# In the US, could an agnostic, atheist, and/or gay become president? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875 "2017-01-22T21:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/1 "2017-01-22T21:33:19Z")
Basically what the title asks. However, I’ll amplify with - given a candidate who is the most qualified, if he or she refused to go to the various church services through indifference or lack of belief, or could potentially move into the White House with a same-sex partner, could that person have a hope in hell of being a party leader or president in the US? My gut says “no way” but here in Canada I think that it could be possible (though it doesn’t hurt in our case that there is no “first lady” (the elder Trudeau was a bachelor when he was first elected) and we aren’t an overtly religious folk. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/2 "2017-01-22T21:53:22Z")
here are 7 leaders of countries that are atheist or agnostic. Probably not as likely in he US at least for a while > **[7 World Leaders Prove That America Can Have an Atheist President Too](https://www.mic.com/articles/118192/7-world-leaders-prove-that-america-can-have-an-atheist-president-too)** > > An atheist president of the United States is more likely than you might think. > While research from the Pew Research Center in 2014 indicated that a majority of Americans would be "less likely" to vote for a presidential candidate who was an atheist,… ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/3 "2017-01-22T22:03:12Z")
Possible? Sure. Bernie Sanders is almost certainly an atheist, and his chances of election are just slim, not nil. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/4 "2017-01-22T22:14:52Z")
Trump just got elected, despite making no secret of his lack of religion. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/5 "2017-01-22T22:25:46Z")
Note: While this comment is inspired by Trump, that’s just a starting point. While some say Trump isn’t religious, there are others who suggest he’s into some sort of Prosperity Gospel thing. Norman Vincent Peale officiated at his first wedding. Etc. All a candidate apparently has to do is pretend to be religious. Say a few quotes here and there. Attend a few services. Like that. And lie. Lie, lie, lie about being religious. As long as you lie often enough and loud enough apparently you can even get the Religious Right to vote for you. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/6 "2017-01-22T22:31:26Z")
**Moderator Action** Since a factual answer to this is going to be very limited (if even possible), I think this thread will do a lot better in IMHO, where people can freely speculate and give their opinions on what it would take for someone in the OP to become president. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/7 "2017-01-22T23:41:55Z")
I’m not convinced Obama was all that religious. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/8 "2017-01-23T00:03:26Z")
Fair enough (all above posters) but what if, during the primaries, a candidate (or even once elected) said “Sorry, I didn’t go to church before and I’ll be damned if I’m going to go now for the sacred inaugural mass. Also, during my inauguration, why the hell do I have to hold a bible?” (or whatever it is that’s been shown the last couple of days)". ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/9 "2017-01-23T00:11:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Trump just got elected, despite making no secret of his lack of religion. After Trump’s election, I’ve completely given up making predictions about what kind of person could or couldn’t get elected. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/10 "2017-01-23T00:16:04Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I’m not convinced Obama was all that religious. Even if that’s true, he went through the motions of being religious. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/11 "2017-01-23T00:25:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Trump just got elected, despite making no secret of his lack of religion. Trump attempted to show evangelicals that he was, in fact, a Christian (nominally, a Presbyterian), even if he managed to make a hash out of things like his favorite Bible verse. > **[Trump's Bible Fail](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/trumps-bible-fail/478425/)** > > The Republican front-runner named his favorite verse—now, if only he knew what it meant. I think it’d be close to impossible for a candidate who came right out and said, “I’m an atheist” (or, for that matter, a Muslim) to win a Presidential election in the U.S. There are just too many voters for whom lacking faith (Christian faith, in specific) is likely to be an immediate disqualifier. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/12 "2017-01-23T00:42:18Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > After Trump’s election, I’ve completely given up making predictions about what kind of person could or couldn’t get elected. Agreed. Too many other factors. Not too many years ago I would have guessed that the first black president would have to be on the republican ticket to get past the prejudice. Recently I saw someone comment that Cory Booker was a shoe-in to be the next president because he is black. That’s a huge shift in perception in just a short time if even just a few people are thinking that way. This election I heard commentary that being Jewish would be an easier sell for Bernie than being an atheist. In 4 years who knows. If Trump is a complete flop and the right candidate strikes hits with the public it could happen soon. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/13 "2017-01-23T00:42:39Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I’m not convinced Obama was all that religious. I’m not totally sure of any of the Presidents of the last 100 years or so. Yeah, Nixon and Reagan with all the “prayer breakfasts” and having religious leaders around them a lot maybe. And in terms of having a congregation they really considered home, maybe Carter. But even those could be open to debate. More to the OP though; I do believe its possible. I am one of those Bernie people who think he could have pulled it off against Trump. And one thing we have to admit since this election is that however improbably or unlikely almost anyone can be elected POTUS. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/14 "2017-01-23T00:44:41Z")
If an asshole can be elected, then anyone can. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/15 "2017-01-23T02:04:50Z")
I think an openly gay candidate would have a better chance than a never-married person who’d be the subject of constant rumors and accusations. I think it’s a harder call whether an atheist could be elected. A lot of it would depend on that person’s political background and record. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/16 "2017-01-23T02:49:57Z")
Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon is openly bisexual … that’s getting close to the prize … ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/17 "2017-01-23T02:57:25Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I’m not convinced Obama was all that religious. A lot of liberal atheists seem sure that Obama isn’t really a Christian. But they got awfully mad at conservatives who say the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/18 "2017-01-23T03:04:46Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon is openly bisexual … that’s getting close to the prize … :dubious: A woman who has been ( and still is) married to a man for 20 years? Not your stereotypical LGBT person in the eyes for whom it matters. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/19 "2017-01-23T03:13:05Z")
I say the hardest hurdle will be the atheist – the public will accept a “spiritual but not in an organized religion” type long before someone who just believes there to be no supernatural world, or says “we have no way of knowing” . Some visible enough official who chose to do the Affirmation version of the oath of office would cause a social network shitstorm even if they explained\* their religion \*forbids swearing oaths. BTW on the evolving side issue: > [@jz78817](#): > > I’m not convinced Obama was all that religious. > [@drewder](#): > > Even if that’s true, he went through the motions of being religious. > [@kopek](#): > > I’m not totally sure of any of the Presidents of the last 100 years or so. Yeah, Nixon and Reagan with all the “prayer breakfasts” and having religious leaders around them a lot maybe. And in terms of having a congregation they really considered home, maybe Carter. But even those could be open to debate. :dubious: OK, ISTM now we’re getting into an issue of \*\*setting an impossible standard to meet. \*\* I mean, _ **Carter** _’s religiosity open to debate? Really? So then what would look or sound to you all like an “all that religious” POTUS? And I dunno but listening to Obama’s address to the AME congregation in Charleston after the Mother Emmanuel shooting, that sure sounds like at the least a conventional Christian to me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875/20 "2017-01-23T03:34:51Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I think an openly gay candidate would have a better chance than a never-married person who’d be the subject of constant rumors and accusations. Well, the US has had two presidents that were single when they were elected (Buchanan and Grover Cleveland, albeit Cleveland married while in office). Buchanan never married and some suspect (on less than convincing evidence, IMHO) that America already has had a gay (or at least bisexual) President. > [@](#): > > I think it’s a harder call whether an atheist could be elected. A lot of it would depend on that person’s political background and record. It seems to me I saw a survey once or twice that atheists had one of the lowest rankings in polls about ‘suitable’ presidential candidates (who the polled would vote for). Record or no, it would be a tough sell in what is still a ‘religious’ country (give it 30 years…since that is when I expected we would elect a black president). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-us-could-an-agnostic-atheist-and-or-gay-become-president/777875.md?page=2)