Did the rise of overt Atheism have to do with the hatred of President Bush?

Question

I am in my 50's, and never have seen personal hatred of a President like there was for President Bush. Many people disagreed with Reagan, and people disliked Clinton's ethics, and were against Johnson's policies and the War in Vietnam. But it was never the deep, personal hatred we just saw.
There was a rise in Atheism during the time of Bush's presidency - overt and direct.
Was this a driving force in the PERSONAL type of hatred we saw? Not just criticism and disagreement about policies, but hatred of the man personally, and the ability to thereby go to a level of disrespect and things such as name-calling and deep hatred not before seen.

Are these things related?

Answer 1

I would attribute it more to the rise of the internet and 24 hour reporting.



It has a lot to do with the fact that people believe his administration was deliberately dishonest and circumvented the constitution when it was convenient for them.

Answer 2

The strong feelings against George Bush may be a bit misdirected, for it will eventually become widely known just how much power Cheney wielded behind the scenes, and how much influence he bore upon Bush and the way in which he (Bush) processed information and made decisions.

It is well-reported that Reagan was criticized for being "hands-off" in the way he delegated many of his duties as President. True, he had a broad view as to what he wanted, but the details to which these policies were to be implemented was left to others in Reagan's Cabinet. It may be that Bush exceeded this "leadership" method to an unhealthy limit, defaulting much of his power as President to then Vice-President Cheney, or even, allowing the VP to dictate what his policies should be.

As for your assertion that there has been an increase in atheism, you may be referring to the fact that the religious right was given enormous press and dominance the last 8 years for political maneuvering. Many people have soured on what many feel is an oppressive push in dictating morality among other aspects.

This, I would say, is probably closer to the truth rather than any increase in atheism, for how would anyone be able to quantify this statement?

Answer 3

It's more people listening primarily to the media and believing that uncontrollable events should be blamed on Bush. 9/11, Katrina, economy, and more. No president was prepared for a hurricane like Katrina or for a terrorist attack like 9/11. The economy was NOT caused by the president. In fact, Bush vetoed the bill that made banks go for sub-prime mortgages, which is one of the main causes of the economic crisis.



Overall, people have failed to even acknowledge the good things Bush has accomplished. He's not just 80% approval rating in Africa for nothing. His administration has started the movement to help Darfur, and Bush has routinely visited Africa.



I guess people really are mainly influenced by the media.

Answer 4

I think not. Although, may I ask your source for your conclusion that there was an actual rise in the number of atheists. I am being cautious mainly because most people will equate agnosticism with atheism--the two are very different. I'd say people nowadays try to balance a sense of belief in some higher power (not necessarily the Abrahamic God, but some form of "higher order" that is beyond our mere human abilities)and the modern views concerning science, morality and so on. Agnostics nowadays use views from both sides. Atheists, in my perception, are not really atheists if they still retain some sense of belief in a "higher power".

Answer 5

important question and fact! i think of it rather is terrible how many human beings hate, and voice their hatred in the direction of the President. while "rational" thinking are available in to play, shall we in all probability have a great number of great solutions, yet that's no longer the case with those human beings. How interior the international can President Bush be in charge for each little thing? How can everybody? some issues are tragedies that ensue because of the fact of existence, circumstances, mom Nature, etc. there isn't any reason to place blame, yet each and every reason for everybody conceivable to leap in and be of a help. Being of a help does no longer mean spreading hatred! a megastar for you!

Answer 6

This must be another one of those perspective things, because from my point of view there was more personal hatred directed at Clinton than at Bush and Obama is getting even more, at least from certain quarters.



Atheism has been rising worldwide for years. I really doubt that Bush has anything to do with it.

Answer 7

The leftists can not further their agenda to a communist nation without discrediting Christianity. This presidential election is proof that the demcoratic party is not only anti-religion but votes exactly as the communist party told them to. Proof: http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-acer&p=obama%20communist%20support&type=



Democrats hate a free America and their dream for a third world communist nation has been going on for quite some time. The democratic party has passed 90% of the communist party goals as entered into the Congressional Record in 1958. Proof: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1561529/posts Communists/democrats are anti-religion and have been pushing this agenda since the 50's (see communsit goals 27 & 28).



Just review all the 45 communist goals and you can see how many the democrats have enacted into law. Basically you can not turn a nation into a 3rd world nation without ridding society of religion.



Again, the left choose an individual with an islamic background, a very racist view of America and one who choose a communist mentor as he grew up. The only way that Chairman Obama will be able to pursue his mentors teaching is to first get rid of the 1st Amendment just like every communist and dictator (also the Nazi's) has done in recent history and legistrate the oposition's voice, the democrats will enact the "Fairness Doctrine". Next they will need to get rid of the 2nd Amendment to get guns out of the hands of lawful citizens; China, Cuba, Nazi Germany, USSR to name a few did this.



As Karl Marx said "Religion is the opiate of the masses" and the democrats know that they need to turn us into a nation of atheists to enact their "change".

Answer 8

I do not hate him. I may not agree with him or things he has done, but no hate. Hate is more destructive to the hater than the one they blame their hate on and I would not waste such energy on someone else.



My becoming an atheist came from my personal research, study and realizations. Nothing to do with Bush.



And I honestly don't see how you can say Reagan was disliked but that the level of disrespect was not to the extent of Bush. Reagan was almost assassinated! That's far worse than name calling (or flying shoes).

Answer 9

I too am in my fifties, and the contempt for presidents appears to be driven strictly by their disregard for the rule of law. Since Bush's contempt apparently ran deeper than others', he reaps the most contempt. Consider, Nixon only raided DNC headquarters, Bush was wiretapping everyone. Other presidents had their enemies, but they avoided overtly subverting the U.S. Constitution.



There is also the matter of competence. Much can be forgiven of a chief executive who manages to produce some sort of progress that people can feel. A look at our foreign, economic, social and environmental status reveals the spectacular failure of the Bush presidency.



As for atheism, I doubt it is relevant, but I am certain atheism does not drive contempt for government institutions. More likely the betrayal of the institutions by their officeholders drives people to lose faith in other things as well.

Answer 10

Not really. Many deeply religious people dislike the former president and his administration. Whether or not people agree that his administration was responsible, he is blamed for the War in Iraq, the bad economy, Hurricane Katrina, an erosion of civil liberties, and a myriad of other ills that have beset the nation in the last eight years. He's not exactly going to be popular after a list like that.

Answer 11

I doubt President Bush caused more atheists, but his rhetoric, and the strongly Christian push of many other republicans has probably been a major cause in getting atheists to come out, and speak up.



He has done severe damage to the constitution and the balance of power, among the three branches of government. I can't just blame him, because congress allowed him to get away with it. They actually hold, at least, as much blame as he does.



I don't hate Bush, personally, but I do feel strongly angered by many things he's said, and done.

Answer 12

Yes, people hate all things decent and desire evil. It is for this reason that if Christians are to survive and live in a free nation, they must act now to have a peaceful seccession from the Union. In so doing they will insure prosperity for they and their posterity. If we do not, then we will damn our children and grandchildren to a life where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not known and in so doing very probably damn them to an eternal Hell. Inaction is not an acceptable answer. Read Josep Farrah.

Answer 13

No relationship between the two. Plenty of believers hate him too. And, shockingly, some atheists are Republican. Gasp! (Did you really think all atheists are liberals?)



And, by the way, it's okay to hate someone. This nonsense about hatred being something completely shameful is just that: nonsense.



~Atheist, ex-fundie-Xian, former New Ager

Answer 14

To me it is a sign of the times.

we are approaching the end days people will seek people that say what their itching ears want to hear!

already Obama has lied campaign promises are not going to be met,and the lie about Biden and Vp vrs Sec of State he is in office one day and is calling for us to have integrity! give me a break! Bush will look like a man of integrity soon! He was you know! Obama has lied about his beliefs about his convictions now its time to face the critics! Amazing to me that when Bush was Inaugurated and cost was 40 million people(the press)was all over him....160 million spent this time not a word spoken! Interesting look out folks!

Answer 15

Nope. Bush had nothing to do with this. You might not have seen the slow rise of Atheism before 8 years ago, but it was already there.

Answer 16

Your premise is faulty. I too am 50 and I had never witnessed the vitriol which was directed at Pres. Clinton, his wife and his administration.



Personally, I lay the blame at the feet of the late Lee Atwater, Bush the 1sts campaign manager and to those who allowed him to be appointed Republican National Committee chairman. That was when the nature of public discourse changed.

Answer 17

No they are not related. The problem with the Bush Presidency is that he totally IGNORED everything but his "war on terror". In other words what else did he do/accomplish? Record deficits, failure to find WMD due to reliance of faulty intel, the economy in ruins, record unemployment, recession, etc. All failures of Bush to recognize that there are other things beyond Iraq that are his responsibility. PEACE!

