I write as an English observer across the pond.
So many people here can do nothing but demonize anything and everything associated with Mr ( President [ha! ha!]) Trump. This makes me ask the question, to be Agnostic or Atheist does this mean one must be a Democrat by persuasion? Is this a logical necessity, outside Texas and the Bible belt?
[As an unrelated aside, it is interesting that Islam claims the concept of the belt as a means of subjugating Christians in their territories.]
To appreciate Mr Trump, and all his colorful antics, I'd suggest one must turn to the "golden" age of monochrome American slapstick: Keystone Cops, Buster Keaton, etc. Seen from the perspective of this genre, one should laugh rather than curse.
America, you are truly, truly, very, very funny!
Speaking as a man, Nancy Pelosi is now the sexy face of American politics. Hope she appreciates the seriousness of homour. If she does, 2019 should be an endless GAG!
Forgive me, I can't resist: "God bless America!"
6
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Republicans represent aggression. In order to promote capitalism over ‘godless communists’ during the cold war, a mantel of ‘christianity’ proved you weren’t “A Red” (or communist pinko)... Religion was further injected into our schools, public buildings & meetings, our money, even ‘our pledge of allegiance.’
Democrats are the thinking party. Academics by nature, organized religion, if religion at all - sets far less comfortably with them. More into ‘human rights’ than dictator-promotion, and far less militaristic … they’re ready to head your direction, toward socialism..
Atheists, and the Agnostics I’m aware of are thinkers, not followers. When told to “Take that hill!” They’ll ask, ‘why?’ But with our winner-take-all ‘binary political system,’ as opposed to your parliamentary system (with multiple party coalitions), only one of our parties (it seems) can be progressive -- thus the other is regressive..
You’ll notice a handful around here promoting trump … but from my observations ..they’re most closely tied to what are called ‘libertarians.’ On the opposite end, we’ve also a sprinkling of ‘anarchists,’ or far-left (Bernie-bot) types..
What puzzles me are the occasional jokers checking in from around the planet who feel so disconnected from the actions of our mistaken ‘president’ they claim only to laugh..? As if global warming or nuclear winter would affect only the US of A… To me, trump’s trade wars, treaty breaking, putin promotion, increased pollution, resource wars & religious conflicts make him a global menace ~
Varn
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
5
I see things the way you do, but I know plenty of people who supported both Bernie and Trump and saw no contradiction there whatsoever. People listen for things that they like in a candidate's message, and they listen to see if they have a caring message. Does it seem like they actually care about people like me? Both Bernie and Trump pulled that off for many people. My hope is the Democrats learn that lesson.
Interesting statement, "Democrats are the thinking party. Academics by nature..." As an atheist who isn't a Democrat, Socialist, Communist, Libertarian, anarchist, or Trump supporter, here is how I see it.
Really, it's pay back. Republicans have always preferred to vote for Bozo the Clown to avoid any notion of a legit Democrat from being elected to office. To them, as soon as they learn someone is liberal, they are instantly demonized on the spot without them learning anything what they are about. In Twump's case, the "demonization" is legit, the man is an ass-clown. Please do not pool the Democrats with the Republicans in this crassness.
godef
Level 7
Jan 4, 2019
6
I am pretty much apolitical. I am not a Democrat. If it is possible to hate someone you have not met then I hate Donald Trump regardless of what name you call him by. Why do I feel this way? It's because he is a liar and a conman. An egotistical liar and conman. He will bring this country to the same ruin that his university, airlines, vodka, suits, and various other enterprises have come to.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Jan 4, 2019
5
I would think that being agnostic, Democrat and anti-Trump means a person is merely paying attention to the world around them.
david75090
Level 7
Jan 4, 2019
5
I think it is called schadenfreude. My other half is American and I spend quite a lot of time over there mainly in New England and the American people have my utmost sympathy. True it was self inflicted but so was the abomination that is Brexit in the UK. Interestingly I temporarily joined a closed group of Trump lovers just to see how their minds worked,or if they even did, and the the three things you needed to be a member of the group is to be a supporter of Trump,Brexit, and be a climate change denier.
