Religion

LeftishBrit

(41,553 posts)

64. Obviously we can't tell what someone inwardly believes...

Fri Jun 7, 2013, 05:30 AM

Jun 2013

but I see no reason to think that he is pretending. Not that I really care what a politician believes, so long as he doesn't use it as an excuse for warmongering, authoritarian policies, or any other politically nasty behaviour.

In the UK, it would be almost impossible to give an accurate estimate of how many prime ministers have been atheists vs believers, since a fairly large proportion have probably been vaguely agnostic or religiously indifferent, to the point that they probably couldn't give the answer themselves. This goes back nearly 300 years to our first Prime Minister Walpole; and people still have debates, for example, as to whether Churchill was a believer or not. Not that there wasn't a big intermingling of 'religion' and politics, but it wasn't about beliefs so much as the power struggles between the Established Church and other denominations.

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Is President Obama secretly an atheist, who fakes being a Christian for political reasons? [View all] Nye Bevan Jun 2013 OP

I love the smell of flamebait in the morning SecularMotion Jun 2013 #1

Inspired by this post, as well as many similar ones: Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #2

A suggestion SecularMotion Jun 2013 #3

Thanks for the suggestion (nt) Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #4

Even better idea WovenGems Jun 2013 #71

You forgot another choice: Don't care Fortinbras Armstrong Jun 2013 #5

My general assumption is that people who really don't care don't click on the thread. Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #6

However, as I said Fortinbras Armstrong Jun 2013 #11

Some of us think it's important skepticscott Jun 2013 #15

I was looking for the same choice. goldent Jun 2013 #60

Yes. Iggo Jun 2013 #7

I think Jimmy Carter was our last actual Christian president... RevStPatrick Jun 2013 #8

Why do you think that? trotsky Jun 2013 #9

The flipside, that actually IS seen on DU... trotsky Jun 2013 #10

You should give more gradations - I have the Soul-o-scope so I know, but most people don't el_bryanto Jun 2013 #12

Would it matter if he was? nt auburngrad82 Jun 2013 #13

Does it really matter what anyone's religious beliefs are? Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #14

To me, it doesn't matter what your beliefs are auburngrad82 Jun 2013 #16

Thank you. whathehell Jun 2013 #31

Unfortunately it's human nature to generalize auburngrad82 Jun 2013 #34

got that right - +1 DrDan Jun 2013 #56

Admittedly anecdotal, but people at work assume I'm Christian because I'm NICE. Still Blue in PDX Jun 2013 #17

This is very, very much a US phenomenon. Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #19

I think he is a faithful Christian. hrmjustin Jun 2013 #18

People that say the Obama is "too smart to believe in invisible sky monsters" cbayer Jun 2013 #20

I agree. It implies those of us who believe are idiots. hrmjustin Jun 2013 #21

There is no correlation between intelligence and religious beliefs, so anyone cbayer Jun 2013 #22

I didn't invent the term "invisible sky monsters", Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #24

No, you just chose to use it. It's offensive to believers. cbayer Jun 2013 #26

Maybe not, but you DID make this claim in your post: trotsky Jun 2013 #27

Correct...He should also bag the stupid, quite bigoted "skymonster" definition of Christianity whathehell Jun 2013 #29

Actually, only one other person has used it once on DU muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #44

Hmmm. My Google seems to work better than yours. Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #50

Ah, Google didn't show up results using the singular muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #53

Another? Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #57

That's one of the "not a good idea to put it this way" posts muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #63

You claimed it was said "frequently." trotsky Jun 2013 #67

Actually there is a correlation. Goblinmonger Jun 2013 #35

You may want to avoid this scientific paper: dimbear Jun 2013 #40

Andrew Brown reviewed that paper. Jim__ Jun 2013 #41

All those IQ comparisons are a little scary, but it's safe to say dimbear Jun 2013 #46

The question of what can be inferred from any correlation is also important. Jim__ Jun 2013 #47

I've no problem with trying to minimize the number, or to explain its causes. dimbear Jun 2013 #49

Why would I want to avoid it? cbayer Jun 2013 #59

Here's one in full as a pdf: dimbear Jun 2013 #61

I think I have read something similar about fundamentalism, but cbayer Jun 2013 #68

As a matter of fact, I do think that papers by Richard Lynn should be avoided! LeftishBrit Jun 2013 #65

In going further I see that this paper is rather infamous. The truth seems to be dimbear Jun 2013 #69

But we do all think fundamentalists are crazy, right? DirkGently Jun 2013 #52

No, I don't think they are crazy. I just think they are wrong on the issues. cbayer Jun 2013 #58

I don't care. nt rrneck Jun 2013 #23

Thanks for your feedback. (nt) Nye Bevan Jun 2013 #25

Why are there only two choices?...He may be an agnostic. whathehell Jun 2013 #28

I think we've probably had some atheist Presidents who LuvNewcastle Jun 2013 #30

What exactly do you mean by this: trotsky Jun 2013 #32

There are certain principles that, while they aren't LuvNewcastle Jun 2013 #36

How much agreement do you think there is among Christians on these principles? trotsky Jun 2013 #37

Instead of interpreting what those teachings mean, LuvNewcastle Jun 2013 #42

"Instead of interpreting..." trotsky Jun 2013 #43

You're talking to me as if I were a Christian and LuvNewcastle Jun 2013 #45

As I have stated repeatedly, trotsky Jun 2013 #48

Haven't been here that long LostOne4Ever Jun 2013 #33

In keeping with your reasoning, the probability that we've had a president with an IQ of 70 or ... Jim__ Jun 2013 #38

GWB (nt) LostOne4Ever Jun 2013 #39

No "other?" MADem Jun 2013 #51

You are missing the obvious poll option: ZombieHorde Jun 2013 #54

Don't you mean that he's a secret MUSLIN? LeftishBrit Jun 2013 #66

a Christian - hence held in disdain by many here who find those that believe DrDan Jun 2013 #55

I don't know for sure but I think most atheists on this board... uriel1972 Jun 2013 #62

Obviously we can't tell what someone inwardly believes... LeftishBrit Jun 2013 #64

I would tend to put Obama in the category skepticscott Jun 2013 #70