The results are in and the godless atheists have done even worse than promiscuous mayors, old age pensioners and the gay homosexualists.
Gallup pollsters spent three days earlier this month surveying citizens of The New Amerika to see if we are ready for a non-traditional type of president. They asked people if they would be willing to vote for a “generally well-qualified” candidate who was __________.
Here are the different terms that filled in the blank with the percentage of people who gave a positive response to each.
…black 94%
…Jewish 92%
…a woman 88%
…Hispanic 87%
…Mormon 72%
…married for the third time 67%
…72 years of age 57%
…a homosexual 55%
…an atheist 45%
And here is my reaction: the results of this poll illustrate that we are an intolerant and hateful society.
If you would object by saying that Blacks and Jews did well – fuck that. 92% is not good. What 92% says to me is that 8% of Americans wouldn’t accept a Jew in the White House.
Let’s take someone who fits more than one of those labels – me. I am a Jew and a woman and an atheist. How have I fared in the poll?
0.92 x 0.88 x 0.45 = 0.36 or 36%
And I haven’t even thrown my gay best friend into the formula.
What I actually want to express is that I am stunned. This poll is just generally offensive, but I was really surprised to learn that atheists are such a downtrodden minority in The Amerika. I had no idea. Ach jo, something else to get worked up over.
An Atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god. An Atheist accepts that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth – for all men together to enjoy. An Atheist accepts that he can get no help through prayer, but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and to enjoy it. An Atheist accepts that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.
– from Murray v Curlett petition 1959
The Unabating Enlightenment of Max 
Question: it is possible to be an atheist but still be Jewish?
From my informative years in North London, it seemed to me that the ‘institution’ (perhaps including style of upbringing, ceremonies, approach to life, holidays, family, business, amusing Yiddish expressions etc…) of being Jewish prevailed over any strict observance, or actually believing in God.
For example, I encountered an ex-school colleague at a weeding reception in the Bel Air Hotel (which I think is in Brentwood, USA if memory serves – and Brentwood is an Essex town name of yore of course, but we needn’t discuss the deplorable actions of 1776 here) who was described to me by the groom as now being a ‘Buddhist Jew’. He used to have a lot of knives at school.
I wonder if the same is possible with any other religions/faiths? An atheist evangelist is unlikely 😉
R.
Riccardo,
It is indeed possible to be an atheist and still be Jewish. If you google ‘jewish atheist’, you will find many interesting (and some rather bloated) opinions on the question. The thing is, as you have so rightly pointed out, ‘Jewish’ indicates a lot more than just religion.
I remember hearing a woman on the BBC a while back who described herself as a ‘Muslim atheist’. I completely understood what she was saying about culture, history, tradition, language, family ties, etc. A person can find the idea of a god completely unpalatable, but that doesn’t mean that she has to reject the culture she was brought up in and where she probably still feels at home.
Bottom line, however, is that I can describe myself any way I want.
I don’t believe you will find atheist Christians because, I think, the word ‘Christian’ implies belief. But as I am not a Christian, it is not really my place to say.
The Bel Air Hotel is in Bel Air, although quite close to Brentwood — Los Angeles rather than Essex, of course. I have also been to a wedding there.