Is Bernie Sanders an atheist?

[Yoder777]

Jimmy Kimmel says "A moment ago you said God forbid, you say you're culturally Jewish, do you believe in God? Bernie instantly says, "No" while Jimmy is mid sentence
Jimmy goes on to ask: And do you think that's important to the people of the United States?
Bernie Sanders replies: Well I am what I am, and what I believe in, what my spirituality is about, is that we're all in this together. I think it's not a good thing to believe that as human beings we can turn our backs on the suffering of other people.
http://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/Bernie_Sanders

I'd rather have a president who governs like Jesus would than one who merely pays lip service to him.

 

[Chris B]

I found video
http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/1.682069
I can't be at all sure of that vocalisation as "no". It looks more like a small "yeh" to me, acknowledging the question that coming. .
Having said that his focus is clearly first on being a humanist, whatever his technical theological beliefs might be.
But his answers to "what, as human beings, should we be doing?" appear to have definite overlap with the answers I'd expect from many Christians.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Maybe. He doesn't really make it a point of his platform either way so it doesn't seem to matter.

 

[Willtor]

A lot of the public obsesses over whether a candidate is a Christian. IMO, we Christians would do much better to ask ourselves whether we are Christians. It is not so important whether we manage to get "our people" into positions of authority but whether we use the tools that we have (such as the right to vote) to love our neighbors as ourselves. Taking shortcuts like asking who decorates his or her speech with Christian vernacular can only lead to corruption, and concerning ourselves with getting "our people" into office will almost certainly work against us and the people toward whom we have a responsibility.

"But atheists/Muslims/whomever will make gains!"

Who cares? Are you worried about your own diminished influence? Is your power really so much more important than the well-being of the poor and the oppressed ("the widow and the orphan")? Instead, why not be a Christian and let God worry about whether a Christian is in power? Besides, I can guarantee higher quality Christian candidates if people stop voting for ostensibly Christian personalities.

Whatever Bernie's religious beliefs, he certainly advocates a lot of policies and points of view (and has a history of supporting such things) that demonstrate compassion for the people who have gotten (and are getting) the short end of the stick. Just food for thought.

 

[fargonic]

I'd rather have a president who governs like Jesus would than one who merely pays lip service to him.

Yup!

 

[nightflight]

I'd rather have a president who governs like Jesus would than one who merely pays lip service to him.

Would Jesus dismiss poor whites?

 

[Willtor]

Would Jesus dismiss poor whites?

No.

I presume you have a clip of Bernie Sanders doing this?

 

[pshun2404]

I'd rather have a president who governs like Jesus would than one who merely pays lip service to him.

Read Matthew 25 and when you vote remember Jesus is not running...but of who is, who is acting like Jesus in how they treat us and our neighbors? The two they choose for you to pick from are all deceitful liars ready to get in and play the existing games...

I believe Bernie (faith or not) is more Christian acting and intending than either Trump, Rubio, or Clinton....besides I am weary of the two party system...I want to some "people" politicians not "party" politicians...

 

[revanneosl]

Would Jesus dismiss poor whites?

No.

I presume you have a clip of Bernie Sanders doing this?

He does. Bernie was rather inelegant in eliding the distinction between race & class in the last debate. Not that those issues are something nightflight actually cares about, mind you. He just wants to take a dig.

 

[nightflight]

No.

I presume you have a clip of Bernie Sanders doing this?

Yes.

 

[nightflight]

He does. Bernie was rather inelegant in eliding the distinction between race & class in the last debate. Not that those issues are something nightflight actually cares about, mind you. He just wants to take a dig.

No, he was pandering, as progressives are apt to do.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

No, he was pandering, as progressives are apt to do.

As candidates are apt to do during an election.

Or did you forget winning votes is how the game is played?

 

[Thunder Peel]

Bernie Sanders replies: Well I am what I am, and what I believe in, what my spirituality is about, is that we're all in this together. I think it's not a good thing to believe that as human beings we can turn our backs on the suffering of other people.

So he'd just prefer to pass the suffering on to everyone else. Misery loves company.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

So he'd just prefer to pass the suffering on to everyone else. Misery loves company.

The idea is that we are all in this together. I know... crazy right? A community that works together... What a concept!

 

[nightflight]

As candidates are apt to do during an election.

Or did you forget winning votes is how the game is played?

Was he pandering or did he misspeak? Or was he taken out of context?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Jimmy Kimmel says "A moment ago you said God forbid, you say you're culturally Jewish, do you believe in God? Bernie instantly says, "No" while Jimmy is mid sentence
Jimmy goes on to ask: And do you think that's important to the people of the United States?
Bernie Sanders replies: Well I am what I am, and what I believe in, what my spirituality is about, is that we're all in this together. I think it's not a good thing to believe that as human beings we can turn our backs on the suffering of other people.

I’m surprised that people are not jumping on this.

 

[Thunder Peel]

The idea is that we are all in this together. I know... crazy right? A community that works together... What a concept!

Making other people poor and miserable in order to make the poor and miserable feel better about their plight isn't a viable economic solution.

 

[Chris B]

Bernie Sanders replies: Well I am what I am, and what I believe in, what my spirituality is about, is that we're all in this together. I think it's not a good thing to believe that as human beings we can turn our backs on the suffering of other people.

I’m surprised that people are not jumping on this.

It was good enough for Popeye.

 

[Chris B]

So he'd just prefer to pass the suffering on to everyone else. Misery loves company.

Does it hurt so much to alleviate a little bit of someone's suffering that it ends up with the total of misery being preserved?

From observation I'd say Spider Robinson has a better understanding
"Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased—thus do we refute entropy."
(Callahan's Crosstime Saloon)

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Making other people poor and miserable in order to make the poor and miserable feel better about their plight isn't a viable economic solution.

Having poor, miserable, unhealthy people is okay as long as some get theirs, doesn't sound like a morally justified position. It also doesn't seem to be economically viable either. Well, except for those few who got theirs....