For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers.
~President Barack H. Obama, January 20, 2009
Thank you, President Obama, for acknowledging the non-believers. From USA Today.
On a morning of countless firsts in U.S. history, add this: Barack Obama's inaugural speech is the first time a president has ever explicitly acknowledged not only "Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus" but non-believers as well.
Watching the inauguration speech with some of my friends, his words really struck home. I was watching with an Evangelical Christian, a Jew and an Atheist. Myself? I am not quite sure where I am in the religious mix. It is something I grapple with constantly.
But this I know, we truly are a nation of many religions, beliefs and a variety of faiths. What we tend to forget is just how many of us are non-believers. For some quick numbers check out this link. In my home state of New Mexico, 40% of us claim to be Catholics while the next number, 18%, claim to be non-believers.
Inclusion of the non-believer in an inaugural speech is historic; but it is also long over due.
Our Bill of Rights has granted us Freedom of Religion. What we tend to forget is that it also grants us Freedom from Religion.