Are you a Bright?

[Acriku]

In America, of course.

[Edric O]

Conveniently placed where I can't verify its existence, eh? ;)

But really, why do you always have to be so elitist? Surely there must be a less exasperating way to make your point!

[Acriku]

No matter how different we are, we sure know how to make each other laugh ;)

How am I elitist? People have used that in so many ways I don't know what it means.

[Phage]

O'Riely has went on the air to say that atheists are "all fascists" and that the idea of a man who does not believe in a higher power "offends him."

Americans have stated that they rather have a pagan or gay president then an atheist. Because they believe atheists don't have morals.

[Acriku]

Oh, don't forget to mention that atheists cannot hold office in certain states. Yep, we're loved in America, Home of the Free!

[Caid Ivik]

Maybe they have no office because they aren't considered as religion. That's a whole problem of nihilism. Nothing cannot be represented by something else than...nothing.

[Acriku]

Caid, they have no office because they are discriminated against. Just like how blacks couldn't hold office once upon a time ago.

[nemafakei]

I think he's saying that the law has a detail saying "This office cannot be held by an atheist" or similar.

[Acriku]

And that's discrimination... What was the quarrel?

[Caid Ivik]

So, I agree it is hard to find a work in Vatican as nuncius if you are an atheist...

[Acriku]

I do hope you know I meant in America, as public office?

[nemafakei]

Discrimination is fair if your discriminaory criterion is one which is relevant to the capability to do the job in question, but not othewise.

An atheist would be a perfectly good politician as much as someone religiou, but atheits wouuldn't necessarily make good clergymen.

[Acriku]

Of course Nema, I wasn't arguing that an atheist was discriminated against in the churches.

[nemafakei]

I'm trying to clarify what you're saying for Caid, since he seems to be misunderstanding a little; I'm not opposing anything you've said.

[Caid Ivik]

Acriku, your constitution prevents even from asking the religiosity, when you are trying to be employed. Anyway, what kind of office do you mean?

[Acriku]

Political office within the state government.

[Caid Ivik]

What is the name of the office?

[Acriku]

Any public office, that requires an oath that includes swearing to god, which is all public offices. In Texas if you're an atheist, you cannot hold public office. Why are you asking such questions?

[Caid Ivik]

You want to say me, that all people working for government offices in Texas are religiously deep people? Well, maybe there aren't all countries as secular as here, whatever. Slovak parliament just agreed with children slaughteries, you know. Look on the brighter side: if you must write "believer" in one column, it is easier to lie there, then if you had to write there "nonbeliever", if you were a christian.

[Edric O]

So if you're an atheist you can't swear to God, Acriku? Funny, I thought you didn't believe in God. So what exactly stops you from swearing to a non-existant entity?

[Acriku]

The same reason you don't swear to Allah, or Vishri. It'd be intellectually dishonest, and I wouldn't feel comfortable admitting myself to the belief in the god encouraged in the oath. Also, my entire stay in office would be based on a lie.

[nemafakei]

"I swear by something which I don't actually think exists..."

It makes it sound a bit of a mockery, and is not dissimilar to the idea of saying "I swear by flying pigs..."

[Caid Ivik]

The same reason you don't swear to Allah, or Vishri. It'd be intellectually dishonest, and I wouldn't feel comfortable admitting myself to the belief in the god encouraged in the oath. Also, my entire stay in office would be based on a lie.

We swear to our God, which is same thing as Allah or Vishnu. Just we have other opinion about Him as Hindu do.

I understand. Adoring the Constitution at school you mean, Acriku? If you swear to something, about which you truly thinks it doesn't exist, you can laugh about it, because it will give you, in your view, no limitation. If you feel it is unhonorable, then I wouldn't say you don't believe in Him...

[Acriku]

I guess now would be a good time to say that I also don't say "under God" in the pledge... If only an oath could be legal with parts excused...

[SurlyPIG]

I heard somewhere that Brazil's president is an atheist, but I don't know if it's true...

Funny, I've never seen any of this vile anti-atheist propaganda that you keep talking about. Just where is it, exactly?

It is everywhere, it's in politics, it's in people. It's on these boards. Caid is a frequent source ie "Dread Legion". And like Acriku mentioned it's written in law in many places.

I think it's more likely that there'll be a black, female, HIV positive, gay, left-handed president before there is an atheist one.