Moravian
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
5
If he weren't in charge of firing off a few nuclear missiles, it might be funny to sit back and observe. The tantrums, however, lead some of us to question his IQ and his mental condition. I know this because I have tried to take the high road, sit back, observe only, and laugh. Unfortunately, it can only be done until he posts something heinously and categorically wrong and requires an education (which he apparently never really received at Wharton. Other famous Wharton grads include Drew Brees, Warren Buffet, and Elon Musk, and they display much higher IQ's than 45).
aspiringunicorn
Level 6
Jan 4, 2019
4
"Self-identified atheists tend to be aligned with the Democratic Party and with political liberalism. About two-thirds of atheists (69%) identify as Democrats (or lean in that direction), and a majority (56%) call themselves political liberals (compared with just one-in-ten who say they are conservatives).
"Atheists overwhelmingly favor same-sex marriage (92%) and legal abortion (87%). In addition, three-quarters (74%) say that government aid to the poor does more good than harm."
Pew Research Center, 2016
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Jan 4, 2019
3
You always source your insights. I admire your organizational skills!
Thank you, Bobby. I learned the importance of crediting my source in graduate school.
The language in some of those polls leaves me cold. Saying people "favor" same-sex marriage and abortion, I think, is incorrect. I don't "favor" those things, I just think those things are none-of-my-business. So in that way I support people's rights.
To favor means to support:
verb (used with object)
-
to regard with favor: to favor an enterprise.
-
to prefer; treat with partiality: the father favored his younger son.
-
to aid or support: he favored his party's cause with ample funds.
@LiterateHiker Number 2 on your list was the way I read it. A preference. Didn't read it any of the other ways. Like saying something is your favorite, which, to me, is the main usage of the term "favor".
The use of language is interesting. Synonyms for "favor" as a verb:
Advocate
Back
Endorse
Support
As with abortion, I don't advocate it, back it, endorse it, support it or favor it. I do believe people have the right to make the decision for themselves.
I'm glad you believe women have the right to control our own bodies.
Keep Your Theology
Off My Biology
Is a bumper sticker on my car.
Part of our freedom in America is the freedom to mind our own business. One reason I don't support the hypocrisy of the GOP is their stance on freedom reducing issues while pretending to be against government regulation.
Absolutely not.
Being an atheist means you don't believe in the existence of any supernatural god (I shall avoid putting an extra word in there, it causes needless debate).
Not believing in any god does not NECESSARILY mean you oppose Trump - but, to be honest, if you're rational of thought you tend not to believe fairy-tales, AND you tend not to be gullible enough to believe Trump's lies.
ToakReon
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
4
I'm not sure if it is all gullibility. Many Trump supporters know many of the things he says are lies, but they are lies about things that either A) they don't personally care about, or B) they know liberals DO care about them and lying about it drives us crazy, which they amuses them to no end. My perception, and it could be wrong, is that they see Trump as a strong man who breaks rules to defend them (against Mexicans, liberals, blacks, terrorists, whatever). I think that's completely idiotic, but most of these people aren't thinking about issues in any complex way.
@greyeyed123 "they see Trump as a strong man who breaks rules to defend them "
In other words, they buy Trump's fantasy of himself as Dirty Harry?
@Paul4747 And now Dirty Harry's an 85 year old drug mule, lol. Times have changed.
@greyeyed123 I actually preferred him as a broken-down cowboy anyway...
Not my circus, not my monkees. It's boring. I don't get worked up either way over him. Trump is a reflection of who we are as a people. After all, we created the conditions that put him there. Want to bitch at someone? Look in the mirror. Religion, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with it.
mykhael
Level 6
Jan 4, 2019
3
It's not logically required. It does make more sense, since the GOP does actively pursue and cultivate the endorsement of those old-time religions (I mean the conservative Christians, not Greco-Roman). While fewer and fewer people identify as Christians, those who do puff themselves up to make themselves seem more important than they actually are, and because they vote pretty much as a bloc, the conservatives exercise an undue influence at election time. This leads to the Republicans catering to a shrinking, but extremely vocal, portion of the population at the expense of everyone else.
