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Religion

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cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Wed Nov 7, 2012, 06:29 PM Nov 2012

Election Day a Win for Nontheists [View all]

Election Day wasn't without its share of disappointments but for the nontheistic community it was overwhelmingly a very good night!

The Good

- In Florida, Amendment 8, which would have allowed for taxpayer funding of religion was voted down.

- Voters in Washington state, Maryland and Maine approved same-sex marriage. "We've lost at the ballot box 32 times," Paul Guequierre of Human Rights Campaign told CNN. "History was made tonight."

- In Minnesota voters rejected a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage.

- President Barack Obama was reelected. Obama received a "C" grade on the Secular Coalition's Presidential Candidate Scorecard, coming in behind Libertarian Gary Johnson, who received a "B." However, of the two major party candidates, Obama came in well above his challenger, Republican, Mitt Romney, who received an "F" on the Scorecard.

- Missouri's U.S. Representative, Todd Akin, lost his seat. Akin, who sits on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, has repeatedly denied scientific evidence in many areas, including regarding climate change, and making explosive claims that the female reproductive system is able to block conception from an unwanted pregnancy. He also objected to removing "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

- Krysten Sinema, won her Arizona Congressional race, she is the first bisexual member of Congress and now the only nontheist [see "the Bad" below].

The Bad

- Sadly, longtime California U.S. Representative, Pete Stark, lost his reelection bid. Stark was the only open nontheist in Congress.

- Minnesota U.S. Rep, Michelle Bachman, who received an "F" in every category on the Secular Coalition's Presidential Primary Candidate Scorecard and an "F" on our Congressional Report Card, was reelected.

The Opportunity?

- Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin will be the first openly gay Senator. Baldwin lists no religion and could be a strong ally for the nontheistic community.

http://secular.org/blogs/lauren-youngblood/election-day-win-nontheists

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Election Day a Win for Nontheists [View all] cleanhippie Nov 2012 OP
Technically, it was a good day for the separation of church and state rug Nov 2012 #1
No matter how one chooses to look at it.... cleanhippie Nov 2012 #2
No it isn't. rug Nov 2012 #3
The OP wasn't about secularism Fumesucker Nov 2012 #4
And it's a bad title. rug Nov 2012 #11
I doubt that a Romney victory would have been auspicious for nontheists Fumesucker Nov 2012 #12
You can choose to see it your way, it matters not to me. cleanhippie Nov 2012 #6
Yesterday's election said nothing about religion. kwassa Nov 2012 #5
Well, thats ripe! One who's god only exists in their imagaination... cleanhippie Nov 2012 #7
You have a one-issue obsession. kwassa Nov 2012 #9
Bwahahahahaha! The believer in the supernatural is lecturing me on facts and imagination!!!!! cleanhippie Nov 2012 #30
A lot of yesterday was about religion Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #17
Should I ask the gay priests in my church? kwassa Nov 2012 #21
Good for you to have a progressive church Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #22
Christians hold widely different social beliefs kwassa Nov 2012 #24
Are you trying to label people?? Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #13
If I were you'd know it. rug Nov 2012 #14
You were the one that called them atheists when they called themselves nontheists Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #15
You tell me the difference. rug Nov 2012 #16
There may be no difference Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #18
There isn't. And the post was aabout the difference between secularism and nontheism. rug Nov 2012 #19
Then why bring in the term atheists into the discussion?? Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #20
Because they are synonymous. rug Nov 2012 #23
Perhaps to you and not to them. It is their right to call themselves what they want Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #25
Regardless, the headline was wrong. rug Nov 2012 #26
Then write your own damn headline Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #27
Here's one: Stupid Question Alert rug Nov 2012 #28
Define secularism so we all know what words mean to you Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #29
I have a name change suggestion as well but I am nothing if not polite. rug Nov 2012 #33
And here I thought it was polite to answer questions put to you Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #34
It would not be your first incorrect thought. rug Nov 2012 #35
I am so sorry you have no idea what is polite Angry Dragon Nov 2012 #36
The answer to both questions is no. rug Nov 2012 #37
In all honesty, a very satisfying number of folks risked the eternal damnation of the dimbear Nov 2012 #8
Yes indeed, getting rid of religious influence in government is always good for nontheists! trotsky Nov 2012 #10
WIN??? Fucking nonsense - Stark lost to a fellow Dem BECAUSE he was a nontheist! dmallind Nov 2012 #31
Kinda makes it difficult to accept the message from other liberal believers cleanhippie Nov 2012 #32
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