r/AskReddit • • 17h ago

How would you feel if an atheist, agnostic, etc. ran for president?

555 Upvotes

1.6k comments sorted by

1.6k

u/ThreePartHarmoneigh 17h ago

Good. I would appreciate a religiously neutral executive.

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u/DorlySvelte87 16h ago

Separation of church and state needs to be more than just a phrase at this point.

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u/plastiquearse 15h ago

It’s one where I have the ‘scratch record’ recognition how fervently people hold religion as a central cog in their political sphere, but it keeps happening and I still haven’t learnt how deeply it runs for not me

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u/grapewater2 17h ago

We need way more representation in us politics

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u/Blecher_onthe_Hudson 17h ago

There's plenty of the godless in politics, they just hypocrites who wear the beard of religion like our president, who would be improved if he were a pagan. At least then he would appear accountability from somebody, whereas he has spent a criminal lifetime running rampant over everyone.

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u/HelgaGeePataki 17h ago

Good. I'm sick of politicians still bringing religion into issues.

If they are going to be Religious, I'd rather they be like Talarico. But most are assholes.

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u/midnitewarrior 17h ago

Talarico uses religion to bring people together.

Republicans use religion to bring people together with torches and hoods.

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u/SanchoPandas 15h ago

Hegseth sees himself as a literal crusader.

Ya know, a soldier so emboldened by their religious zealotry as to kill others in its name.

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u/TriscuitCracker 5h ago

This. I’m aethist but Talarico from all appearances is a good man and uses his religion for good instead of using jt as an excuse to force viewpoints on people.

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u/kpkrishnamoorthy 17h ago

I will never forget the time Obama, in his inauguration speech, included atheists when he was talking about the various religions in America - "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers."

If just that got me all motivated and inspired, I can't even imagine how at home and happy I would feel if finally someone could become President without kissing religion's ass just to be acceptable for the position.

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u/littleb3anpole 15h ago

When Australia had its first atheist PM in my lifetime (Julia Gillard - didn’t win at election but was appointed leader of the governing party after a leadership spill) that’s exactly how I felt. Happy and seen. She wasn’t beating around the bush with it either, it was like “I’m an atheist and if you don’t like it, tell someone who cares”.

Then we copped assholeishly conservative Tony Abbott who is so religious he was nicknamed the “Mad Monk”, and shortly after, the less than competent Scott Morrison who was also a pretty hardcore Christian. But for a brief moment we had representation!

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u/sunbearimon 17h ago

In Australia we’ve had an openly atheist PM, she was the first woman too

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u/Electrical-Reason-97 17h ago

Oh cool. When was she elected?

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u/sunbearimon 17h ago

She served as PM from 2010 to 2013, but she wasn’t precisely elected. The Australian system is we elect a party not a person. The party chooses the leader and the leader chan change between elections, if there isn’t confidence within the party that the leader is doing a good job. There was a leadership spill that ended up elevating her from deputy PM to PM

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u/metao 17h ago

She did win an election, but with a minority government. Although her winning over the three independents probably spoke more about their relationship and trust in Abbott and Joyce than it did in Gillard.

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u/Thecna2 17h ago

16 years back. No one really cared tbh. And of course the UK has had a Hindu PM at the same as Scotlands top Minister was Muslim.

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u/sweetsalt69 11h ago

I wouldn’t care. I’d judge them by their actions, not their beliefs.

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u/CoCo_Moo2 9h ago

FINALLY! That’s how I’d feel. We’re supposed to have a separation of church and state. We’re not supposed to be a Christian/ Catholic nation. I HATE how much religion… well one specific religion… plays into our laws.

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u/Suspicious_Story_464 7h ago

I don't care as long as he can do the job. The problem is having to cater to the religious sector.

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u/thunder2132 16h ago

Religion does not = morality or wisdom. I'm a Christian, but we are not supposed to be a Christian country, the separation of church and state should mean something. I would have no issue with an atheist or agnostic being the president. I wouldn't have an issue with someone from another religion being the president as long as they left their religion out of politics (as Christian presidents should do)

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u/StackedWaifuu 12h ago

The Founding Fathers were extremely deliberate about this. Many of them were Deists who had seen firsthand how European wars of religion destroyed nations when state power and religious dogma mixed. I care far more about a candidate's character, integrity, policy platform, and respect for democratic institutions than what house of worship they attend on Sundays. Moral compass and religious affiliation are not the same thing.

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u/ParticularRegular960 12h ago

I wish more people understood that having faith doesn’t automatically make someone a good person, and lacking it doesn’t make them immoral. I care far more about how a president treats people than what they believe in privately.

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u/zxylady 15h ago

Very intelligent comment and I agree with everything you said thank you.

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u/LumberBitch 14h ago

When religion is in politics then politics enters religion and that's the other side of the separation of church and state that isn't really talked about much. It protects the church as much as it protects the state.

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u/MissGoldie71 4h ago

I honestly couldn’t care less as long as they do their damned job.

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u/Applepoisoneer 11h ago

They could worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care! So long as they;

-Uphold the constitution 

-Keep their faith out of affairs of state and education 

-Doesn't destroy our economy and our alliances on the World Stage

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u/richfiles 5h ago

Well, as a Christian myself, maybe it would be nice to have someone else to worry about making this life a bit better for the everyone. I think an atheist would be more concerned with the here and now I think. Let the state worry about the current state of affairs. I'd be all in. Honestly, right now, it sometimes feels like we got people in charge trying to do an Armageddon speedrun.

To loosely paraphrase a song... I want to go to heaven, But I don't want to go right now...

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u/vey323 4h ago

All for it. Policy and law should never be influenced by dogma

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u/AveragePotatoHead 10h ago

Religion should have no place in politics.

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u/Affectionate-Cat-975 7h ago

Do you really think this Pres is religious? He only worships power and money

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u/Danris 7h ago

What do you mean? I bought a bible from him for $59.99! I almost got the normal one for free.... oh. /s

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u/Vyse_The_Legend 4h ago

IDK why people don't know this but Trump is an atheist. Obama might've been one too. I don't care what religion the president is as long as they care about the average American.

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u/stealthlysprockets 4h ago

See the voters who thing he was sent by god.

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u/alemyrsdream 9h ago

I can't stress enough how much I genuinely don't care about the religious beliefs of politicians.

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u/tzigon 4h ago

Since religion is not part of the requirements to run the country I would be fine with it.

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u/WALLOFKRON 2h ago

I prefer it that way

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u/throwawy00004 9h ago

Trump is not religious. The "Christian" Right/Evangelicals can claim him, but they're also not actually Christian.

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u/HoonArt 8h ago

He worships himself.

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u/-TheDyingMeme6- 9h ago

We dont want his stupid shitstained ass either

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u/Slipstream57 13h ago

Oh c’mon! Surely no one actually believes Trump has a religious bone in his body? It’s not that people object to atheists, they just object to people who say they are atheists. It’s just another example of America’s compulsory hypocrisy

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u/BAG1 11h ago

i have questions. are they a good leader? Are they a serial child molester who tried to insinuate they are better than Mother Theresa while stealing a Nobel prize or a FIFA medal? Are they a petulant man child in orange paint who gets wired and stays up all night retweeting racist memes?

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u/biggest-damn-potato 17h ago

Fucking relieved that someone finally admitted to it and dropped the compulsory Christian cosplay

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u/metao 17h ago

I was gonna say, the current President is definitely at least apathetic, he's just a liar.

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u/TehTJ13 17h ago

It depends on if I like their policies. I’d rather vote for James Talerico over Bill Maher.

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u/panurge987 17h ago

This all day.

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u/markjay6 12h ago

We already have an atheist president.

Whatever he claims, do you really think that Trump believes in god?

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u/ReluctantAvenger 10h ago

I do. I think he believes that he IS God - and some of his followers believe that too.

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u/NativeMasshole 11h ago

Don't be ridiculous. He's clearly a hedonist.

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u/Double_Violinist8520 11h ago

Really a headonist when it comes to bibi 

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u/-TheDyingMeme6- 9h ago

Pretty fucking happy. Tired of all of this "im religious so everyone else should be" maybe fucking megachurches would be taxed, maybe there would actually be separation of church and state for fucking once

Maybe i wouldnt have to fear losing my """god given""" rights because of freaks and assholes like Donnie Dumbass and his dick sucking platoon

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u/Helen_A_Handbasket 17h ago

Just fine. Religion ruins everything.

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u/TheDemonPants 4h ago

It would be fucking great. I'm so damn tired of hearing "Christian this, Christianity that, Jesus, God, blah, blah, blah" when literally those same people fit the bill for the Christian Anti-Christ. Separate the government and the church and actually stick to it. Frankly, I never want to hear another fucking word about what religion a government official is a part of.

