This article appeared as an ad on my Gmail account while I was reading an email from the Libertarian National Committee. The domain was texasGOP.org, and the title was "Franks: I am an atheist." I'm not sure what to make of the association, but my hopes that a GOP member in the South would have the balls to distance himself from the religious right dried up when I saw that the author had used an opponent's statement to go on a self-righteous tirade against this Godless heathen. If you don't want to see my rant, stop at the end of the article. If you do, go ahead. Someone will probably get offended. If it's you, respond to me and tell me why I'm wrong. The only thing worse than the two sides sitting there having a spiritual dick-waving contest in place of intelligent discussion is the two sides trying to pretend the other doesn't exist.
http://www.texasgop.org/site/News2?p...FRtJUAodkhr4Ug
Quote:
Candidate for the Sixth Court of Appeals, Ben Franks, is reported to be a professed atheist and apparently believes the Bible is a “collection of myths.”
During debate over a plank in the State Democrat Platform, members of the Platform Committee debated dropping “God” from a sentence on the first page of the document. The plank stated: “we want a Texas where all people can fulfill their dreams and achieve their God-given potential.”
According to an article published in the El Paso Times, Ben Franks states: “I’m an atheist…”
All elected or appointed officials in Texas must take the oath prescribed by Art. XVI, Section 1(a) of the Texas Constitution:
"I, _____ , do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of _____ of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, so help me God."
Should Franks be elected in November, one would have to conclude that he will hold true to his out of touch “atheist” belief system and ignore the laws and Constitution of Texas. Mr. Franks is a personal injury trial lawyer practicing in Texarkana, Texas and is the Democrat nominee for the 6th Court of Appeals.
|
Because we don't believe in God, we are "out of touch" and not only are we immoral and incapable of being moral people, we are also unable to be law-abiding people. I guess without fear of divine retribution we can't be expected to follow written law?
It's not just the religious right who perpetuates this stereotype, accoring to studies, atheists are the
most distrusted minority in America. Because we don't believe in God, we're criminals, cultural elitists, and rampant materialists. I wonder if anyone who categorized atheists as cultural elitists in the UMN study noticed the irony of that statement.
I argue the following against those who falsely accuse us of being lowlifes and criminals because of our differing beliefs: we are not morally inferior because we do not fear divine retribution, we are morally superior to anyone who follows a law or rule simply because they fear the wrath of God. We are clear-headed enough to judge our actions and the laws restricting our actions on their own merits, whether they are inherently right or wrong rather than whether an invisible man in the sky tells us it's ok or forbidden to do something. Those in the religious community who use their own judgment to guide their actions are morally superior to those who depend on what they are told is a divine mandate.