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Bigotry and discrimination against atheists has been a core value of the Republican Party. However, that should not blind anyone to the fact that discrimination against atheists sometimes comes from Democrats as well.
Every Democratic Senator who showed up to vote that day joined their Republican allies and condemned an appeals court ruling striking “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Tom Daschle even condemned a ruling restoring the Pledge to the pre-McCarthyist version, calling it “crazy.” As one would expect, his fundraising letters subsequently ended up going into my recycling, unopened.
The latest incident involves the Democratic Party having chosen Rev. Jim Wallis to speak during the Democratic Party's official weekly radio address. Bringing religion into politics discriminates against atheists. This kind of behavior sends a message that atheist voters and atheist money are not welcome in the Democratic party.
Having preachers meddle in politics also endangers democracy. When religion becomes the political coin of the realm, every debate ends up degenerating into a “my god can beat up your god” kind of argument. It makes rational policy nearly impossible to make.
We only need to look at Iran, the Taliban, or the Salem Witch Trials to see that every effort must be made to keep religion out of politics.
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Psycho Woman Throws Knives At Children
13 years ago
I like Jim Wallis a lot actually. I'm not a Christian, but he's been making the great point over and over and over again that the Democrats are the party that actually represents what Christians are supposed to stand for, like peace and helping the poor. Check out his book "God's Politics," it's incredible.
Jim Wallis may be a nice guy, but that misses the point. Religion has no legitimate role in politics regardless of the particular faith of the person trying to use the power of the state for a religious agenda.
Both parties support different aspects of the Christian Bible, but getting into an argument over who supports more of it is counterproductive. I would be careful to remember that the Christian Bible supports some terrible things like misogyny, homophobia, and even slavery.