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u/MoriTod 6h ago

I'm fine with it. But for a good chunk of the country it's unthinkable.

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u/Gayandfluffy 5h ago

Which country?

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u/MoriTod 5h ago

A fine question! Apologies - the US

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u/PissNBiscuits 9h ago

That depends. Are they a fascist piece of shit?

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u/Cultural_Mission_235 10h ago

Let’s be honest, Trump is most likely atheist, as there could not possibly be any greater power than himself in his mind.

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u/Chyvalri 10h ago

I don't think you qualify as an atheist if you think you are God

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u/detainthisDI 9h ago

There’s a term for it, actually! Autotheism/egotheism

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u/cyrand 2h ago

All for it, assuming their actual policies line up with mine. As an atheist myself I’m not going to vote for someone just because of their similarity to me on that single choice, but it is a point in their favor.

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u/loontoon 13h ago

A President should never make decisions based on their religious beliefs.

Religion has no place in Government.

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u/No-Isopod-803 4h ago

Better. Generally speaking, an atheist is someone who has examined the evidence and found it lacking. More atheists are educated and exhibit critical thinking skills.

Sure, there are many intelligent religious people, but like it or not, we're all affected by our biases, and there's some that i don't like creeing into our government.

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u/Hot_Guess_1871 7h ago

Like someone finally had the courage to say “enough with the performative bullshit.” And maybe they’ll possess a true morality.

If your morality exists because of a promised reward or a fear of punishment, you’re not moral. You’re obedient. Like a trained animal.

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u/quats555 17h ago

Pretty certain Trump is one; I doubt he can believe in anything bigger than himself. He’ll just say whatever it takes to get what he wants, and finds claiming religion useful.

On the other hand, I would be happy to have an atheist or agnostic of good character be President.

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u/RegulatoryCapture 16h ago

An honest atheist is better than a liar from any creed. 

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u/chromane 14h ago

A number of the Founding Fathers and some US presidents were "Deists", which means believing the universe was created by a supreme being, but that it doesn't intervene with the world at all.

It's basically a softer version of Aethiesm before it became socially/politically acceptable

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u/mark_able_jones_ 12h ago

The prosperity gospel that he has permitted in the white house is basically just glazing rich people and scamming

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u/jeepfail 16h ago

As a Christian I’d prefer it, I firmly believe in a separation of church and state as all should be allowed to practice their beliefs freely even if I don’t agree with them. I know many in my faith do not follow this view, but they also believe in spreading the gospel by cramming personal views down people’s throats instead of showing Christ’s love and compassion.

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u/thepianoman456 2h ago

I would personally love it, but they’d face an uphill battle. Lots of religiously indoctrinated people in this country.

I’d love to have a leader whose moral and ethical compass is based in reality.

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u/Glittering-Cheetah83 17h ago

Not sure what the difference would be, except owning it.

Few presidents have come across as representatives for their professed religion.

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u/BigJLov3 16h ago

We've had agnostic presidents. They just have to pander to church people because they'd rather have liars in office pretending to be religious than honest people who refuse to.

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u/Prbartender 16h ago

Better than a pedophile, racist traitor.

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u/LieutenantBJ 17h ago

Theres probably more atheists in office than we think. They simply know theyre going to absolutely alienate a huge voter base by not subscribing to religion.

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u/Strict_Stranger_4801 8h ago

Many of the Founders were deists or agnostics. Unfortunately, Trump is clearly an atheist who can manipulate idiot Evangelicals.

But id love an atheist with values. A fellow Secular Humanist would be great

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u/squeakyshoe89 8h ago

You don't think Trump isn't an atheist or agnostic?

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u/thatguywiththeposts 6h ago

I mean, we have an atheist president right now. Nobody who actually believed in God would be this comfortable with using him as a tool for power.

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u/XtraMed 5h ago

I get what you’re saying but I think you’re conflating atheist with narcissistic sociopath.

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u/Lagair 10h ago

Considering how hypocritical most people in the US claiming a religion are, I don't see how it matters.

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u/throwawaylogin2099 17h ago

It’s better than the alternative.

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u/naturr 9h ago

Finally having a president that doesn't believe in a sky god?! Having someone who does the right thing because they know it's right and feel it's right not because they're scared of some deity punishing them but because their heart is in the right place?!

