Gingrich says atheists can’t be trusted, disregards 50 MILLION secular Americans

[웃 910]

As many as 15% of Americans are atheists. 15% = 1/6.66* = 310 million * 1/6.66 = 46.5 million.

*15%:

1/6 = 16.667%

1/7 = 14.286%

Coincidentally (or not?) the best percentage I can come up with for 15% is 1/6.66 (going to two decimal places)! That comes to 15.015%. Much more accurate than 1/6 or 1/7.....

Gingrich says atheists can't be trusted, disregards 50 million secular Americans

The Secular Coalition for America condemns Newt Gingrich's statements attacking secularists in government and public office. Gingrich made the anti-atheist statements October 18 at the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gingrich, a former U.S. Representative and 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said an atheist has no business in the White House. "Does faith matter? Absolutely," Gingrich said. "How can you have judgment if you have no faith? How can I trust you with power if you don't pray?" He continued, "the notion that you are endowed by your creator sets a certain boundary of what we mean by America." Gingrich said thatAmericans should value religion first, above morality and knowledge.

Gingrich's statements encourage precisely the type of mingling of religion and politics that threatens the secular character of our government and is counter to the Constitution Gingrich has in the past pledged to uphold. Unfortunately, not a single one of the Republican candidates on stage dissented from Gingrich's statements.

"His remark that those of us without faith are untrustworthy and lack judgment is a battle we fight all too often," said Herb Silverman, president of the Secular Coalition for America. "We may be the last minority against whom intolerance and discrimination are not only permitted, but also sometimes promoted by politicians."

Gingrich's comments are egregiously offensive to those atheists, agnostics, secularists, humanists and freethinkers who guide their lives according to principles and morality that are not derived from religion. According to the American Religious Identification Survey as many as 15 percent of Americans do not believe in a deity and have no religious preference. These are citizens who deserve representation in the government they support with their tax dollars and should not be vilified by the politicians that are supposed to represent them.

"For too long, our nontheistic constituency has been considered politically inconsequential," Silverman said. "The Secular Coalition for America had to be founded because of ignorant and biased opinions like those of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich."

"There is only one member of Congress (Rep. Pete Stark, D-Cal) who acknowledges being an atheist," Silverman said. "We know of many more who are afraid to speak out because of political consequences. The Secular Coalition works to change such biased attitudes so that legislators and citizens in all walks of life can be open about their non-beliefs."

See Gingrich's statements here:

Edited November 2, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[웃 910]

ETA: Turns out 15% is better defined as 1/6.67 (14.993%) than 1/6.66 (15.015%)....

But wouldn't it have made for a great proof of God's Mystery, or just a mere coincidence?

Edited November 2, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[luckytxn 2,265]

Wonder if Gingrich thinks we should have adulterous liars as our POTUS.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Note: secularist is NOT same as atheist--as it must (by definition) include agnostic (atheist, by definition assumes knowing there is no god as against agnostic who by definition admits not knowing whether there is a god) and not-particularly-religious. Ergo, atheists form far less than 15%.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Wonder if Gingrich thinks we should have adulterous liars as our POTUS.

Moot, given that there have been at least four:

• W.G. Harding
• FDR (who kicked-bucket in his mistress' home)
• JFK
• Bubba

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Moot, given that there have been at least four:

• W.G. Harding
• FDR (who kicked-bucket in his mistress' home)
• JFK
• Bubba

Why you forgetting the Gipper in this list?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Sounds like a good reason not to vote for him. I would not if I were you.

[scandal 951]

Note: secularist is NOT same as atheist--as it must (by definition) include agnostic (atheist, by definition assumes knowing there is no god as against agnostic who by definition admits not knowing whether there is a god) and not-particularly-religious. Ergo, atheists form far less than 15%.

Poppycock. We just went through this in the other thread with Sousuke. He even trotted out a dictionary definition for us. An atheist is one without theology. One who practices no religion,

As to secularist, I believe that is a made up word. What on Earth is a 'secularist'?

As to your 'ergo' conclusion, double-poppycock. You've provided no evidence to challenge any numbers. Where do you come uop with 'far less'?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Moot, given that there have been at least four:

• W.G. Harding
• FDR (who kicked-bucket in his mistress' home)
• JFK
• Bubba

Why you forgetting the Gipper in this list?

1. see the two redded words
2. Checking Jane Wyman's bio, it appears that there was another issue (death of their youngest child) which killed the marriage--and in any case, the divorce was four years prior to Ronnie's marriage with bone-ughly Nancy

[scandal 951]

Moot, given that there have been at least four:

• W.G. Harding
• FDR (who kicked-bucket in his mistress' home)
• JFK
• Bubba

FDR died in Warm Springs Georgia in the convelescent home he built following contracting polio.

His lifelong companion Lucy Mercer was there with him when he died in April 1945 however it was his home not her home.

FDR and Eleanor led largely separate lives throughout much of their married life. Mercer was a true companion, at his side personally and professionally for decades and hardly a mere 'mistress'. It was quite fitting that she was with him when he died.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Checking Jane Wyman's bio, it appears that there was another issue (death of their youngest child) which killed the marriage--and in any case, the divorce was four years prior to Ronnie's marriage with bone-ughly Nancy

Jane Wyman was a married woman when Ronnie hooked up with her.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Ike?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Jane Wyman was a married woman when Ronnie hooked up with her.

I would suggest that you also do not vote for Gingrich

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I would suggest that you also do not vote for Gingrich

No need to worry on that score--to Reinhard the word "Republican" is anathema.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I would suggest that you also do not vote for Gingrich

I would suggest that nobody will even have the opportunity to vote for him since his party won't nominate him. But even if I'm wrong on this and he gets the nomination, you're right, I would not vote for the Newt. As I always say, only no Newt is good Newt.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog