Obama aides to meet with atheists on White House grounds

[moobu2]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has burnished his Christian credentials, courted Jewish support and preached outreach toward Muslims. On Friday, his administration will host a group that fits none of the above: America's nonbelievers.

The president isn't expected to make an appearance at the meeting with the Secular Coalition for America or to unveil any new policy as a result of it.

Instead, several administration officials will sit down quietly for a morning meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus with about 60 workhorses from the coalition's 10 member groups, including the American Atheists and the Council for Secular Humanism. Tina Tchen, the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and representatives from the Justice and Health and Human Services departments will participate.

Coalition leaders are billing their visit as an important meeting between a presidential administration and the "nontheist" community. On the agenda are three policy areas: child medical neglect, military proselytizing and faith-based initiatives.

"We're raising important issues that affect real people's lives," said Sean Faircloth, 49, a former Maine state legislator who's the coalition's executive director.

White House spokesman Shin Inouye downplayed the meeting, saying only that Tchen's office "regularly meets with a wide range of organizations and individuals on a diverse set of issues."

LiNk

[peacebird]

1. Why is the White House downplaying the meeting instead of embracing it?

While sadly I don't think wiccans will be feted at the White House in my lifetime, but one would think that athiests and agnostics should be pretty easy groups to accept.

[trotsky]

3. You really have to ask that?

"one would think that athiests and agnostics should be pretty easy groups to accept"

Then one wouldn't be aware of the political realities in the U.S. A whole lotta loving followers of Christ have a really big problem with us. Why do you think every politician caters to believers?

[DeSwiss]

2. K&R

Of course Obama is treading lightly here. He's a politician after all and this is still America: "land of the free and home of the deluded." But considering his immediate predecessor's penchant for woo-woo thinking, it's like a breath of fresh air. His stock just went back up a little with me.

- And it's not only due to the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Dunham#Personal_beliefs">personal reasons he has to respect those of us who are non-believers, but he is an astute politician who realizes http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-09-american-religion-ARIS_N.htm">changing trends and http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-09-aris-survey-nones_N.htm">currents when http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-09-ARIS-faith-survey_N.htm">he sees them.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. And after the meeting, the first comment on a news story from the public:

working for you? some of the demons at the meeting are satan worshipers. It is not that they dont believe in God, the devil believes in God. rather it is that they practice satanism and that is against God so they are against God in govt as part of their religion. Following their demands would be to support their religious views against Christians and others. It would in fact be establishing a state religion with preferrence shown by example. God would be specifically outlawed but Satan as a deity would not be mentioned and thus they would gain a march on God. A clever ploy no doubt and subtle. Many of our leaders including Hillary practice Wicka and others go to fortune tellers for advice. pagan kings as of old in new suits. how close they are to Satanism is anyones guess. Gives me a vote of no confidence for them that they talked to these fruit cakes in the first place,

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/02/26/88794/no-word-on-substance-of-white.html

Looks like the asylum got its broadband connection fixed. :banghead:

[DeSwiss]

7. Well, at least no one was burned at the stake.

- So I guess that's progress.....

[unblock]

5. white house announces they will meet at the food court at a nearby mall

the president will eat at mcdonald's, the atheists will eat at sbarro's.
the president will allow the atheists to sit at his table after the atheists ask "is anyone sitting here?"

the atheists are not to discuss anything other than the topic of napkins.

afterwards, they will hold separate press conferences.

at the atheists' press conference, they will say that this is a milestone in acceptance of an outcast group.

at the presidents' press conference, the president will say, "what? they were atheists?"

[DeSwiss]

6. +1

:applause:

[Goblinmonger]

8. +2

There will not be a better summary of the meeting anywhere.

[Deep13]

9. Well, that's encouraging. nt