Yeah I'd be okay with that. 

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u/cheddarpants 9h ago

I’d be ecstatic. We don’t need mythology guiding our elected officials.

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u/kdeweb24 6h ago

I would be thrilled at the prospect. But, I will also immediately mourn the fact that a racist, corrupt, felonious nazi that they run against would win in a landslide, because they will carry a bible with them everywhere they go, even if they couldn't list three of Jesus' disciples, and the idiots of this nation will turn them, unironically, into their golden calf.

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u/HenrysWand 17h ago

Relieved..

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u/girl1dir 17h ago

This is exactly my feeling.

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u/9degrees 9h ago

I wouldn't be surprised if about two thirds of American presidents over the past 50 years were secretly atheists or culturally religious in name only.

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u/TedTyro 14h ago

As an Australian, been there and seen that more than once. The sky didnt fall in.

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u/daminiskos0309 13h ago

Fine. It makes no difference what god they do or do not follow. What’s important is their character.

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u/Ok-Top-3519 10h ago

Who gives a shit…wouldn’t bother me at all.

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u/CurseOfTheFalcons 9h ago

Research some of the U.S. founders and you may be surprised.

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u/atish1110 17h ago

Faith has nothing to do with leadership ability so it would not bother me at all.

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u/Clever_Mercury 17h ago

Delighted! I would love to see someone run on the basis of their ability to lead and negotiate, not because they think they are a chosen one.

I watched W. Bush turn America into a fundamentalist hothouse and make it unsafe for people of different faiths. It would be wonderful to see a presidential candidate simply state, "there IS a separation of church of state," then enforce it. Flapping your religion around in public is as revolting as flashing your genitals.

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u/Averageinternetdoge 15h ago

Around here nobody would care. And infact I'm pretty sure that most people around here (europe) listen with bewilderment about the americans and their love of "god". I mean, come on. It's 2026, get on with it already. Religion is just a bunch of greedy old men who want power and money.

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u/captainalphabet 4h ago

America has an atheist president right now.

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u/Admirable-Deer-9038 4h ago

Not sure this is the argument you want to make as Trump is a terrible President. He’s a fake Christian. An atheist or an agnostic is very true in their beliefs and I can get behind that. I can get behind even a true Christian (Jesus was progressive not conservative). But the fake shit Trump does?! It’s abhorrent.

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u/JanetInSpain 14h ago

I'd be thrilled. Religion doesn't belong in politics.

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u/Saphira9 13h ago

Happy and relieved. I'm sick of this christian nationalism that hates the poor, the sick, and the stranger. An Atheist knows we have to solve our own problems instead of waiting for some supernatural prophecy.

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u/TumbleweedHour5364 17h ago

As long as they perform their duties and have adequate plans for the promblems we have I personally would not mind having them as president.

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u/billy_twice 17h ago

Depends on their policies.

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u/entity2 17h ago

I'd feel great, but not real confident, given how stupid Americans are with their zealous attachment to religion.

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u/Automatic-Average-41 9h ago

Can't be any worse than what we have now!!!

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u/Designer_Ad_34 4h ago

I'd be totally fine with it.

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u/000000564 9h ago

You guys wouldn't vote for a woman...

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u/Blastonite 17h ago

I couldn't give a fuck. Just be a decent person and actually care about the constitution.

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u/10th_Generation 16h ago

Many atheists/agnostics run for president. But they pretend to be Christian to get elected.

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u/ImpersonalLubricant 10h ago

As opposed to the devout man of god we have in office today? /s 🙄

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u/Murky-Wind2222 9h ago

I'd think that at last education was taking hold in the USA. But I won't hold me breath

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u/min_mus 9h ago

I would love it. White Christian nationalism is destroying the United States.

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u/Grump-Dog 17h ago

In the US, I'd feel it would be a waste of time and effort. An atheist/agnostic isn't winning the US presidency any time soon. I mean, how many publicly-avowed atheists are there in Congress? I've never heard anyone state it publicly.

I'd love to see one in the oval office, but I honestly would vote against them in the primary because I don't think an atheist is electable.

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u/littleb3anpole 15h ago

I read a survey out of the US not long after 9/11 where people ranked hypothetical candidates in preferential order based on their religion.

