There is no word more harmful to an American politician than “Atheist.”
According to a Pew Research Survey, Atheism is the top reason Americans would vote against a candidate.
There is no word more harmful to an American politician than “Atheist.”
According to a Pew Research Survey, Atheism is the top reason Americans would vote against a candidate.
America’s disapproval of Atheism is best proven through Congress because it has no representatives who have publicly said they are Atheists. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any Atheist Congressmen or women.
In a Washington Post article, Maggie Ardiente of the American Humanist Association said, “We already know of 24 members of Congress who have told us privately that they don’t believe in God, but they won’t come out, of course, and if we tried to out them they would deny it.”
Identifying oneself as an Atheist is such a taboo thing in America that public officials feel the need to hide what they believe in — or in this case, what they don’t believe in.
In eight states, there are actually laws still in place that make it illegal for Atheists to hold public office. Although these laws cannot be enforced due to a federal law overruling them, it’s a stark reminder that Atheists do face discrimination in politics.
One of the biggest fears people seem to have regarding Atheists is that they lack a moral compass. The belief is that because they do not look to a higher power for guidance, they run the risk of lacking a moral standing.
Everyone has their own set of morals no matter what their beliefs are. People gain morals from their upbringing and life experiences. They are not gained solely through attending a religious service every week or reading a religious text.
Atheists hold jobs, have families and vote — just like everyone else. Just because they don’t believe in a higher being doesn’t mean that they aren’t good people who want their country to succeed just as much as any faithful person does.
Americans shouldn’t be striving for politicians who base their decisions on their religion in the first place. Faith can be great at times but it can also be equally as hindering, especially in politics.
As is stated in the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
When politicians turn to their faith for guidance while in office, they are destroying the separation of church and state that this country was founded on.
Religion has no place in American politics, which should make it even more apparent that Atheists would be the best candidates for political office.
America is not run on what the Bible says, what the Torah says or what the Quran says. It is run on what the Constitution says, and as long as a candidate believes in the Constitution, they should be seen as fit to be in office.
America should be striving for a more secular Congress that will not let religious beliefs get in the way of how it makes decisions, and the best way to achieve this is to start electing more Atheists into office.
gm573913@ohio.edu
