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First openly nontheistic member of Congress (Calif. Dem Pete Stark is openly atheist)
Secular Coalition for America ^

Posted on 03/12/2007 11:13:07 AM PDT by Princip. Conservative

Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his nontheism in response to an inquiry by the Secular Coalition for America. Rep. Stark is a senior member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and is Chair of the Health Subcommittee.

Our research reveals that Rep. Stark is the first open nontheist in the history of the Congress. He holds the highest level office of the four contest nominees who agreed to self-identify with our community.

(Excerpt) Read more at secular.org ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: atheism; god; government; religion
Sorry to give a link from such a fruity site, but I came across this headline and was appalled, though not surprised considering where Stark is from. We should definitely make a stir about this, because it's unseemly in an overwhelmingly religious nation that a politician flagrantly be atheist, imho.
1 posted on 03/12/2007 11:13:10 AM PDT by Princip. Conservative
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To: Princip. Conservative

To be totally honest, I couldn't care less if the Moonbats in the Bay Area elect an atheist. BTW, Pete Stark is the only member of congress I know of who has never lived in the district he represents. Oh well!


2 posted on 03/12/2007 11:17:37 AM PDT by Alter Kaker (Gravitation is a theory, not a fact. It should be approached with an open mind...)
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To: Princip. Conservative
Up to his constituents, and if they didn't know then, they do now.

BTW what would a atheist swear the oath on, a copy of 'Origin of the Species'?

3 posted on 03/12/2007 11:18:00 AM PDT by AU72
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To: Princip. Conservative

Perhaps other pagans in Congress will come forward now?

How about Barney Frank? Thoughts?


4 posted on 03/12/2007 11:18:29 AM PDT by RexBeach
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To: Princip. Conservative
..because it's unseemly in an overwhelmingly religious nation that a politician flagrantly be atheist..

In California? For a RAT?

5 posted on 03/12/2007 11:19:53 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative ("The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism."-Karl Marx)
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To: Princip. Conservative

Pete Stark may be a liberal atheist, but when my company in Calabasas, CA was being hassled on our GSA Contract, he made a phone call and GSA was suddenly kissing up. He gets the job done, which is more than I can say for most other House members or Senators.


6 posted on 03/12/2007 11:20:25 AM PDT by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: Princip. Conservative

We should definitely make a stir about this, because it's unseemly in an overwhelmingly religious nation that a politician flagrantly be atheist, imho.
______________________________________________

I disagree. His religious beliefs, or lack thereof shouldn't matter...

Besides...this guy is a dem from San Francisco...there will be plenty of other "unseemly" attributes (starting with voting for tax hikes, for example) to capitalize on, I'm quite sure.


7 posted on 03/12/2007 11:21:27 AM PDT by Tulane
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To: AU72
BTW what would a atheist swear the oath on, a copy of 'Origin of the Species'?

With a Californian it's more likely to be the Kama Sutra.

8 posted on 03/12/2007 11:22:00 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative ("The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism."-Karl Marx)
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To: AU72

"Up to his constituents, and if they didn't know then, they do now.
BTW what would a atheist swear the oath on, a copy of 'Origin of the Species'?"

Yeah, that's what it would be. 'The fool hath said in his heart that there is no God.' Pete Stark is a fool.


9 posted on 03/12/2007 11:24:06 AM PDT by Princip. Conservative
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To: Princip. Conservative
I'm shocked if he's really the first.

But there are so many heretics and hypocrites in Congress that this is not a big deal.

10 posted on 03/12/2007 11:41:41 AM PDT by JohnnyZ ("I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose" -- Mitt Romney, April 2002)
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To: JohnnyZ

"But there are so many heretics and hypocrites in Congress that this is not a big deal."

True, but it's concerning when they get so cavalier about it.


11 posted on 03/12/2007 11:54:59 AM PDT by Princip. Conservative
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To: Princip. Conservative
We should definitely make a stir about this, because it's unseemly in an overwhelmingly religious nation that a politician flagrantly be atheist, imho.

What do you suggest? A religious test to hold public office? Burn him at the stake?

The nerve of the guy - to have different religious beliefs than you!

12 posted on 03/12/2007 12:10:59 PM PDT by gdani (Save the cheerleader, save the world)
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To: gdani

"The nerve of the guy - to have different religious beliefs than you!"

Oh come on. I'm talking about making a stir to remind even the lefty people of California that they have a darn atheist as their Rep! Polls show that most Americans won't vote for an atheist candidate, right along with Muslims. Naturally, this is a district where it would be more likely. However, Republicans and conservatives would do well to remind voters that the atheists and the Muslims are, guess who? DEMOCRATS! Pete Stark would be hard-pressed to win in ANY district south of the Mason-Dixon line, for instance. We need to keep the voters informed.

I, for one, wouldn't vote for an atheist.


13 posted on 03/12/2007 1:30:30 PM PDT by Princip. Conservative
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To: Princip. Conservative

We knew he was a fool already. This is just further proof.


14 posted on 03/13/2007 4:26:22 AM PDT by RichInOC (No! BAD Rich!)
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To: Princip. Conservative

Would you vote for an atheist that had the same stance as you on every issue? If not, why?


15 posted on 03/19/2007 12:29:36 PM PDT by Big Rocks
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To: Big Rocks

"Would you vote for an atheist that had the same stance as you on every issue? If not, why?"

No, I don't think so. I just can't see for voting for someone who doesn't believe in God. If you don't believe in God, you just don't have the right perception or grasp on things. Evidently, most Americans agree with me, at least on the presidential level. The latest Gallup Poll on this finds that 53% of Americans wouldn't vote for an atheist for President.


16 posted on 03/19/2007 11:29:37 PM PDT by Princip. Conservative
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