The atheist candidate ranked below the Muslim candidate. In an era of rampant Islamophobia, the Americans surveyed still refused to see atheists as electable. Because everyone knows we’re a bunch of immoral sinners just out there doing crimes, unlike the famously Christian Republicans, who are practically perfect in every way.

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u/MoonieNine 14h ago

On Facebook, a friend of mine would post fun random discussions and a bunch of us would reply, so I got to "know" a friend of his. But one day, the discussion got political (it usually didn't). That gal made some comment about how awful atheist liberals are. I pointed out that I was one and she was pretty surprised. She's one of those people that believed that atheists go around committing crimes and other atrocities, I guess on a daily basis? This way of thinking away blows me away. I'm a law abiding citizen and I'm very ethical just because I'm a good person by nature. I don't need a deity over me, threatening me to be good.

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u/littleb3anpole 14h ago

😂 there’s an entire field of study where you can learn about the various ethical theories that relate to human decision making, indicating that it’s completely possible to develop a moral code other than “the book of my god says I’m meant to not do that so I don’t”. Perhaps your friend’s mate should look into it

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u/ofnuts 10h ago

Like, what, half of Europe... Frankly I trust atheists ethics more (they do what they think is right) than religious people's (they behave only because they fear punishment).

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u/IfICouldStay 8h ago

My neighbor was shocked to learn I was an atheist. And quickly categorized me as an “ethical atheist”, because apparently that’s a subdivision? Like what do you think atheists do? Live in communes and spend all day screaming at people? Certainly not a boring-ass married couple with kids living in the suburbs working 9-5 jobs.

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u/Corredespondent 7h ago

An old woman stopped me on the sidewalk to chat about my dogs. I mentioned they were rescues, and she got this warm happy look and said, “you did a good thing, you must be Christian.” There were so many things going through my head, so I just answered with a bemused, “No?” The way terror fell across her face. She just said, “Oh, OK.” And hurried away. 😂 I kinda wish I’d mentioned I’m actually a member of the Satanic Temple.

I’m old enough to know she won’t reflect on our interaction and realize you don’t have to be Christian to be good. She’ll just worry about the dogs because non-Christians are de facto bad.

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u/MoonieNine 6h ago

My mom did some do-good thing helping another, and she said it was the Christian thing to do. I made some comment about can't you just do good things in general, and not to please a higher being? She didn't like that one bit.

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u/MoonieNine 7h ago

I've come to realize that people are really stupid and/or plain ignorant.

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u/netphemera 12h ago

I knew atheists were unelectable. I didn't know why

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u/zerothreeonethree 13h ago

Yes everybody's a bunch of immoral sinners going to church synagogue or Temple every week because they're slow learners or have bad teachers. If you continue to sin and be bad, what's the fucking point of religion? Spend that 10% tithing on therapy to find out why you can't follow the rules.

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u/herodesfalsk 16h ago

Trump is an atheist and agnostic. He only believes in himself. He claims to be a christian yet does the EXACT opposite of Jesus teachings. If I was religious I would call him demonic.

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u/Watari210thesecond 7h ago

You're glossing over the important bit. He publicly claims to be a Christian, and that's all that matters in the US. The teachings of Christianity don't really come into play at all.

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u/creatyvechaos 5h ago

If they did then the US wouldn't be looking the way it does right now

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u/binz17 9h ago

Being Christian and ignoring Jesus’ teachings is not exactly rare though. I do agree Trump is an atheist and cloaking himself in Christianity.

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u/gkarper 7h ago

Most atheists have a much higher personal set of morals than him by a huge percentage. Claiming a religious affiliation does not make you a good person.

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u/Efficient_Range_5951 8h ago

Atheism is an active personal intellectual position. Its the considered position to an absence of belief rather than a thing that is in opposition to faith. Trump is incapable of intellectual reasoning beyond self gratification and is driven by narcissism and transactional behaviour rather than self reflection so its reasonable to assume he has probably no real core beliefs within him including faith or the considered absence of faith.

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u/binz17 7h ago

I generally agree except that I don’t think the definition of atheism requires an active and considered position. Those that self ascribe to the label tend to be as you describe.

What do you call people who grow up without religion?

I stance is that atheism is the default, kids are indoctrinated into religion, and people who self ascribe generally are those that have deprogrammed.

