I've just been over at the Glen Beck 9/12 site. I agree with most of what he says but one part seems strange. I began to address the issue to a person who wanted clarification about whether he was excluded from the site since he was an atheist. Most of the people responding said that the second value of the list was not that important. I disagree but was unable to post my comment as they closed down the site so here I'll just tell it myself so that at least one person will have seen this thought.
It is relevant since he thought it important enough to list in the top 9.
The people on this list may allow you to participate in their discussion but according to the Gallup poll of 2007 over half the population would vote for anyone but an atheist. If you are a public atheist do you think you will ever be allowed to participate in the leadership of a group that holds that you can't support America unless you believe in a deity?
As someone posted in this discussion in a blanket statement that was expected to be just common sense "a lot of people without faith have no ambition to share our principles." I have listened to several rants from both avid Christians and apathetic Christians about how atheists are un-American and at the root of all America's problems. It is one of the few prejudices that are still acceptable in polite society and used in Statements of Faith or values by groups to keep the Atheist quiet....or out.
All of those other values are about being self-reliant and not forcing other people to support you. They are near and dear to my heart but the second one tells me that my kind aren’t really welcome. What does a belief in the supernatural have to do with self-reliance?
