Welcome to the Militant Atheist Club, Mr. President

Conservative pundits are practically foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues after President Obama's Thanksgiving Day giving-thanks-for-what-he-has speech. According to the New York Daily News, he thanked the hard-working military men and women, volunteers serving those in need, and the pilgrims, pioneers and patriots who made this country great. But that wasn't enough for the religious bunch. They have crucified him for not, well, thanking the formerly crucified, or at least for not thanking said formerly crucified's dad.

That's right -- the President didn't thank God and as a result he's been labeled by conservative "columnist" Ben Shapiro as a "militant atheist." Hmm, I didn't realize failing to do something made one "militant." Under Mr. Shapiro's view, I'm a militant anti-bather since I didn't take a shower this morning, you are probably a militant anti-laundry fanatic for not putting another load in the washer today, and he's a militant ignoramus, because he fails to speak about anything he actually knows anything about. Like many on the right, he instead substitutes brashness, sheer absurdity and outrageousness of statement for logic. It is ad hominem and unworthy of serious consideration. Besides, he's a doofus.

For me, though, Fox News's Eric Bolling made the dumbest statement when he argued Obama should have thanked God because "86% of Americans believe in some sort of God, whether it's Christianity or Islam or what not." I think the President should have therefore thanked "Whatnot" and see how that went over. (As an aside, I have since tried praying to "Whatnot" several times, but the only answer ever heard back was this one time after three glasses of wine last night when I could've sworn I got the response "whatever.")

Is Bolling seriously saying Obama should thank some generic god? I don't think it works like picking the generic corn flakes instead of Kellog's at the grocery story. And then what about all those other Americans? What about Hindus? Buddhists? Shrubbists? Anyway, by excluding God, the President was far more inclusive in his speech; he recognized many may not hold the same religious views but can still be thankful for what they have (just not thankful to some vaporish apparition who appears only once every couple thousand years as a fiery tumbleweed). Kudos, Mr. President. And if this makes you a militant atheist, well, welcome to the club.

Skepticlese

www.ithasteeth.com

7 members like this

Comment by Bill Butler on November 27, 2011 at 1:22am: Whats that hes not a secret Muslim any more well that's good news. The right wing just cant make up there mind apparently first he studied Black Liberation Theory, then he was secretly Muslim now a Militant Atheist but seriously I cant even pretend to be surprised.

Comment by Ed on November 27, 2011 at 1:33am: It just goes to show you- you can't please all the people all the time. I am sure Obama would consider the atheist tag quite humorous. If only it were true....

Comment by Jon Washburn on November 27, 2011 at 2:10am: Funny how no one made mention by thanking the pilgrims and pioneers, the president was giving silent approval to their genocidal ways. One would think the conservative right would have praised him for that.

Comment by Dylan Martin on November 27, 2011 at 4:04am: Way cool Rod!!! LOL!!!

Comment by Ethan Mitchell on November 27, 2011 at 6:09am: Ha! Nice one Rod!

Comment by Ron Humphrey on November 27, 2011 at 6:09am: The sad fact is that in order to be elected President, a person must profess a mainstream religion. The Mormon candidate is running into resistance. Can you imagine the uproar if an openly atheist person tried to run for president? They wouldn't stand a chance.

I personally approve of how the President handled the thanks.

Comment by Mo Trauen on November 27, 2011 at 8:43am: I left a critical post for one of the columnists who criticized him for this. Other commentators cited instances where republicans who claim to be christian did the same thing, such as GWBush in 2008. Yet, we didn't hear any uproar when they did it. Visit the websites for some of these guys and let them have it.

Comment by Skepticlese on November 27, 2011 at 10:02am: Great comments. Thanks to all. Mo, I Particularly like the idea of responding on their own turf. We all can be guilty of complaining to one another in the security of our own forum. We need to get out there and take the argument to them.

Comment by Dale Headley on November 27, 2011 at 4:11pm: It is only a matter of time before Rush Limbaugh extends Mr. Shapiro's description to include the modifier, "black."

Comment by The Doctor on November 27, 2011 at 7:11pm: Yeah he didn't even thank Captain Picard of the Enterprise D eithere, Socialist...

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