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u/ScarletBothrium 7h ago

I can confirm that typically when you grow up without a religion you grow up without belief. I grew up atheist without even considering what it was called. I didn’t even know it had a name to not believe in something until I was in my 20s. Just never really cared about theology at all, or lack there of.

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u/TollyVonTheDruth 15h ago

He will claim to be whatever will put more money in his pockets.

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u/yerBoyShoe 8h ago

But that's the great thing about Christianity! You just say you are, and poof! You are! Thanks, Jesus!

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u/jimababwe 8h ago

https://youtube.com/shorts/qRFlqgmYmsY?si=NIR9G_CrGBgfnAeb

In this clip he flat out says he’s not a Christian. You don’t have to watch it. I hate listening to pedophiles too. But there it is.

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u/Consistent_Low2080 7h ago

There has probably been a few atheist Pres. but they knew enough to shut their mouth and pretend to be a believer.

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u/RedEyedChester 17h ago

Why? Religion has nothing to do with government. Year over year, less and less people are religious, so I think it's extremely possible. The current climate of Christian Nationalism does make it difficult though...

Edit: immediate edit, but just wanted to say that I normally hate a politician talking about religion, but Talarico definitely does it the correct way

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u/Grump-Dog 17h ago edited 17h ago

Roughly 65% of adults in the US identify as Christian (according to Pew and Gallup). That's a surprisingly large number. We remain an overwhelmingly christian nation. "Less and less" seems to imply that the number is falling quickly, but it's actually only falling slowly - a steady half a percent per year since the 1990's.

I'm not saying that religion is necessary to govern. I'm also not saying that an atheist won't be elected sometime in the future. I'm saying that an an atheist has no chance of being elected president today, and likely will have little chance for several more decades. I'm agnostic myself, and I'd love to see an agnostic or atheist in the highest office. But I just don't see that as realistic in the near term given that two out of every three adults you pass in the street are christians, and a large number of them see you, me and every other agnostic/atheist as ethically questionable at best.

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u/denvercasey 9h ago

It’s easy to “identify as a Christian” in words and have absolutely no desire or intention of practicing religion ever again. Much easier than dealing with a vocal minority of family or friends who want to fix you.

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u/IridiumPony 11h ago

Someone took the oath of office by swearing in on Captain America's shield some years ago. I feel like that's a pretty strong statement that he's an atheist.

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u/atelopuslimosus 11h ago

I say this in the most loving way: I think that just tells us they're a nerd.

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u/IridiumPony 10h ago

I mean, the two aren't mutually exclusive

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u/maqifrnswa 9h ago

TBH, we need more nerds in politics. Alpha bros are really screwing things up. I'd take nerd girl any day over that.

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u/Tall_Quality_3395 17h ago

Seriously? I think most presidents are really agnostic at best and most likely atheist. They put on a public display of religious beliefs because they must.

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u/Grump-Dog 16h ago

I'm sure you're right. However, I assume that OP's question is about an openly atheistic or agnostic candidate running for president. Therefore my comment that I would like to see one in the oval office implies that I would like to see someone with the courage and integrity to actually state what they believed. I agree that there has been an agnostic in office, but I do not believe that someone that admits to it is electable in the current political/cultural climate.

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u/anix421 15h ago

I don't disagree, but I have been pleasantly surprised occasionally. I would have said a black president was out of the question. I didn't think gay marriage would have passed when it did. My midwest conservative state passed marijuanna and overturned an abortion ban... maybe i'm generally pessimistic, but i feel like i could be surprised by people tallying around the right nonreligious individual.

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u/Grump-Dog 15h ago

I hope you’re right.

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u/KerryAnnCoder 13h ago

When I ran for Texas State Rep, I was asked to put my religion on the form.

I was no dummy, I lied and put "Catholic."

I told people "I was raised Catholic." Technically... not a lie.

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u/fockingclassy 17h ago

A person could have said the same thing, and I’m pretty sure many did, about the US electing a black president 

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u/Grump-Dog 17h ago edited 17h ago

That's a fair point. But I honestly don't believe it.

I can't point to any statistics to back this up, but my instinct is that there are far more people in the US today who think that non-christians are unfit to rule than believed that a black man was unfit to rule back in 2012.

It's also socially acceptable to question the morality of the non-religious in a way that racism was not acceptable in most of our society in 2012. Let me put it this way: In 2012, no Republican candidate publicly questioned Obama's fitness because he was black, but in 2026 an opponent could and would use a candidate's atheism as a constant talking point.

