Why should have to believe in your God or not? I don't know if he exist and neither do you. I think you guys are naive and atheists lack imagination, spirit, and faith. Either way, I think both groups are getting the short end of the stick until one or the other can prove something.

[rincewind]

the majority of the south was black but they werent able to vote. so that pretty much is nonsense there.

Thanks - you're saying he's right, that the majority ****ed up and shouldn't have been listened to.

[zoony]

I'll admit I don't know much about the history, but how did the Eighteenth Amendment get a 2/3 vote in the House and Senate, and then pass 44 state legislatures if it wasn't supported by the majority? That would be one hell of a powerful minority ...

Well I'm no expert either, just what I've seen/heard in casual instances.

That said, you know that sometimes politics is more about NOT LOSING votes than actively lobbying for them. I think the 2/3's voted more in line with not wanting to alienate a large block of voters than they did on princible. Of course, nobody thought it would be as big a deal as it turned out to be. jmo, if I'm wrong, someone correct me, I really don't know too much about it.