Recently I was involved in a conversation on Facebook between myself, a self-proclaimed agnostic, and a "hatetheist." Several statements and questions were posed to me during that conversation - here is another question, or statement posed to me regarding the religious beliefs, especially Christianity, among leaders was, “I don't need My leaders to be following Christian or Islam or Jewish traditions. I want them to be just, fair, responsible Men and Women. Sworn to defend the republic, not their wallets or ideals.”
An interesting statement that is not only very exclusionary and discriminative against people of faith, but also contrary to the teachings of our own Founding Fathers. Take our first president, George Washington, for instance. Washington wrote, “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” (The Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343). According to the statement above made by the atheist, he would prefer to have not had George Washington as president because Washington believed (as did many of our Founding Fathers) that Judeo-Christian values and morals were important, and our atheist friend here does not want them present in our country's leaders.
Perhaps more importantly, however, is the contrary nature of the statement in question. The atheist states that he want's his leaders to be “just, fair, responsible men and women”, but he does not need them to follow Christian or Islamic or Jewish traditions. Being just, fair and responsible, however, are Christian ideals.
An interesting statement that is not only very exclusionary and discriminative against people of faith, but also contrary to the teachings of our own Founding Fathers. Take our first president, George Washington, for instance. Washington wrote, “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” (The Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343). According to the statement above made by the atheist, he would prefer to have not had George Washington as president because Washington believed (as did many of our Founding Fathers) that Judeo-Christian values and morals were important, and our atheist friend here does not want them present in our country's leaders.
Perhaps more importantly, however, is the contrary nature of the statement in question. The atheist states that he want's his leaders to be “just, fair, responsible men and women”, but he does not need them to follow Christian or Islamic or Jewish traditions. Being just, fair and responsible, however, are Christian ideals.
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