Discrimination against atheists?
By Ciniful
@Ciniful (1587)
Canada
February 7, 2007 3:33am CST
CNN's Paula Zahn made some rather incredulous remarks on air about atheism and atheists in general, and the contraversy has sparked outrage among free thought societies.
You can see the CNN clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHnXrU5JzU
The gist of the video, for those who want a summary, is 2 women and one man discussing atheism. Now, am I the only one who finds it odd that on a panel about atheism, they didn't bother to have one atheist present? It ceased to be a panel and resulted in a bashing session.
The two women repeatedly say that atheists need to "shut up" about being discriminated against, then go on to talk about 'religious tolerance'. What's tolerant about expecting atheists to shut up?
To his credit, the man on the panel disagreed with them on this point.
They repeatedly say that America was is a christian nation, which makes them look rather ignorant, considering it's not true. The founding fathers of the US were freemasons, atheists, and at worst .. deists.
The one woman mentions that atheists have no right to request that "one nation under god" be removed from the pledge, that it should be left in original form ... when the original pledge didn't contain those words. She says atheists have no right to request "in god we trust" be taken off the currency, that it should be left ... when it wasn't there to start with.
And my personal favorite, the other woman says outright that freedom of religion does NOT mean freedom from religion. In their estimation, and this isn't an assumption, since it was said outright, on CNN, is that atheists do not have the right to live free from religion.
Most of us are used to the skewed news we get from networks like Fox, but CNN? Now that they've stooped to a point where fact is discarded and biased moral opinion is the news, can we expect any sort of objectivity in the media?
5 people like this
23 responses
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
7 Feb 07
omg! your right about CNN being one that most of us trust as unbiased!
and the fact that they didnt have an atheist ON the panel just proves that they think they DONT MATTER! which is of course bullsh*t! you cant decide on something of such scale without having ALL members involved present!
this is really disgusting to hear. it just goes to prove that the "blinder wearing religious zealots" are truly ignorant in much of what they claim to know!! apparently their blind faith spills over to flood even the history that is proven fact, much less religious theory.
3 people like this
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
I should have mentioned in the original post, but forgot at the time ... you'll find this the punchline to the whole bad joke .... the whole time they were going on about how atheists just need to shut up, the words displayed on the big screen behind them were .... (insert drumroll) .... Love Thy Neighbor.
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
7 Feb 07
Sounds less like CNN and more like Fox the more you mention it. I hate that crap. I am not an Atheist, but I think that they should have the right to believe.
@jinonicolas (44)
• Philippines
7 Feb 07
It's kinda ironic that the panel discussion just gave or indirectly showed why atheists decided to be such. Though I classify myself as agnostic, I see atheists as people who believe and rely on themselves rather than running to some higher power. No offense to those who do have religion, but i believe that it doesn't matter if you go to the church/temple or not. What matters is how you lived your life in your day of judgement whether it be from some god or by other people. Why can't we all just get along? =P
@nw1911guy (1131)
• United States
7 Feb 07
Hey Cin, One little detail, FOX isn't any more biased than any other station, they are just biased in a different direction. And the news sources in general have all been determined to be biased. Just a heads up.
Personally, I call myself agnostic. But I have a problem with religion. I believe the christian faiths were good PHILOSOPHIES but we have problems when it becomes dogmatic. Thankfully the Buddhists aren't nearly so dogmatic, however again, it's a philosophy that someone made a religion out of. If you want interesting reading sometime, find a copy of the book A Canticle For Leibowitz (I think I spelled it right). It's quite interesting when you compare it to christianity.
Last I heard, we have a right to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. So I'm not sure where this woman is coming from. And it is very outrageous.
1 person likes this
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
No, I'm not saying Fox is 'more' biased, I'm simply saying that, with the political reports, we're used to the fact that they 'are' biased at all, but until recently, CNN has usually managed to maintain an aura of objectivity. That seems to have disappeared with this broadcasted BS.
@abhiquest (579)
• India
8 Feb 07
from whatever you have written and what's on the video it looks like it was a very narrow minded approach taken by CNN to discuss a topic which invloves beliefs of so many people.
1 person likes this
@mnksmommy (301)
• United States
7 Feb 07
Wow. I agree that they should have gotten an actual atheist's opinion. Yeah, the founding fathers were deists and such. I consider myself a Christian however I do not believe that atheists should "shut up." I think the only relatively tolerant person was the man on the panel. I wasn't aware about the original wording of the pledge and the money..Do you have links or something--I want to prove this to some Christian friends!!! I have tried and tried to tell them that this nation was not "founded under God." Because they always try to tell me that. I do not feel that it is right to impose ANY religion on any person. Personally, I think everyone believe whatever you want to believe and don't force it on other people."
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
7 Feb 07
We have a state enforced religion/belief. As a teacher if you raise one of the many questions concerning it, you can lose your job. Movies and the media push home this faith as though it is absolute proven fact, and the increasing idea is that there is no other possibility (I'm highly suspicious of any idea or issue that denies there is any other view! All this, and it's far from proven, in fact some science strongly disproves it! But it is the enforced teaching anyway, and its propaganda is widespread, to the point of rewriting history. And now instead of merely being brainwashed by the very slanted media and movies, now the internet is the last word on reality. Yes, we did actually enter the twilight zone, back in the 60's!
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
7 Feb 07
That is ridiculous because if Atheists were on a panel discussing Christians they would have been up in arms and all over CNN for that. It would be a big "hate" scandal or whatever. Such hypocrisy is so revolting.
