Barack Obama on atheism

munky99999 · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:08 am Post subject: Barack Obama on atheism

39:45 long. It's a pretty long speech.

Older Keynote

"For one, they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice. Folks tend to forget that during our founding, it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was Baptists like John Leland who didn't want the established churches to impose their views on folks who were getting happy out in the fields and teaching the scripture to slaves. It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it.

Moreover, given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson's, or Al Sharpton's? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let's read our bibles. Folks haven't been reading their bibles.

This brings me to my second point. Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God's will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all."

Fucking eh.
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Castaa · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:40 am Post subject:

It's good to hear this being put forward. This is the foundational argument of the separation of church and state in government by putting a premium on arguments based on reason in the public sphere of discourse.

Gee, I wonder where he gets such crazy ideas?? Oh ya, he teaches constitutional law. Funny how that knowledge could help a Presidency...

However, I highly doubt you see ever see a speech like this given by him while he's running for or holding the office of US President. Granted none of the candidates would either. I would of course like to be proven wrong.
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Gettin' In Tune · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:54 am Post subject: Re: Barack Obama on atheism

munky99999 · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:48 am Post subject:

RyanDzundza · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:38 am Post subject: Re: Barack Obama on atheism

Daggett · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

PZ goes on an insane rant, as usual: http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/02/the_obama_failing.php

Gettin' In Tune · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject:

josephpalazzo · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:42 pm Post subject:

Obama has to stress his Christian roots in order to offset any Republican attack on his tenuous link to Islam. But on the whole, he seems to be the kind who will take off his religious hat once he's in the oval office.

Gettin' In Tune · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:00 pm Post subject:

Not allowing religion to guide politics is correct. We should not be grateful for this. I am not sure when religion played such a dominant factor in claiming the presidency. It is a regression.

aitm · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

I am not aware of any, really, instance where religion played a defining role in a presidency. They may have used religion as a convienant answer/reason/excuse, but most simply use it to get/remain in power.
Only idiots believe a candidate is really religious, unfortunately, idiots seem to have the same rights to vote as the rest.
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Castaa · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:47 pm Post subject:

Hit_me_up024 · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject:

yes us atheist are the best we know this.
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redraiderdude187 · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: Barack Obama on atheism

Castaa · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

PJS · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

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