Answer 18

Both Bin Laden and Bush made it more urgent to speak out about the atheism... to show that it's not just fundamentalist christianity or islam that's on the menu.

Answer 19

No there is more logic to be an atheist than just hating someone. Similarly, I will not correlate a rise in Christian hate with that of president Obama.

Answer 20

You seem to have selective memory. Remember all the dirty tricks Republicans played on Pres. Clinton from his first day in office?



But I digress. I don't know if Bush inspired more and more folks to become atheists, but he undoubtedly drove a good many people from Christianity, given his nonsense such as "God wants me to be president of the United States" and his phony baloney war.

Answer 21

Is there actually a rise in Atheism or are more people merely coming out of the closet?



BTW: I can't answer this question.

Answer 22

I think that there have always been large numbers of Atheists. I think that perhaps because of Bush's personal religious beliefs, which did not reflect those of the vast majority of the nation, those who felt that they were not being represented ( atheists in this instance) felt that they had to speak out.



I disliked Bush with a great intensity not because of his religious preferences, but because of his criminal acts.

Answer 23

Nope, I actually liked Bush until he started lying, letting his buddies empty the treasury, and selling America's future to the Saudis, and that was before 9-11.



Actually if you do the research you will find that Abe Lincoln was hated even more than Bush while he was alive, it wasn't until his assassination that he became the icon that he is today.

Answer 24

I don't think so.



But I do agree with your observations about the Bush presidency. I am among *many* people I know who have a deep hatred of that man, his policies, his greed, and resentment about the state in which he left our country...

Answer 25

Atheism has always been around, but only in recent decades has it been deemed socially acceptable to be open about it. So there is not really a "rise" in atheism.



But yes, Bush was an ***. No, it has no connection with atheism.

Answer 26

In the midst of your rant, you neglected to say how you got the idea that "there was a rise in atheism" during Shrub's presidency...

Answer 27

Yes, I became an atheist during the Bush administration mostly due to the overt hypocrisy of Christianity.

Answer 28

I'd like to see the statistics that support your claim that atheism is more prevalent than it was before the Bush administration.

Answer 29

Nope. It had to do with the fact people were willing to publicly say Bush was an idiot and fouled up this country, trampled the rights of many and was overall disliked.

Answer 30

there hasnt been a rise in atheism...it's not like it's contagious.

hell, our founding fathers were atheists...dont believe me?look it up!





bush got us into an endless, pointless war and all we have to show for it is nearly 5000 dead american soldiers. with NO END in site





that's my guess as to why he's hated...

Answer 31

It had to do with the fact that he was an embarrassment to our country. He is an unintelligent, bumbling fool and as President, he represented America as such. He only became President because daddy paved the way for him. Disgusting.

Answer 32

No, atheism had nothing to do with the hatred of Bush; the sheer stupidity of the man and corruption of his presidency in general did that. You do realise Bush was detested worldwide, right?



Bush is, quite simply, an idiot. A moron. A buffoon. He is detested because of his blatant idiocy and the horrific handling of international politics under his watch.

Answer 33

No, I think we can give the internet credit for people being able to (anonymously) say whatever they are really thinking. That's why we hear so much more, and often so much worse, now.

Answer 34

No, I like Clinton, but I was atheist before Bush.

Answer 35

No. People made fun of Bush a lot. I've never seen open hating though.

Answer 36

No, Bush's innate stupidity had to do with the hatred of President Bush.





EDIT: You damn right it's a good justification to hate somebody if they are the freaking PRESIDENT of the country. In order to be commander in chief you need to show at least a tiny speck of competence.

Answer 37

Think it had to do with the rise of science.

Answer 38

I actually never paid attention to politics until long after I became an atheist.

Answer 39

it's possible...or maybe since gays of the new generation are being more open atheists are doing the same as well.

Answer 40

Not at all.



But I will say that the Republican Party's being hijacked by the Christian Right has caused me to become more outspoken about my own atheism, and about the need to get back to our government's secular roots.

Answer 41

No. The man is responsible for literally hundreds of thousands of deaths of innocent people in Iraq, all for some made up excuse.

Answer 42

Sort of interesting but F*ck no.

Answer 43

The more obvious the harm caused by religion, the more people are willing to speak up against it.

Answer 44

No, it had to do with bush's incompetence.

Answer 45

More like the rise of gay.

Answer 46

No. It has to do with honesty. Honesty has nothing to do with Bush.