Does anyone find it worrying that a politician's disbelief in God should be considered news?

Question

The story's here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7151346.stm

Nick Clegg was asked if he believed in God and said he didn't.

Well so what? I worry that if this is considered news, then it implies that politicians are expected to be believers, and that kind of expectation isn't a good thing.

Averell A: Nick Clegg is in the UK. He's the new leader of the Lib Dems...

Toadaly: me too. I think it still matters less here. I doubt if many people would take it into consideration when voting. But still, it's a worrying sign...

Answer 1

Never believe a word politicians say. If Gordon has the Presbyterian vote sewn up and David has the High Anglicans, Nick Clegg hasn't much choice but to appeal to the atheists. He'll suddenly find God if he thinks there are more votes in it.

Answer 2

They did a thing on CNN where they asked the politicians what their least favorite vegetable was. I remember telling my father how trivial that was. Now both of these issues are irrelevant and serve rather to give the voter something to distract them from the important issues. Why does Paris Hilton's DUI make CNN yet other stories don't? Because that distracts the People. Since the people are distracted, they do something stupid and vote for the one who is the Democrat, or the one who is conservative, not because they agree with the person's stance on the War in Iraq, but just because they are a Democrat, or they are Conservative. I remember when I was that naive. I was in my eighth grade Social Studies class and I said that I would vote for Barak Obama just because he's black. Now, I'm in high school, and I know that such a thing is absurd.

Answer 3

Heres is my thing, if a person is running to be President of America the things we need to consider are weather he/she has the balls to stand up when needed, the business sense to say yey or ney when money is an issue/the good sense to stop useless programs and implement use full programs/and the ability to understand what its like to be a normal working person and make it easier on normal working people because we needed. Weather he believes in God is irrelevant because you don't always have to believe in God to have morels, thats just the honest truth.

The Fact that this is an issue shows that people aren't understanding what is needed to run a country, and I blame the general miseducation of the American people in political matters, and in business in general. We get out of school, we get a job, and we work that job. In schools, public schools mostly, government is touched on and we are given just enough information to know we should vote. Running the country is like running a business, and good business sense is what we need, and that is what the focus should be on. The question should be "Do you know what the hell your doing?" Not "Do you believe in God?" There are plenty of shady deceitful bad people out there that believe in God. Give me someone with a good reputation for getting stuff done, and you got my vote. The end.

Answer 4

The BBC carries loads of un-news-worthy items every day. Things like football scores, what some celebrity I've never heard of wants for Christmas etc. Its a way of avoiding uncomfortable, complex and worrying things like asymmetric extradition treaties with the USA and Prime Ministers signing away more of our freedoms to the EU and Cash for corruption investigations.

Answer 5

As worrying that a politicians belief in God should be considered news.

What I find amusing about this though is that since it is an atheist there is outcry about it and it is considered a "personal choice" but if the person has a faith then suddenly it is news and no longer a personal choice but a factor to be considered.

Answer 6

Thing is, he's aetheist, and he is pretty certain about bringing his kids up as Catholics. Seems pretty fcuked up to me tbh. I think they're just trying to elaborate on some notion he's a crack pot, cos they contrast his situation to tony blair's and how he didn't express his beliefs incase people thought he was a crackpot. The british press, including the BBC i may add, manipulate stuff all the time. Now we can't even trust the BBC for reliable stuff, not that we have been able to for a while.

Answer 7

Ah. Just as I enjoy my time to respond to small businesses going bankrupt due to corporate franchise with, "That's capitolism," so now may I grin smuggly and reply, "That's democracy."

In fact, I can make an even better analogy! When I was in school and families were in moral crisis over whether to tell their children to play along with Evolution for the sake of the grade, or to represent their faith by taking the 'f', I, being entriely disinterested in the matter altogether, enjoyed the private struggle of those pompous blokes, and took satisfaction in replying that, for me, it was a matter of supreme indifference. :)

Answer 8

The people have the right to vote on whatever basis they choose. Also, the news media have the right to report any news they choose, as long as it's not libelous. If you're implying that either of those entities does not have either of those rights, I would consider that highly anti-democratic.

Answer 9

I couldn't agree with you more. A politicians belief in god should be of no consequence to the public. What should matter is his ability to lead the country. The problem is most people can't see it that way. The people of this nation have the appalling misconception that in order for person to be of sound moral character they must believe in god. It is a sad thing indeed that the citizens of this country truly believe that an individual must pray to some invisible man in the sky in order to be qualified to represent their people.

Answer 10

I agree with you. QUITE DISTURBING!

And ditto to Opinionated Kitten- Yes, it seems that the U.S. propaganda machine is cranking that virus out all over the world.

Absolutely DISGUSTING that anyone would be concerned with whether or not a politician believes in God, especially given the many pressing issues that we are faced with.

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Oh, and NO ONE is talking about anyone's legal rights. COMMON SENSE, PEOPLE! Re-read the question over and over until your brains finally decide to "kick in". Mmm k?