(Audio) Congressman not sure if God exists, reactions to rare announcement; Humboldt’s last week of news


In the latest episode of Humboldt Last Week (8:14): The Congressman that represents us at the federal level made national headlines because he decided to publicly say he’s not sure if there’s a God. The Washington Post found experts on religious identity in Congress saying Jared Huffman is only the second member in contemporary records to go on record saying his ethical system is not based on God.

The 53-year old who grew up in a religious home and has repped the North Coast since 2013 says he is a Humanist; He thinks people have a responsibility to be good but he isn’t so sure about the supernatural stuff. “I’m not pushing my views on anyone and I’m not judging anyone else’s religious choice,” reads the start of his statement. “I value my working relationships and friendships with people of faith, the interfaith community, spiritual seekers and all sorts of secular, non-religious people. I think we should all work together to make the world a better place…”

In the podcast a local pastor and two local politicians share different perspectives. Matt Messner, a Senior Pastor at the Faith Center in Eureka, shares a diplomatic response. Humboldt County Supervisor Rex Bohn leans on the skeptical side. And Arcata City Council Member and Vice Mayor Sofia Pereira explains her support.

Also included are statistics on belief in God, stats on non-theist views in politics, local reactions on social media, and more.

The story begins at 8:14.

Do you think our politicians need to believe in God in order to be effective? Poll below.

Also covered

Those “killer” robbers in SWAT-style gear, potentially sick sea lions, NFL-bound HSU student Alex Cappa is smart, a defendant turns on another in the Manila murder case, statue perspective, fresh-cut karma for local thieves, and other top stories from last week.

Humboldt Last Week is a way to hear highlights from Humboldt’s last week a news. It’s available on iTunes, SoundCloud, top podcast platforms, and at kymkemp.com.

Jared Huffman, public domain photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do our politicians need to believe in God in order to be effective?

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Bronco
Guest
Bronco
6 years ago

Even in a reasonably progressive district, that’s still a rare and bold move. I can only think of two other congress members who are/were pretty clearly not religious.

In HumCo I expect reactions to this announcement are likely mixed as, judging by all the “thoughts and prayers” that get “sent” whenever there is tragic news, we have a lot of decidedly avid religious folks.

Earl B
Guest
Earl B
6 years ago

No wonder he’s been so productive, he hasn’t been wasting his Sundays on BS.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Earl B

HAHAHAHAHAHA

HOGRANCH
Guest
HOGRANCH
6 years ago

SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A PRODUCTIVE POLITICAN,? CK OUT A RANT BY JOE LIGOTTI ON CONGRESS, SAVAGE BUT O SO TRUE. YOU TUBE.

Earl B
Guest
Earl B
6 years ago
Reply to  HOGRANCH

Productive by comparison LOL

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago
Reply to  HOGRANCH

More incomprehesable, all-caps gibberish from Hogranch.

HOGRANCH
Guest
HOGRANCH
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

IM VERY SORRY THAT YOU FIND MY CAPS OFFENSIVE, BUT THERE A COUPLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO, QUIT SNIVELING OR WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN ABOUT MY CAPS, IF I HAVE OFFENDED YOU.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

Nobody cares what your religion is or isn’t. They only care if you broke or kept your Oath to obey the Constitution which restricts the Government(s) and that you acknowledge that the Bill of Rights is the Sentinel for the people’s understanding what individual Rights are.
Failed on both accounts.
But let’s do the “religious” war thing, uhhuh.

Earl B
Guest
Earl B
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

👎🏽

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

Actually Shak, I would bet money that far more people in this country care about silly religious views than they know or care about anything written in our constitution. Since you appear so well versed in the subject, have you ever heard of the elastic clause? It was anticipated for and allowed by our founding fathers a flowing interpretation as the world around the constitution changes. We have made many many advancements from the time it was written so to not evolve the language along with scientific facts about the world as we learn them would be rather foolish.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

FC, what you are parroting comes from the throne of those who are intent upon destroying the Constitution.
Think!
Elastic is not an endless flowing substance. It is a container that provides a little bit of room for necessary bloat.
The elastic clause refers to the necessary bloat for carrying out the defined and delegated duties. It provides a small area of expansion for the building of ports needed for the defined duty of commerce, post offices for the delegated duty of communication, forts and ammo dumps for the defined and delegated duties of security against foes, offices for the necessary paperwork bloat, etc.
The Constitution is a contract, not a diary journal. The states created the Constitution, in order to form a government to oversee all foreign matters and the necessary bloats connected to those matters.
The constitution is not a diary journal that can sway with the tide. It is a contract.
The constitution relies on the moral goodness of all mankind, not on ever changing science and the manipulation thereof.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

Man you need to calm down from the paranoia. If you honestly think that this man’s moral belief system makes him unfit for his job please provide some real life facts. This breaking of an oath thing is grasping at straws. If you think that is the most egregious attribute about any of our elected officials you really need to pull your head out of the sand. I think you are blinded by your political beliefs and can’t just judge situations independently and with a neutral unbiased point of view.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

FC, you are saying that the breaking of an oath, of lying under oath, and deception the people for personal profit, is completely acceptable?

