so for years we've had Christians in America
dominate politics in terms of their money spent the time the energy the
boats they could marshal
and politicians are scared to death of crossing that
significant voting bloc and significant lobby
in america well now there's a new
packin tap and it's actually
an atheist back its a a little broader than that it's
put together by the Center for humanist I activism
activism I can say and they put together the freethought
equality Fun Pack that does sound like fun
so who do they represent well they were present a
first what twenty percent of the public is an amazing 20 percent the public
is unaffiliated with any religion there's APS in there
there's a eight not six in there and they're people who simply say
I'm spiritual or not spiritual but I don't prescribe 21
religious so that's that huge percentage other
population I how many people in congress now admit to being a group
kind ok 1 there are no official APS I get to that in a second
but Chris the cinema is unaffiliated at least
she's in a row congresswoman at Arizona so this new
ATS pack will represent AVS
humanists and other free thinkers so those are all
different categories obviously there in the category of
people who don't believe in religion fame it obviously if yes don't believe
there's a god
union and all the different distinctions now what wanting to share in common
undoubtedly is that they are secular and they believe a sec us
to which I say: ironically thank God
I am deeply secular I happen to be enough stick
and every because themselves different things but I think this has been a long
time coming in
it's about damn time that we went and actually represented
this huge chunk of the american population and
I I love how the right wing like Bill O'Reilly
for sneered to recive Lee at people who call themselves
secular humanists key specs secular few minutes
both the for church and state shouldn't mix I
obviously you should look at how well its working in Saudi Arabia
any humanist you like human beings what's wrong with you
well finally we were packed assist yeah yeah we like human beings
I would like for Congress to represent that revolutionary
so a Maggie a at
edge or dnt ok with free thought says quote
whether we recognize it or not americans are held captive the will
the religious right leaders who remind us a far inferior position
by using the power of government to enforce laws that put truth claims about
religion
in front of us at every turn to this is really important
this is not just a matter of them saying hey it's a Christian nation
and so you have this theoretical debate
they certainly do then ignore others got a scoop you warm Christmas and all that
stuff but it actually has political ramifications
time after time they try to pass laws and influence
policies in that direction whether it's silly things like putting under God in
the Pledge of Allegiance which they did back in 1954 and obviously
republicans and and most a congress supports now or really important things
like
the religious right in this country saying that they do not want a pathway
to peace
they do not want to see solution in the Middle East
for Palestine and Israel be literally say that so
that has deadly serious consequences
and it's great to have logical people fighting back on that now
today issue how little support they have in congress
at least outwardly even Chris to set them up
who is the one person who is unaffiliated in congress
refuses to say that she is an atheist
me. this is the last so you know discrimination
that apparently we have enormous trouble getting beyond effect before tell us:
Mika let me tell you amazing fact
did you know that Barney Frank who of course was the
ra house representatives from massachusetts congressman
a surfer or incredibly long time just recently retired
just fine with after retirement came and said oh by the way yes
I don't believe in a witch he admitted to being gay
20 five years ago he apparently thought at least his own voters in Massachusetts
were ready here
that he was gay in 1987 and personal representa-
but they weren't ready here that he didn't believe in God
isn't that amazing so even cinema still her folks say
she prefers a secular approach that she does not consider herself a member of
any faith community
and she's called a student of all cultures in her community
I know they're partitions and look over all this a good thing
at least she's taken one step forward book go I
saying it's okay come out of the closet
and by the way these groups believe that there's at least 27 members of congress
who are in the closet about being atheist or not believing religion at all
and I think twenty-seven is a very concerned over you think those
cook so-called Christian right guys in congress
actually believe in their Bible if they did what they do
any other things that they've done I don't think they even believe in fact I
think they believe the least
alright it turns out though there's a reason why politicians don't do this
because only 54 percent of Americans
say that they would vote for a well-qualified atheist
presidential candidate apparently nearly half the country say
I don't care how qualified yes I'm not gonna vote for an atheist
under any circumstance atheists
ranked lower then gays or
muslims Americans were more likely
to vote for a well-qualified Muslim Kennedy for president
than they were and atheist for president that's
amazing and finally
fifty percent of Americans in a poll said that they believe atheism
is threatening cover I
alright well all represent the community for the
this umbrella for the mall being and on behalf of all
atheists and freethinkers I say to you blue
ok well instead go if there is no God
well then you lose nothing if there's a God you win
why are you scared of us we're not saying you're gonna go to hell we're not
threatening you with eternal damnation or torture
I guess you're scared the were right and that were come