Townhall.com, Where Your Opinion Counts
Talk Radio:   Bill Bennett   Mike Gallagher   Dennis Prager   Michael Medved   Hugh Hewitt   
BREAKING NEWS  LeftArrow - Townhall.com : Conservative, Political, Republican   RightArrow - Townhall.com : Conservative, Political, Republican  
Columns, funnies & more in your inbox!
  • Check the boxes and send us your email address to receveive your free newsletter
  • Your daily must-read of conservative columns, cartoons and news. Coulter, Sowell, Krauthammer and more.
  • Townhall.com’s weekly inside scoop on what’s happening behind the scenes in the world of politics. When news breaks, we report.
  • Signup to receive the latest daily Townhall cartoons
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Terry Jeffrey :: Townhall.com Columnist
Voting Like an Atheist
by Terry Jeffrey
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
[+] Text [-]
 
Poll
Will the Dems' health care Christmas Present to America be an improvement or detriment to our health care system?


For Democratic Rep. Pete Stark, voting like an atheist means voting his conscience.

Last fall, the Secular Coalition for America, which describes itself as "a national lobby representing the interests of atheists, humanists, freethinkers and other nontheists," announced a contest. (In case you are wondering, "nontheist," according to the editorial page of the Los Angeles Times, is "the latest secularist term of art for folks 'without a god-belief.'") The coalition said it would award $1,000 to whoever identified the highest-ranking "nontheist" officeholder in the United States.

Someone nominated Stark. The coalition made an inquiry. Stark confessed his disbelief.

"When the Secular Coalition asked me to complete a survey on my religious beliefs, I indicated that I am a Unitarian who does not believe in a supreme being," Stark said in a statement.

Nor did Stark try to draw a bright line between his politics and his religious convictions. He did not utter the atheist's version of that familiar formulation often heard from self-professed God-fearing politicians who insist that their religious beliefs will not influence how they vote on the most consequential issues. He did not say: "Personally, I don't believe in God, but ..."

He proudly declared he would push an agenda conforming to nontheistic doctrine. "I look forward to working with the Secular Coalition to stop the promotion of narrow religious beliefs in science, marriage contracts, the military and provisions of social services," he said.

In reacting to Stark's revelation, some liberal news organizations and commentators seemed to advance the notion that Stark's atheistic views were somehow in sync with his status as a liberal Democrat representing a liberal Democratic district.

"He's not exactly a profile in courage," wrote columnist Ellen Goodman. "After all, Pete Stark is 75 and has represented his liberal district near San Francisco for more than 30 years. It's unlikely that he'll be tarred and feathered or sent packing for admitting that he's, well, a godless politician."

"Courage comes in many forms, and maybe responding to a questionnaire is one of them," said a Los Angeles Times editorial. "In this case, however, Stark is hardly taking a risk; he has represented a left-leaning Bay Area district since 1973." Continued...

1 2
| Full Article & Comments | Next >
Share:
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
 
About The Author

Terence P. Jeffrey is the editor-in-chief of CNSNews

Be the first to read Terence Jeffrey's column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com delivered each morning to your inbox.

©Creators Syndicate
Fear of the Religous
For those poor worldlings who 'fear' the religious, I would suggest this following thought.
If you are on a journey aboard this vessel Earth and do not know the destination to which you are going, you do have something to fear.
It is not the sometimes abrasive religious that you need to fear, but rather going to your grave without the Grace of God found in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ our True God spoke often of Hell and it is not an allegory or figure of speech. while it is beyond human comprehension to define its totality, it does involve incredible psychic suffering and anguish.
If life is only about feeling good for its own sake, then I can understand the popularity of Drugs.
A sobriety and reflection on life would hint that this is an avoidance of life's greater purpose.
The secular left wants no freedom of speech other than the chant of the sycophant and cheer leaders of their own affirmation and without God, it takes a lot of surrogate approval to cope.

http://www.orthodox.net/articles/true-orthodoxy.html


jet pilot
as the commercial says "brilliant"

i especially like your riff on oreilly.
no bigger perverted hypocrite has ever lived.

he is a sexual predator and paid millions of dollars so he would not have to go to court.

he raves about porn and child molestation and then runs titillating and salicious segments almost every night.

no other program is so sexually charged as his.
its like he gets his kicks that way.
he is a sick sick pervert.

he is also a proven liar.

he has been caught lying by olbermann a number of times but when you go to the transcript on his web site the lie is erased.

olbermann has put the video on the screen of him lying and then showed the transcript.

the guy is an immoral pervert period.
Sign Up to Post Your CommentsSign Up to Post Your Comments
If you are already registered, click here to login. Otherwise, please take a few seconds to register with Townhall.com. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to post your comments immediately, use the action center, get podcasts, and more!
Note: Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required.
Salutation:
First Name:
*
Last Name:
*
Email:
*
Nickname:
*
Note: Nick name will be shown when you post comments.
Address 1:
*
Address 2:
City:
*
State:
*
Zip:
*
Phone:
      
Your daily must-read of conservative columns, cartoons and news. Coulter, Sowell, Krauthammer and more.
(Bi-Weekly) We highlight the best opportunities from our partners for surveys, action items and more.