GOP Raises Religion in Court Race, Calling Democrat an Atheist

[beam me up scottie]

GOP Raises Religion in Court Race, Calling Democrat an Atheist

Mary Alice Robbins
Texas Lawyer
October 9, 2006


Religion has entered the political fray in a race for an appellate court bench in east Texas.

The Austin-based Republican Party of Texas played the religion card in a Sept. 21 online newsletter. As alleged in the newsletter, Texarkana solo E. Ben Franks, Democratic nominee for a seat on the 6th Court of Appeals, "is reported to be a professed atheist" and apparently believes the Bible is a "collection of myths.'"

***

Anthony Champagne, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, says he has watched judicial races in Texas and other parts of the country for 25 years and has never before seen a judicial candidate accused of being an atheist.

"I've never seen the religious issue pushed that hard," Champagne says.

***

The Republican Party notes in its recent newsletter that Article 16, §1(a) of the Texas Constitution prescribes the oath of office for all elected or appointed officials. The officeholder swears to faithfully execute the duties of the office and, to the best of his or her ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this state "so help me God."

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1160125527178

Welcome to United States of Jesusland, aka Amerikkka, where in politics, the possibility that you're an atheist is the only thing worse than being a confirmed sexual predator.

[lvx35]

1. Nah, its just the ethical atheists that are in trouble...

...the ones who are honest about their viewpoints and beliefs even when they are unpopular. However, if you smile and nod at evangelicals like Rove while laughing at them behind their backs, you're gold! :)

[beam me up scottie]

2. I had to pretend to believe in God in the Marine Corps.

I have to stay in the closet to keep my job and not be shunned and ostracized by the community in which I live.

Maybe they're right to question the ethics of liars like me.

[Random_Australian]

6. Dear Bmus, whackjob atheist & swooning fanboy/girl extrordinare,

if I read that sentence correctly, it seems you feel pretty down about having to lie about your lack of faith.

I don't really have anything to say, so I will post this:

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:
                                                  :loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:
                              :loveya::pals::pals::pals::pals::hug::hug::hug::hug::pals::pals::pals::pals::loveya:
          :loveya::loveya::loveya::pals::pals::pals::hug::hug::hug:YOU ARE HERE:hug::hug::hug::pals::pals::pals::loveya::loveya::loveya:
                             :loveya::pals::pals::pals::pals::hug::hug::hug::hug::pals::pals::pals::pals::loveya:
                                                  :loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:
:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:



There will come a day, I will find a way, to make things right.

:pals:

:)

[Lautremont]

7. Where you live and work sound like a scary place.

I honestly don't know how you do it. Just watching the last act of the 1978 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," where Donald Sutherland and his pals have to walk amongst the pod people pretending they too are soulless alien spore creatures, exhausts me - I can't imagine living it day-to-day.

[lvx35]

8. Sorry, I had to pause...

just to let the hugs come. :)

Actually, I was thinking about your reply...there's something about it that really struck me, and its hard to put into words. There's something so...right about going against the grain when the grain is stupid, and it really doesn't matter HOW you go against the grain just that you do. When I lived in a fundy town years ago, I HAD to get really into the occult just to do the thing forbidden by the stupidity that passed as reason and faith. And it was really important that I did it. Not for what it was, but for what it was not. Something about what Dostoyevsky(?) said about people being willing to do anything to prove that they are free...Its so important.

Anyway, I have no idea what I am trying to say. I saw it in the corner of my eye, turned and looked and now its gone. But I don't think you are probably that unethical. It seems to me there is only so far you get with lyings to others, to do REAL damage you've got to lie to yourself.

Peace! :)

[polmaven]

11. As opposed to the ethics

of a liar like the good and saintly man of God now illegally occupying the Oval Office? HAHAHAHAHA!!! :rofl:

OK, I just finished cleaning my keyboard, and now I have to do it again....THANKS A BUNCH, SCOTTIE!

[NMMNG]

3. Indeed

Welcome to United States of Jesusland, aka Amerikkka, where in politics, the possibility that you're an atheist is the only thing worse than being a confirmed sexual predator.


Because it's well known atheists have no moral values, unlike devoutly religious people such as Mark Foley, Rick Santorum, Fred Phelps, GWB, and other such illustrious individuals.

[beam me up scottie]

4. Oh but the Constitution protects us, Buffy.

I've never felt safer.

You?

[NMMNG]

9. You mean that GD piece of paper that Bush has torn to shreds?

Yeah, I feel real safe. :sarcasm:

[flamin lib]

5. Cross posting to Texas Forum nt

[sonias]

10. There they go again

When all else fails - hit them with religion. We don't call them "tali-baptists" for nothing. There is very little separating the extreme fundamentalists on either side of the world, in terms of their behavior. One set was just born into better circumstances.

Sonia