Should We Shame Religious Politicians?

[Kori]

I know some may say this belongs in General Debates but it is very heavy on Politics so I decided it should go here. I feel if someone with any political power says this and that about taking rights away because of a Holy Book they should be called out. And not in a weak way. If you take rights away from one group of people it becomes easy to do it to another. This is about Atheists and, to a degree, Homosexuals. But will it stop there? No. Pagans, Buddhists, Agnostics, and even Christians that are not Christian enough would get effected one day down the road. Oppression never ends unless people speak out.

 

[Sunstone]

We should shame -- and more than merely shame -- religious (or any) politicians that dare attempt to get us to support them by feeding us BS about reality.

 

[jeager106]

If a politician is honestly religious would not religious voters hope the politician
would be bound by beliefs in a higher authority?
Thoughts?
Nelson Mandela comes to mind.
What about U.S. political leaders?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I know some may say this belongs in General Debates but it is very heavy on Politics so I decided it should go here. I feel if someone with any political power says this and that about taking rights away because of a Holy Book they should be called out. And not in a weak way. If you take rights away from one group of people it becomes easy to do it to another. This is about Atheists and, to a degree, Homosexuals. But will it stop there? No. Pagans, Buddhists, Agnostics, and even Christians that are not Christian enough would get effected one day down the road. Oppression never ends unless people speak out.

They should absolutely be called out on what they say. If they aren't called out then they can monopolise the narrative and people are more likely to believe their lies if they are not challenged. There's an example of a fringe Calvinist preacher here in Scotland who argues that Christians are a persecuted group in the UK because of things like equal marriage and because there are people campaigning to do away with Christian representatives being given unchallengeable positions on local authority education committees because they're Christian. Few people challenge him and his poisonously deceitful narrative is gaining ground - despite how privileged Christianity actually is in the UK as a whole, and in Scotland specifically.

If a politician is honestly religious would not religious voters hope the politician
would be bound by beliefs in a higher authority?
Thoughts?
Nelson Mandela comes to mind.
What about U.S. political leaders?

There's nothing wrong with politicians having religious beliefs; it's when they attempt to use those beliefs as justification to undermine the laws of the land and/or discriminate against or repress others that problems arise. E.g. a politician identifies as Christian first & American second, so he wants to stop non-Christians (including citizens) from entering the United States because they aren't Christian - which is in flagrant violation of the Constitution - and America is a 'Christian' country.

The argument could be made that undermining national laws on religious grounds could be seen as a form of subversion.

 

[Kori]

@A Greased Scotsman Who is this politician/pollution ?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

@A Greased Scotsman Who is this politician/pollution ?

His name is (Reverend) David Robertson and he's the current moderator of the Free Church of Scotland.

 

[David1967]

I believe in God, but instantly distrust any politician that tries to use their religion to get my vote. I put them in the same category as televangelists and we all know how trustworthy they are.

 

[Kori]

His name is (Reverend) David Robertson and he's the current moderator of the "Free" Church of Scotland.

FIXED!

Also I am going to look him up. I could use a good laugh.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

FIXED!

Fixed? There aren't any quote marks on their website, nor their Wikipedia entry.

Also I am going to look him up. I could use a good laugh.

He has a blog called the Wee Flea. No joke - he chose that name himself. Sometimes I smile and silently thank whatever god told him that was a good idea for a name.

 

[Wu Wei]

I'm not sure you can actually shame a politician about anything.

 

[Kori]

He has a blog called the Wee Flea. No joke - he chose that name himself. Sometimes I smile and silently thank whatever god told him that was a good idea for a name.

Wee Flea? Is that Scottish slang for jerkin off?

 

[Kori]

@A Greased Scotsman I tweeted him and included this pic.

 

[Revoltingest]

Say no to shaming.
We may decry what we see as wrong with civility.
Anyone who disagrees with me admires Donald Trump.
It's a fact.

 

[Kori]

Say no to shaming.
We may decry what we see as wrong with civility.
Anyone who disagrees with me admires Donald Trump.
It's a fact.

What if I agree with part of what you say? Do I Partially support Trump?

 

[Revoltingest]

What if I agree with part of what you say? Do I Partially support Trump?

Nope.
100% agreement is required.
I don't make the rules....I just tell'm.

 

[Kori]

Nope.
100% agreement is required.
I don't make the rules....I just tell'm.

But I don't wanna support Trump.

 

[Revoltingest]

But I don't wanna support Trump.

You don't have too.
Disagreeing with me only means admiring him.
I've admired a few whom I didn't vote for.
(Less admirable pols better matched my views.)

 

[jeager106]

Ahhhh, gee people I LIKE Trump.
Ooooooppppps!
Sorry I forgot this is a far left lib website.

 

[Sunstone]

Sorry I forgot this is a far left lib website.

Far Left in 2016? Is that like being for Ronald Reagan in '82?

 

[ShivaFan]

I say, yes, overtly religious politicians for high office, they should be exposed as running religious campaigns and not political ones.