Attitudes toward Muslims and Athiests

I love Kevin Drum's blog. Here's an clip. Full bog found here. http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/ MUSLIMS AND ATHEISTS....Eugene Volokh takes a look at a couple of different polls regarding attitudes toward the religious views of political candidates: [In 2003], 49% said the candidate's being a Muslim would make it less likely that they'd vote for him, though presumably for some respondents, there would remain some possibility that they'd vote for the Muslim candidate. Yet in 1999, only 26% of respondents said they'd consider voting "for a political candidate who doesn't believe in God" (even without any reference to the possibly emotionally laden term "atheist"), and 69% apparently wouldn't even consider such a possibility. On the other hand, half the country voted for Richard Nixon on the thin pretense that he was still a Quaker, so it's not as if you have to betray your own principles all that much to get elected president. At any rate, I guess the atheists can adopt this as their new motto: "Now only 50% more hated than Muslims!" Progress marches on.

I work at the House of Representatives, and we get this little handbook with all the members' biographical info. I went through the whole thing, looking at people's religions. Out of 435, 3 didn't list a religion. (Of course none listed atheist/agnostic.) (And forgive me, I don't remember which three right now.)