A First: Non-believers Recognized in Inaugural Address

[Doug]

From Obama's inaugural address:

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

See the text here:
Inaugural Address.

Note: A few paragraphs earlier, he said:
"We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age."

A hard slap at Bush. To restore science to its rightful place, it must be in the wrong place. Read: "where Bush put it."

Well done.

[Dardedar]

From Obama's inaugural address:
...the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

DAR
That one's got to have the "New World Order" folks in a tizzy. America can't be the best/first tribe if the lines are dissolved. This is a patriotic nightmare.

DOUG
"A hard slap at Bush. To restore science to its rightful place, it must be in the wrong place.

DAR
Jon Stewart played some of the even harder slaps last night. He quipped: "You do realize Bush is sitting right there?" Then he did a fake Bush and told us what he was thinking: "Boy this guy sure is hitting Clinton hard... heh heh heh."

D.

[Betsy]

I don't think Bush was even listening. Seriously, he was daydreaming the whole time. He got up after the speech and gave Obama a hug.

I really appreciated the shout-out to non-believers, especially after having to endure Rick Warren.

[tmiller51]

Found this video of Obama speaking, apparently at a church. He says the "and a nation of non-believers" line very similarly to his inauguration address. The video clearly shows his problems with mixing religion with government and in it he's critical of the bible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_zssjFzpGs

Tim

[Doug]

Found this video of Obama speaking, apparently at a church. He says the "and a nation of non-believers" line very similarly to his inauguration address. The video clearly shows his problems with mixing religion with government and in it he's critical of the bible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_zssjFzpGs

Tim

DOUG
This suggests that the situation regarding the new administration and religion is far better than I would have dared hope. The video clip shows Obama denouncing the personal appeal to God as a political or legal tool and asking people to only appeal to what is available to all religions--and to nonbelievers. Excellent!

[Doug]

From here.
"In his inaugural address … President Barack Obama did what many before him should have done, rightly citing the great diversity of America as part of the nation's great strength, and including 'nonbelievers'’ in that mix,’" said Ed Buckner of American Atheists. "His mother would have been proud,"’ Buckner said, referring to the fact that Obama’s mother was not a church-goer. "And so are we."

BUT
Not everyone was happy with President Barack Obama's nod to nonbelievers and non-Christians in his inaugural address. And some of the stiff criticism about Obama’s religious inclusiveness is coming from African-American Christians who maintain that no, all faiths were actually not created equal.


DOUG
A poll a few years ago asked believers how sure they are that God exists. Evangelical Protestants came in at 86.5% having "no doubt that God exists." However, African-Americans Protestants came in at 100%.

[Doug]

From here.
"In his inaugural address … President Barack Obama did what many before him should have done, rightly citing the great diversity of America as part of the nation's great strength, and including 'nonbelievers'’ in that mix,’" said Ed Buckner of American Atheists. "His mother would have been proud,"’ Buckner said, referring to the fact that Obama’s mother was not a church-goer. "And so are we."

BUT
Not everyone was happy with President Barack Obama's nod to nonbelievers and non-Christians in his inaugural address. And some of the stiff criticism about Obama’s religious inclusiveness is coming from African-American Christians who maintain that no, all faiths were actually not created equal.


DOUG
A poll a few years ago asked believers how sure they are that God exists. Evangelical Protestants came in at 86.5% having "no doubt that God exists." However, African-Americans Protestants came in at 100%.

See here.