Glenn Beck’s Website Has a Q&A with Todd Stiefel

Glenn Beck‘s website, The Blaze, just did an “Ask An Atheist” series with atheist philanthropist Todd Stiefel. Their readers had questions and Todd answered them — the first installment is now up on the site. And they’re promoting it like no one has ever done anything like this before:

(A couple of months ago, they ran a fairly positive article about him, too.)

A quick excerpt (emphasis theirs):

… Another reader asked, “How do atheists justify their use of taxpayer dollars (through litigation and court costs) to try and force upon a predominately Christian people their unbelief?”

“The author of this questions seems to be confusing religious right tactics with atheist ones. In what way are atheists trying to force our unbelief on people? Trying to stop the religious right from using the government as a tool to promote religion is not the same as using the government to try to promote unbelief. We do not want the government promoting religion or atheism; we want the government to be neutral on the issue.

When we try to stop to the government from telling us how, when, where and what to pray, such as on the National Day of Prayer, that does not promote atheism, it simply opposes government intrusion into religion. Promoting atheism would be us asking the government to issue proclamations telling people not to pray. If the government were to issue such a proclamation, I would be right there with you fighting against it.”

If you want to stay sane, I suggest staying away from the comments there…

Christopher Child

I courted insanity and read the comments… Oh man am I pissed (and somewhat insane) now. America, land of the willfully ignorant.
Gus Snarp

I won’t even follow a link to that site, let alone read the comments.
Mike de Fleuriot

I did not listen to the warning, I went and read the comments. What is wrong with you Americans, seriously?
Mike de Fleuriot

God, that is true. But the worse is this country put a freaking human on the moon, like seventeen times or so.
Jeff P

Please note that the opinions shown on the Glen Beck website are highly self-selected and only represent a thin sliver of American thought. Not all Americans think like that. Granted, too many do, but not all.
Mike de Fleuriot

As I waiting for it to load, I realised that there is a different between atheist websites and theistic sites. The theistic site load slower and seem to have more bells and whistles, I guess that is because they have nothing else to offer.
Flipadelphia

I just read some comments, and they are surprisingly not what I expected at all: “I like his tone. For once there was no shrill yelling. I understand his opinion but simply disagree.” “My sentiments exactly. Other peoples beliefs, or non-beliefs, do not affect my view of
salvation, nor does it mean we can’t be friends. I t does not make them
an ignorant individuals whose views I cannot listen to. I may believe differently, but we can all get along as long as there is civility.”
The first few are at least tolerant of other viewpoints! That’s something!
Marco Conti

I read the comments. I wish I didn’t.
noyourgod

My favorites are the folks who say that if they did not believe in their god, they’d have no disincentive to enslave, murder, etc. What kind of moral fiber can they possibly have if the only reason they do not do evil is that they are afraid a “magical sky monkey… will give them a metaphysical smack-down”?
The Other Weirdo

That’s the whole point. They don’t have any. Trouble is, they don’t realize it.
The Other Weirdo

But they were then overwhelmed by the standard snarling and spitting and foaming at the mouth responses.
The Other Weirdo

Sometimes I think Glenn Beck is just a big giant(and possibly the most successful) poe, whose only raison d’etre is to bring all these freaks out into the open where they can seen, and laughed at, and mocked.
Fozzy

Seems to me that didn’t work in Germany…
Annie

My favorite comment?

“Atheists are cowards in a most spectacular way. Especially so when hiding behind a pseudonym post name.” Posted by” Buzzardsays”.
Guest2313

I read some comments here, the curiosity is starting to get to me….
Marco Conti

Evidently we put the wrong people on the moon.
John Purcell

You wanna see freaks at a possible poe site, check out the comments on WND. Those people are well suited for padded rooms, glass cages, and circus barkers.
Keulan

I’m still surprised to see Glenn Beck’s website running such fairly positive articles about an atheist. Since when have right wingnuts like Beck been even remotely tolerant of atheists?