Why is it everyone presumes we have never had an atheist president?

Question

I mean it wouldn't be the first time a politician lied to us would it?

Answer 1

even if there were not....its pretty clear jefferson and lincoln were some of the closes to the label. they had a pretty good hand in the shaping of the country. but yes I'm sure there were a few.  

Answer 2

True. However, no outspoken atheist has... to my knowledge.

Answer 3

First, not all atheists lie, most of the time they tell the truth more than us Christians!

Second, it has nothing to do with a President being an atheist, they all lie, no matter what or who they believe in.

Answer 4

Honest Abe Lincoln was an atheist.  And they shot him.

Answer 5

I dont think Jefferson's heart was entirely in it.

Answer 6

Thomas Jefferson was at the very least anti-Christian. Often referred to as a deist or agnostic (like most of the Founding Fathers), most of Jefferson's writings hint that he was an atheist.

Peace.

Answer 7

Sure we have....they just never formally announced it because they knew it would be the end of them politically  

Answer 8

Good point.

No politician in the right mind is going to come out and say he's an atheist. . .

He won't get in to office and he'll definitely be shot.

Answer 9

I have never heard a 'I am smarter than you' speech.

Answer 10

you know what assume means, don't you?

Answer 11

They are all the same. I think us Americans are just tired of all the lies and deceit, we can't really think beyond this point of despair, so, they could have been, only they know.

Answer 12

Abe Lincoln is as close as we have come to an Athiest President.

Lincoln never joined a church nor ever made a clear profession of standard Christian beliefs. While he read the Bible in the White House, he was not in the habit of saying grace before meals. Lincoln's friend Jesse Fell noted that the president "seldom communicated to anyone his views" on religion, and he went on to suggest that those views were not orthodox: "on the innate depravity of man, the character and office of the great head of the Church, the Atonement, the infallibility of the written revelation, the performance of miracles, the nature and design of . . . future rewards and punishments . . . and many other subjects, he held opinions utterly at variance with what are usually taught in the church." It is probable that Lincoln was turned against organized Christianity by his experiences as a young man in New Salem, Illinois, where excessive emotion and bitter sectarian quarrels marked yearly camp meetings and the ministry of traveling preachers. Yet although Lincoln was not a church member, he did ponder the eternal significance of his own circumstances, a personal life marked by tragedy (the early death of two sons) and difficulty (the occasional mental instability of his wife). And he took to heart the carnage of war over which he presided.

Answer 13

I assume we did.

Answer 14

You do realize what Lincoln said? And a few others, can't really remember who but I do know there have been a few.

Answer 15

We dont know how they believe. They all lie.

Answer 16

But we have. At least one that's almost undeniable. If Thomas Jefferson wasn't an atheist, then I'm a fundie.

Answer 17

No public officials want to say they're atheist cause they need to votes of tons of semi-educated people.

Ain't democracy wonderful.

Answer 18

No it wouldn't. I actually wouldn't be surprised if there has been an atheist president.