Why are people more comfortable with an atheist doctor than an atheist politician?

Question

This is only based on stats of Americans' distrust of atheist candidates and my personal observations...

Answer 1

I would hope that people would consider the person in general and not their religion/non-religion when selecting whom to deal with in life. I would consider a doctor for their skill and their ability to make me feel comfortable, not whether or not they believed in a god. The same goes for politicians.

Answer 2

I'm actually pretty uncomfortable with religious politicians who try to push their own agenda on society.

I've never actually given much thought to my preference between an atheist doctor and a religious doctor. I can understand the logic in choosing an atheist doctor over a religious one but I've never actually encountered a religious doctor who would recommend prayer over medicine. Doctors are, after all, the biggest salesmen in our economy and they're always trying to sell those medications for the prescription companies.

Politicians are another story. This country was founded to be secular, not religious, and I think our policitians have a hard time focusing on that. (I.E. George Bush)

Answer 3

An atheist can have morals and ethics. An atheist does not have the fullness of God. If they have morals and ethics I can trust either doctor or politician. Unfortunately most politicians and doctors lack the morals even if they have a few ethics. So I trust myself and my God over both.

Answer 4

In the case of the doctor, I doubt that anyone has the vaguest idea they are in the care of an atheist. Belief is rarely a shared subject.

In the case of a politician, too, belief is a well kept secret, and when asked directly, the politician who wants to be elected or re-elected will often lie through his teeth... and who could blame him when there are so many deluded fundies around.

I truly believe that we have as many atheist politicians as we have believer politicians... they're simply still in the closet by prudence and fear.

Do you think it may be time for an outing or two in all of our professions?

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Answer 5

I am not comfortable with an atheist Dr. at all.
I would rather not have an atheist politician represent me either, but their personal honor would make the difference there.

Answer 6

I don't know about you, but I prefer BOTH. If I'm seriously ill, I'd rather a doctor use logic to help me instead of, "I have faith God will reattach your leg. Surgery isn't necessary", And I wish our politicians relied on common sense rather than "God told me to invade Iraq"....

Answer 7

Isn't that something? I guess it's because people feel more desperation when they're sick than they do when they're voting--in other words, they don't care who makes them stop hurting as long as they do the job right. Also, there's that stereotype about atheists being science-oriented and very well-educated.

Answer 8

I'd personally much prefer an Atheist politician. I'm not too fond of religious agendas being foisted onto he general public.

Answer 9

Because we want a country to be ran by someone with good morals. The basis of America's history relies on GOD. If we have someone running our country who isn't going to follow what the country believes as a whole, then why would we vote him in? The physician's religion preference does not have as big of an impact on people that a politician would. The doc is there only for a short time to influence you, where a politician could influence you everyday.

Answer 10

Because a politician is an ideologue, while a doctor practices his or her method.

(I hope that one day my country will have an atheist Prime Minister.)