Can an Atheist become president of the United States?

Question

I am wondering about this question because it seems as though only Christians or those who have faith can become president. Atheists are more hated than homosexuals by Christians and I know the majority of our population is Christian. Dont you think this ideology is discrimintory?

Answer 1

I was hoping someone would ask this question. This is why I say we shouldn't go out of our way provoke Christians. There is a lot of animosity toward Christians on Yahoo Answers. I don't see the same animosity toward Wiccans for instance, who believe in magic spells and other such hogwash. Everyone has seen atheists say things like "Christians are like cockroaches and termites. You have to keep stepping on them.", and people like the "HAPPY ATHEIST" who's probably going to wind up in jail someday for blowing up a church.

What we say and do does matter because it all adds up in the long run, whether you want to believe it or not. Honestly, if you belonged to a religion, and you remember where an atheist said people of your religion were like cockroaches, would you vote for an atheist???

I agree with MC Hummer, Bill Gates might stand a chance, although he hasn't had any political expirence which would be his biggest shortfall. We have to start putting our best foot forward if something like that would ever be possible.

Answer 2

For someone who is an openly atheist president, I think that the chances are slim in today's political climate. However, some of the founding fathers were deists, which is essentially atheism except with the belief that a god was involved in creating the universe. (This makes good sense for that time period, considering it was well before Charles Darwin's and the discovery of evolution.) Thomas Jefferson is one guy that comes to mind, and I think John Adams was as well. I know Ben Franklin was, but he was never president. Anyway, if you consider deism a form of freethought, there were kind of atheists that were presidents. But to answer your question more thoroughly... which I believe was about present-day politics... I think the majority of Americans would be unwilling to elect an openly atheist president because so much of our country is religious, and because there are lots of ties between various churches and the state.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian and I hate only one being in the universe - Satan. I think that the United States will have a complete change if an Atheist takes office, but maybe it's good, maybe it's bad. Who knows? We'll just have to wait and see if it happens.

Answer 4

I don't think the US will elect a person for president who verbally denies a belief in God anytime soon. They fundies just have too much "control". It shouldnt matter, but it does. I wonder whatever happened to "separation of church and state". Funny though, the dollar bill is printed with "In God We Trust." I've always found that contradictory.

Answer 5

Is it legally possible? Of course.

Realistically? No way.

Trust me, I'd LOVE for us, as a country, to be able to look past religious conviction (or lack thereof) so that we can elect a person who will actually tackle the issues fairly and effectively... but people elect not those who can produce the best outcome for all but the best outcome for THEM... and guess what... the majority wants a Christian leader to advocate and promote the Christian perspective.

Answer 6

religion should be the last factor in deciding who leads the country...Christians for the most part are hypocrites who bully others into their way of thinking...by using religion as a basis for selecting our leaders we are no better than a theocracy, in many ways we embody the basic tennets of the "Evil" countries we claim to be freeing...i don't think an atheist will ever be elected, unless the country is no longer a majority of Christians...

Answer 7

I think you are assuming that an Atheist hasn't been President of the U.S. Has it ever occured to youn that many...if not most....of them pay lip service to get elected?

P.S. Let's take a look at some of the true believers....

Bush has been a disaster....
Carter is why we have Iran like we have it now
Woodrow Wilson allowed his belief to blind him to poltical realities

Answer 8

I hope no atheists will ever be President, and as long as Christians have the right to vote it's not likely. You are wrong when you say Christians hate atheists. We pity them, something entirely different from hatred... Do you hate Christians? Please learn to spell discriminatory before accusing people of it.

Answer 9

no its not discriminatory. being an atheist is very wrong.

And it is wrong of christians to hate anyone. we are to hate sin and resist and flee the devil.

As to an aetheist being president of any country - that would lead to total calamity for that a country.

Only a God fearing man can be the ideal candidate for president.

God bless and lead you to him

Answer 10

People vote for those who share their values and viewpoints. Sorry, that's just reality. Do you really think any of our recent presidents were sincere "men of faith"??? Of course not. They just tell people what they want to hear. They're not theists or atheists...they're politicians.