Roughly 65% of US adults identify as Christian. What percentage of those 65% believe that christianity is the best/only basis for morality? Even among people who are not that bigoted, what percentage believe that some type of religion is necessary to live a moral life? I think it's pretty high - maybe 50%? That's a back-of-the-envelope 33% of the voting population today that wouldn't vote an immoral godless wretch into office.

Again - I have no stats to back any of this up (other than the 65%), but I think it will be decades yet before our overwhelmingly christian country will elect a president who has turned their back on christianity.

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u/South_Hedgehog_7564 17h ago

The more I read of American governmental history the more I realise just how socially backward a country America really is. Even Ireland has moved further on than that.

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u/No_Aesthetic 16h ago

They're always going to be unelectable if you vote against them.

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u/Important-Factor-552 15h ago

Yeah americans will choose war criminals, pedophiles and genocidal lunatics long before they choose an atheist. Oh wait, they already did? 

Well fk it, maybe it's time to run someone sane after all 

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u/Designer_Wedding_310 13h ago

That’s how the barrier can keep itself in place: people assume voters won’t accept an atheist, so they rule one out before voters can even judge the candidate. I’d rather see someone evaluated on their policies and ability to govern than on whether they believe in God.

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u/PM_me_Henrika 15h ago

Didn’t the US just elect Trump?

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u/so_long_astoria 3h ago

Wait why would you vote against them in the primary? the primary is specifically your place to air dissent. you could vote against them in the general, but the primary is where citizens vote for the candidate that operates at their behest, and the DNC fucks us and runs whoever they want anyway. don't do the dnc's job for them, they're going to force the electable candidate through anyway, you don't need to help them with that.

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u/Grump-Dog 3h ago

Because I want a candidate that has a chance of winning the general election.

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u/snowbeersi 9h ago

Jared Huffman is a current member who doesn't believe in God and calls himself a "humanist": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Huffman

Pete Stark was a past openly atheist member of Congress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Stark

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u/gkarper 8h ago edited 8h ago

There is someone currently in the White House who may say he's a Christian but can't recite a single verse and does the exact opposite of what's in the New Testament. I would personally prefer someone who is agnostic and had good moral values that didn't rely on fear of God to do the right thing.

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u/Sea_Maintenance3322 6h ago

You have one in the office. Trump believes in no god besides himself.

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u/AnalogWalrus 17h ago

We have one in office right now.

I never thought the first openly atheist president would be so fucking uncool.

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u/littleb3anpole 15h ago

He might be an atheist privately but he sure as shit is cosplaying Christian pretty damn hard

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u/Willing-Signal-3113 5h ago

I’d feel great!! Religion should stay out of government anyway.

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u/lbjazz 17h ago

The current US president’s god is himself. Assuming that falls within “etc.” for you, but I think it shows that which variant makes a difference.

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u/Lylibean 17h ago

Relief. Religion has no place in politics.

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u/PomegranateWinter851 14h ago

It's already happened. For example, François Hollande

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u/alwaysmanders 9h ago

Relieved

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u/JackarooDeva 15h ago

I think Trump and Obama are both atheists who pretended to be Christian.

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u/omnibossk 14h ago edited 13h ago

"I'm being a little cute. I don't think there's anything that's going to get me into heaven. I think I'm not maybe heaven-bound”

-Trump

I think he supports that other guy

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u/WillowLocal423 14h ago

Even Satan doesn't want that asshole.

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u/ForeverOk1949 14h ago

Why do you think Obama is faking being a Christian?

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u/esoteric_enigma 13h ago

For political reasons. He wouldn't be the only one. It would be literally impossible to be elected as a black politician in America if you were an atheist. Too much of our politics happens there for you to be an outsider to it. I worked in local politics and personally knew a couple people at that level who were pretending because they had to.

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u/Walter_Piston 11h ago

You’d need to explain why after leaving the political scene Obama continues to be a regular churchgoer.

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u/Byers616 14h ago

Obama is a legit Christian. Trump is godless.

Normally, I'd say the atheist is the more reasonable one but that's clearly not the case with those 2.

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u/AbruptMango 11h ago

There's a difference between being an atheist and simply being godless.  One doesn't believe in the existence of God, the other doesn't care.  

Trump is more of a nihilist.  You don't want one of them in charge.

