Why do Democrats keep snubbing atheists? We help drive the party

[rug]

Mention of God has been a touchstone of campaign rhetoric even though the official Democratic platform aligns with secular beliefs

Adam Lee
Monday 1 August 2016 15.02 EDT
Last modified on Monday 1 August 2016 16.28 EDT

You’d never guess, from the public face the Democratic party presents, that atheists are a loyal and increasingly important constituency.

At the Democratic National Convention last week, God and religion were front and center. Clergy members gave fiery addresses. Hillary Clinton avowed her Methodist faith, while her running mate, Tim Kaine, spoke about his work as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Almost every speaker ended with the rote and obligatory “God bless America”.

The official 2016 Democratic party platform isn’t any more encouraging. Arguably the most inclusive in the party’s history, it prominently mentions racial minorities, the LGBT community, the disabled and many other marginalized groups. But in spite of all this inclusion, it somehow couldn’t find the space to nod to the millions of Americans who hold no religious faith. Instead, it singles out “people of faith and religious organizations” for praise, and emphasizes helping people to achieve their “God-given” potential.

Several atheist groups voiced frustration that nonbelievers weren’t acknowledged at the DNC. Most dispiriting of all, we saw in hacked emails that a DNC official suggested attacking Bernie Sanders as an atheist, although that suggestion never went anywhere and the party later repudiated it.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/01/why-democrats-keep-snubbing-atheists-secular-platform

[still_one]

1. The Democratic Party doesn't care what you believe or don't believe.

[metroins]

2. I'm agnostic or really a deist

I could go full atheist on a good day.

I don't mind people being religious. I don't need anybody pandering towards my lack of belief in a man-made book.

I don't vote on feelgood religious or non-religious items, I vote on facts. Hillary has my vote regardless of religion.

[Moostache]

3. Cherish the small steps I guess.

At least the Democratic Party platform does not inherently dismiss the scientific method or rationalism at its core or call explicitly for things like bans on abortion for purely religious reasons...the GOP circus is all about denial of facts, denial of scientific method, promotion of self-delusion and pathetic lies over cold truth.

In the existing 2-party system, the average atheist cannot see the light of day in the GOP's bag of hammers...at least the Democratic Party remains mostly grounded in reality...despite the overt appeals to the religious as well. (I get it....they need to broaden the appeal to assure a defeat of the Trumpster Fire.

Its my experience that the more odious religious zealots tend to congregate in Republican circles and the more liberal, socially and politically, members of the faith are more inclined towards the Democratic Party too. Put another way...if I have to discuss religion with someone in a political discussion, there is no choice at all, its a Democrat 100 out of 100 times!

[msongs]

4. the convention was like an old time revival meeting in a hall instead of a tent. but it wasn't aimed

at me so I just turn off the sound at the appropriate moments. Still to open the second day with "mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord" was a bit over the top IMO

[edhopper]

5. solid demographics are often ignored

for undecided ones.

so the thinking is ignore the atheist and see if we can grab mor Xians.