1 person likes this
@deusdiabolus (41)
• United States
8 Feb 07
CNN has been displaying a lot of reporting bias recently, especially where reporters like Wolf Blitzer are concerned. This isn't any major surprise, although it does make you wonder if they deliberately loaded their panel because they didn't really want to balance the debate properly (like inviting Richard Dawkins who probably would have PWN3D everyone on the opposition)...or was it because they were afraid of financial and ratings-based retaliation from the deep pockets of the Nazarenes?
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
9 Feb 07
Coincidently enough, after a rush of negative emails and critisizm from free thinkers world wide, they've now invited Richard Dawkins to join Ms. Zahn tomorrow night at 8 pm. I, for one, will be watching intently to see what he has to say about her behavior on the previous video.
@spreadingtheword (643)
• United States
7 Feb 07
While I totally oppose atheism, being a Christian myself, a panel discussing atheism needs to have at least one person defending what their beliefs are. I put myself in an atheist's shoes and think of a panel discussing Christianity with a group of atheists. It will be one-sided, as beliefs in each group differ. I find it horrible, as a Christian, to see others who have different beliefs being discriminated against. I would love for God to be in public and schools, but this is my opinion and I know atheists don't want that and we can't really force it on everyone. I apologize to atheists for Christians who actually let others express their beliefs and not put them down.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
8 Feb 07
The woman who said "freedom of religion does NOT mean freedom from religion" just doesn't get it. Freedom of religion means you have the right to believe or not believe.And to think that the U.S. is a Christian country is un constitional.She hasn't heard of separation of church and state. I'm waiting for someone to insist that if you are not Christian, you are not a true American. The way things are on t.v., it will be soon.
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
9 Feb 07
Well, you can stop waiting .... George Bush senior said years ago that he doesn't consider atheists to be citizens of American. I could find the actual quote source if you're interested.
Regardless, according to Dubya's daddy, if you're an atheist, you're not an american citizen, because .. y'know .. American is a 'christian nation' of course.
*rolls eyes*
@jinonicolas (44)
• Philippines
8 Feb 07
Shouldn't that woman in the panel be sued for slander or something? =P Heaven knows (forgive the pun) what she would do if she had a bomb that only targets atheists. lol
@flagbabygirl (891)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I watched the News Clip and what they are syaing is the the United States is a Christian Country, This means more poeple here are christian than any other religon. Believe it or not that is true. I am sick of giving up my religon for people who don't believe in anything at all. If you don't believe than why do you care?
I do believe, and I do want prayer back in school , I do want my child to be raised the way I want without someone telling what I can and cannot do!
The people of my beliefs are the ones setting the stage in this country, the majority rules and that means Athiests don't! Maybe you should go to Europe where there are more athiests?
Good luck to you!
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
I tried to decide whether to ignore this, but in all honesty, I can't. Let me get this straight. I should move to another country, simply because I don't believe in your God? Nice. So how is it that I can be tolerant of your beliefs, but you can't show tolerance for my lack of beliefs?
This is precisely the problem.
The news clip was biased, discriminatory and wrong, especially for a media source known to be non biased and objective. If you can't see that, I'm sorry but you're messed up.
The US is NOT a christian country, and simply because the majority are christian does not make it so. The US is predominantly white. Does that mean it's a white country, that every black or asian person should leave? That's basically what you're saying, only applied to nationality instead of religion.
You being christian does not define a way of life for every citizen, and people that think like you do are exactly the problem.
1 person likes this
@jinonicolas (44)
• Philippines
7 Feb 07
I believe for democratic countries, there is such a thing as "Separation of State and Religion." Though Christianity may be dominant, the religion of the majority does or should not dictate what the state does and does not. Governments run on politics, diplomacy, and economics. Unless you're at the Vatican. =P
@halfserious (99)
• United States
7 Feb 07
The short answer is that people who believe in religion are usually pretty dumb.
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
8 Feb 07
Sorry, but just as I won't allow people to come in here and bash atheists without commenting back, I won't allow the reverse either. What you're doing is the blind bigotry and intolerance that the people on that panel showed towards atheism.
For the record, there are many intelligent people who happen to have faith in one God or another, that's their choice. You and I have no right to insult anyone based on their beliefs, for the same reasons they have no right to insult us for our lack of beliefs.
@starr4all (2863)
•
8 Feb 07
First, I'm shocked that this came from CNN! I usually go to CNN for as close to unbiased news as I can get. This was horrendous! It definately wasn't a panel, it was a bash session. If it was truely a panel at least one atheist would have been there. If the tables had been turned, and it was a discussion on christianity that turned to bashing, you know the christians would have been up in arms about it.
@mikeyr6000le (2123)
• United States
7 Feb 07
Yeah it sounds more like a witch hunt then a discusion panel. It sounds like they guy realised what was happening and decide to speak up. The woman that said we have freedom of religion not from religon. Isn't athieism a form of religon? It's the religon of not beleving in religon or is that wrong?
@Ciniful (1587)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
Yes, that's quite wrong. Atheism is not a religion at all, it is simply a word used to describe a person who lacks a belief.
Theist - belief in god
A prefix - without
Athiest = without belief in god
Religion is a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny.
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
8 Feb 07
Yes this panel is not right.In the first place they should have invited an atheist in the discussion for the atheist to have their say in this discussion. They have no right to judge atheist like that. I say All People and I MEAN ALL have the right to go with their belief. I used to be a Catholic and was converted to Christianity...but now I am into Wicca - It is a goddess religion..In short religion for witches.I still believe in God but I don't go to church anymore. I pray in mind and in heart...People should not judge Atheist they have no right to judge anybody for they are judge only by the Higher Power...And this media had no right to do that..If they want to put that word in God we trust in the currency it's fine with me..The One God nation I don't think so either because as I say we believe differently.I may not be from the US but I believe that not all people there have the same belief. Media people should be fair to all they should not take sides because the whole world hears them and they too will be judged.