One example: most people surveyed either favor abortion rights or are neutral. Yet, because of the influence of conservative Christians at the polls, it seems likely that, for the first time in over 45 years, the high court is now preparing to revisit the very legality of abortion in America. A purely personal issue could be decided for millions, based on the religious scruples of the minority. Next up: birth control. 
Paul4747
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
3
There are plenty of conservative/Trump loving agnostics and atheists. Boggles the mind.
DoctoralZombie
Level 7
Jan 4, 2019
2
The human mind's ability to compartmentalize is without equal. Religion is just one area in which people believe what they want to believe, regardless of the evidence.
Yup, except that it will be hard to laugh when there is no breathable air, or drinkable water...you, sir, apparently have neither values nor intelligence,
AnneWimsey
Level 9
Jan 4, 2019
3
And this comes from the country of Boris Johnson, Teresa May and Edward Miliband?
Spinliesel
Level 9
Jan 4, 2019
2
@David1955 Just my three personal favorites
@David1955 Blair. The man who gave his wealthy chums tax relief on second homes in a country with a housing and land shortage, gave religious sects the right to create indoctrination schools and deny children education because he was a closet catholic who dared not come out, and invaded two foreign countries on false information just for the ego trip of proving he was a world statesman. Is that the one you are talking about ?
I agree with you. Mr Trump has not proven himself as a serious statesmen. As the political Right is conservative and Left liberal, I would guess that most of us lean towards the left. I would ask the same of you -- is your Conservative (or Unionist) party predominantly religious? I also think non US (or British) people get a different viewpoint about our points-of-view, so keep 'em coming.
xyz123
Level 7
Jan 4, 2019
1
Regarding religion in the UK, none of the parties are particularly religious, The odd politician here and there might confess to holding some creed, but they are a rarity. For decades the English church has been relegated to the status of minding births (increasingly less so), marriages (still very popular) and deaths (because there is no real substitute to offer a framework for grief). Religion in England died during the First World War. The only thing that keeps the church going is the Africans who have settled in the UK. Northern Ireland is a totally different scenario, there they wear religion as a badge.
If you are British, why do you write using American English?
Amisja
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
1
As British too/two, I do tend to use American English on this site, because I hate the way the spell checker colors/ colours things pink. Gray/grey would be better. Although I am a sceptic/skeptic about whether/weather spelling is really at the centre/center of how you enjoy this site/sight. But now I have hit on a great way to bore/boar/bour people if I want to, which/ witch is really a great idea for the future. P. S. I don't/do not think that his "homour" is found in either.
I take it that you mean the spelling of "colorful". Probably because this is an American site and it was altered by the spell checker !
@Amisja Yes I prefer UK as well, but this is an American based site so really you should be marked down on it for the same reason if you use UK English. Actually I am happy with both, and sometimes do stick with UK. The spell checker is standard, if you are not seeing it you may be using an outdated programme/program to view the site.
@OwlInASack I believed either is correct in UK English too. Please be a pedant. Language is organic. I am happy about that, but the ability to converse is the only way forward for humans.
@OwlInASack I type fast too, and it does not come easily to me because I am on the autistic spectrum and dyslexic, but I have trained myself to go back and check everything because it is a kind thing to make it easy for others to read. Having said that I am totally forgiving of everyone else, so I will not point out the missing space and full stop in your reply.
@OwlInASack I'm like that...and I teach!
@Amisja Canadians use mostly British English. When I’m texting my family in Canada. I switch keyboards on my iPhone. Here on use American English..as I work, live and my kiddos are American.
@Green_eyes You are so kind
So.....its true......Brits have a sense of humor....but only looking outward......
HankSherman
Level 8
Jan 4, 2019
0
No we Brits don’t have a sense of humour. It’s a rye and stoical observation of the absurd. Once in a lifetime a top class comedy act comes into the world and totally wipes the floor with everything that went before. Slapstick, situation comedy, stand up and open mike. All there with D Trumpington. Can’t wait for the encore!
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