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u/BurningSpaceMan 14h ago

Correction, Trump thinks he is god

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u/micalm 13h ago

From an European raised christian - christianity seems somewhat performative in the US anyway. From megachurches to taking the lords name in vain in every. single. sentence.

I do realize that might be the loud minority, but it really does look like some people focus on others knowing they very much care about god, despite god not hearing an honest "what's up" in years.

Taking into account that (this) faith is by design "for" good people and good people generally don't survive long in politics, yeah... Whoever's at the top at any given moment might not have given a thought about their faith in years.

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u/HarukoAutumney 14h ago

For Trump absolutely.

I am a firm believer that he is just playing the entire republican side like a fiddle. Remember when he was interviewed about his favourite bible verse and he couldn’t name one? Yeah, definitely a man of Christian values right there.

I feel like he may not even be as necessarily far right as he presents himself, but just goes along with it for the attention and to make sure people will remember him forever. That’s not to say he isn’t far right, but I could see him secretly not really caring as much about many social issues as he makes it seem he does.

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u/FUNKYDISCO 9h ago

He doesn’t care about anything but money. Full stop.

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u/frejas-rain 11h ago

Oh . . . I don't think it's a secret.

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u/Roguewind 9h ago

Hard for Trump to be an atheist when he thinks he IS god.

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u/I-love-seahorses 17h ago

Free healthcare yet? Free college yet? Can I work a single job and afford a private residence yet?

I. don't. give. a. fuck.

FIX THINGS.

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u/jawittesr 17h ago

Long overdue.

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u/JackOscarEastman 9h ago

Assuming you mean US President, then I'd feel happy that somebody potentially sane was running, but I'd have zero hope that they'd win.

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u/choparts 11h ago

Better. An atheist leader would be much better. None of that bullshit religious shit.

Religion is a joke anyway. Who needs a man in the sky that only needs money specifically on a Sunday...... idiots.

Got you yanks Hook line and sinker.

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u/CraftyFraggle 9h ago

I’d be overjoyed.

I don’t think religion should hold any place in our government.

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u/amboomernotkaren 9h ago

I’d be glad. I’m so sick of the bible thumpers.

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u/LadderExtension6777 17h ago

As a ‘modern Christian’, I wouldn’t have a problem with it because a lot of these leaders who claim to be Christian or Catholic or whatever are complete hypocrites anyway 🫠 (or other religions in other parts of the world) As long as there would be religious tolerance and freedom, if the leader has no religion, who cares? Religion doesn’t make someone more capable in this case. They could still be good people. Historically, we’ve seen way too many evil people claim to be religious and commit the worst atrocities against humanity 😢

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u/LadderEffective3458 17h ago

Hey, just for the record, Catholics are Christians. Christianity is a blanket term that covers a ton of branches including Catholicism, Protestantism, Mormonism, Eastern Orthodox, and others.

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u/BoulderMaker 17h ago

Yeah sounds good, whatever. It only matters what policies the guy supports...

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u/Kirkandree 17h ago

I can’t wait, because I’ll be dead, 73 years old, damn it!

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u/SomeFill4645 17h ago

I wouldn’t care at all

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u/SilentSea808 17h ago

If they can run the country, I’m for it. Any belief has the ability to run it and do it well.

Lately though… the US track record hasn’t been great

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u/QueenOfSplitEnds 17h ago

I don’t care as long as they do a good job doing what they’re actually supposed to be doing. I’m not a fan of the religious or non-religious folks pushing their ideals on me.

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u/Wise_Worldliness922 17h ago

*openly. American politicians have always had to pretend. 

That said, I'd be excited and also nervous because I know how prejudiced Americans are. 

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u/Whargod 17h ago

What's their platform?

That is the only relevant question when it comes to voting for someone. The rest doesn't matter.

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u/Magnet2025 16h ago

What do we think Trump is? He says he’s Christian, but he certainly doesn’t practice being a Christian in any way: he lies constantly; cheats his workers, his partners; cheats on his wives; his relationship with Epstein and on and on.

I’d rather have someone who has the moral honesty to say that he or she doesn’t believe or questions the concept of the Deity?

What do we do if there is a Buddhist or Hindu?

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u/Remarkable-Nail8441 13h ago

As a Christian, no different to any other President. They are gonna fuck up the country just as good as a Christian, Muslim, Satanist would

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u/DustinTWind 4h ago

I'd feel fine