Finally - A nontheist in government! Just read this on msn ...BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

Finally someone who can think, and evidently, has been doing so since 1973. Thanks for the link.

I hope more will come "out". So many of the issues we discuss on this site (and otherwise) come down to some people trying legislate their religious beliefs onto all citizens.

Did you know that when the founding fathers of this country shook off the chains of tyranny from Great Britain, they cited 27 Biblical violations and wrote the Declaration of Independence.

52 of the 55 men who formed the Constitution were active members in their church.

Thomas Jefferson called the Bible 'The cornerstone for American Liberty' and put it in our schools as a Light.

Patrick Henry said that our country was founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the founding fathers, Noah Webster, who wrote the first dictionary could literally quote the Bible chapter and verse.

James Madison said, "We've staked our future on our ability to follow the Ten Commandments with all of our hearts."

In his farewell address, George Washington said, "You can't have national morality apart from religious principal."

You think the country is in bad shape now, wait until a non Christian is in charge. This country will really be in a world of hurt then.

Madeline Murray O'Haire petitioned to get the Bible and pray out of school and she won. Now look, they are war zones.

Even her son, Bill Murray, (not the actor), denounced her and is a devout Christian.

It's not a coincidence that this stuff happens only in the public schools and not in the Christian schools. It's always a public school where students shoot students.

We actually need some God fearing Christians in the government. Not ones who buckle to pressure and kowtow to the status quo

Get condoms out of school and put the Word of God back in it.

Now we have same sex marriages allowed in some states. That is an abomination to the Lord as well.

Wouldn't happen if we had more Christian leaders like we did with Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln.

This country really went to hell in a handbasket, when the queen atheist, Madeline O'Haire took prayer out of school.

We went from talking and chewing gum as problems in school to drugs, rape and murder.

Yeah we really need another atheist with any kind of political power.

Congratulation, this's good news but I didn't get when he declare his attitude? After election or before?
Is he the first atheist congressman in USA?!!!!!!!!
Unbelievable, seems still has long way to reach to Europe in this kind, I think.
God bless USA!!!

GOD BLESS USA - ?!?

I take it this is meant in irony, as Stark is an atheist!!

Good sense is prevailing! With the entirely destructive history of Christianity and Deistic people in control, and the insiduous, pervasive and dictatorial harm they have wreaked in the name of God/Allah, it's wonderful to give someone else a fair crack of the whip for a change!

More power to his elbow!!

Ya know, few people really realizes that the Christians started killing even before the crusades, kept killing through the Inquisition and are still killing daily. The religions wars in the Middle East started over 4000 years ago and aren't going to stop anytime soon.

Dear Dave
Please look at them more precisely. Attitude of people is more concern to their culture, belief and training.
People you mentioned above grew up in ultimate dictatorship atmosphere and never known what democracy is. They killed a lot of people because believed that they are right and all the people must accept such belief, if not have to die, it's tyranny rule. I guess in this situation not any different to fanatics religious leaders who have killed people for their believes.

Image 700 years ago, what happened in Europe? I don't think you approve such era.
I think we haven't to justify things due to our belief.

Communism is a political system. That is an absolutely inane statement.

Communists are a political system but its also common knowledge that they are not Christians.

I remember back in school in our history books when we were learning about communism, they used to brainwash the children in their schools that God does not answer prayers but the Communists will provide for them. Then they went to prove it. They asked the children in school to pray for God to prvide them with apples.

When God didn't provide the apples, they then asked the children to ask the communists for them and miraculously there were bushels of apples outside the school that communist soldiers had put there.

Those are all interesting quotes, and even if the founding fathers were religious, they founded the US on the principles of freedom. We should all have the freedom to practice (or not) the religion of our choice and not have those personal choices dictated to us by government.

Would you give money to the local Wicca church? Or the local Mosque? Probably not, and that's your right. I don't want my tax dollars going to promote/support/share any religion.

I'm still so happy to have someone in government trying to do what's best for all citizens, not what's best for his religion.

No I wouldn't give money to them because I do not believe in their religions and by giving money to them, then I would be supporting their stuff.

Your tax dollars do not go to support religions, they go to the national and local governments.

"Your tax dollars do not go to support religions, they go to the national and local governments."

Well w/Bush's Faith Based Initiative and the presence of religious symbols and principles in government I'd say you're not entirely correct.

Tax dollars under Bush Boy go to 'faith based' organizations. His words.

Yeah, and as amadeus1220 says, "No I wouldn't give money to them because I do not believe in their religions and by giving money to them, then I would be supporting their stuff."

I'm not against religion - I'm against religion in government. Bush is one of the worst things that's ever happened to this country.

This is not at all common knowledge. Lets use the former Soviet Union as an example shall we. While it was officially a secular state over 1/3 of its population is reported to be Christian. (have you ever heard of the Russian Orthodox church). The fact that it was a secular state is one of the few positives of the Soviet Union. The fact that it was a dictatorship and a closed society are 2 of the negatives. Neither being secular or a dictatorship has anything to with communism. I don't think you really know what communism is. This is not at all a defence of the Soviet Union. Though many aspects of communism could be considered good(ie universal health care). I assure you I am not a communist and this is not the place for that debate.

If you were taught this then I am very happy to have been educated in Canada because this is obviously evidence of brainwashing in American schools. Where the hell is your Bologna Detection Kit?

I agree however that God does not answer prayers. If we both had equally sick children; you can stay home a pray for yours, I am going to take mine to the hospital.

Isn't it funny that the opposition in this discussion to a nontheist in government is just because he's a nontheist? amadeus1220 hasn't even commented on or inquired about the congressman's qualifications, policies, etc. He's just hell bent on establishing that the US was founded on religious principles and doesn't appear to consider the person in question.

Ummmm....you started the post with 'Finally a nontheist in government' and I was responding to that. Not once in that post did you say 'Finally someone with a strong political background in the government' or start out with anything about his qualifications.

However, if you did a little searching on my post responses, you would have found this:

It doesn't really matter what their race, color, creed or religion is. You should not vote based on that stuff. You should vote because the candidate is interested in the same problems that you are and the electee seems like a good, qualified choice for government.

If they happen to be a Christian then that is a bonus.

I posted that in the Faith and Good Works thread just this morning.

Plus no where in that link that was provided, mentions anything about his qualifications either except that hes been there since 73 and is Chairman of the Ways and Means committees.

You want me to comment on someone's qualifications then you should do the same and provide those qualifications.

Don't say Finally a nontheist in government and then chastise me for responding to that statement.

Point taken amadeus1220. I got involved in the discussion and forgot about the post title! I just found it curious.

And, no, I didn't go research all your posts silly : )

Thank you. And, yes, I guess that research remark was kind of silly so I apologize for that. I, too, just got caught up in the moment.

Well let's face it, we're all here 'cause we like to argue a little