It takes a moral people to uphold the Constitution & to hold their officials accountable.
Morals- ”
“a person’s standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do:
“the corruption of public morals” · “they believe addicts have no morals and cannot be trusted”

Addiction to power, greed, deception, hate, is addiction to emotional drugs.

I’m not the one who’s paranoid here. I couldn’t care less if I tried, about his beliefs. What I do care about is integrity, honesty, and the multitude of principles that make up a good and moral man of any belief.

Why do you defend deception and greed?

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago

He’s an alien,here to save you from your false idol

picchu
Guest
6 years ago

We live in the most religiously FREE country on earth. The First Amendment protects everyone’s right to believe as they chose OR to not believe at all. Freedom of religion also includes freedom FROM religion. Eschewing religious dogma is as much a right as embracing it. When politicians are free to assert their true beliefs, as Huffman did, without fear of bigotry, prejudice and the lies spread about non believers, then this country will truly be free.

It was only a short time ago historically speaking that religionists burned non believers at the stake or otherwise persecuted, tortured and killed them.

Kudos to Senator Huffman for his honesty and courage. He has my vote.

grabemBythe
Guest
grabemBythe
6 years ago
Reply to  picchu

Exactly. For a country founded on such an amazing and wonderful Constitution, it seems like many so called ‘patriots’ and ‘people of God’ have forgotten-or perhaps they just never learned- just what this country stands for, and WHY it was founded in the first place. Hint: NOT religion.
If Huffman chooses to believe this way, why should you care whether or not he is part of one of your ‘magical beings in the sky’ beliefs? Are your beliefs that weak?
The Senator has more guts in his pinkie than much of the rest of Washington DC combined.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago
Reply to  picchu

Still happening every day. Myanmar BUDDHISTS (for Christ’s sake!?!) are expelling Muslims, Sunni Muslims routinely blow up Shia Muslims, Hindus vs. Muslims vs. Christians in India, check out our president and Charlottesvile, Christian zealot Judge Roy Moore doesn’t want Muslim Keith Ellison seated in Congress, on and on.

God bless Jared Huffman. If we can’t break the stranglehold of religious extremism and fanaticism on our society, we’re doomed.

GOD
Guest
GOD
6 years ago

“God bless jarod Hoffman..”

..Wait a minute …

!??!

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  picchu

It means what it says, freedom of religion. The only “from religion” part is the part that restricts the governments from establishing any religion, including Scientology.
1st amendment: Congress shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, OR prohibiting the free exercise thereof; OR abridging the freedom of speech, OR of the press; OR the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

In short, it means, back off Congress.

Conservative Stupidity
Guest
Conservative Stupidity
6 years ago

The Invisible Sky Being ain’t gonna like this.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago

Yeah, the Sky God, Jeff Sessions III, Roy Moore, they’re hoppin’ mad.

HumLuv
Guest
HumLuv
6 years ago

Thank you HLW for highlighting this story in a balanced and thoughtful way. I think Huffman’s choice to share his non-secular views was commendable, especially when so many people are quick to criticize others for not seeing the world as they do.

Rudoph's Mom
Guest
Rudoph's Mom
6 years ago

I commend him. Even better if he had said religion is a bunch of primitive superstition, but, OK.

Kirsten
Guest
Kirsten
6 years ago

Did he “say publicly that he’s not sure if there’s a God” as your article implies or did he just say and emphasize he’s a humanist. If he did say the first, I’m sure the emphasis does not lie there. As with many of us a religion is not what gives us our moral imperative. We can be morally aware and care about humans and the environment by being…human!

GHB
Guest
GHB
6 years ago

Not even religious but I liked the Pastors comments. Love it when people take the high road

Lostcoast and found
Guest
Lostcoast and found
6 years ago

Like a tree with many branches God is one . I thank God (this 🌲)
that Jarred Huffman is a humanitarian because Trump is humanitarian crisis so Mr. Huffman please use this wise knowledge to help save gods people and God bless you.🇺🇸⛪️🔔👩‍🌾👨🏻‍🌾👩🏿‍🌾👨🏽‍🌾🙏🙏🏾🙏🏿✌️✌🏾✌🏿😇

Lisa
Guest
Lisa
6 years ago

Thank you Congressman Huffman for saying your truth. I’m grateful you tell the truth and don’t lie like most do. I dont think any less of you and I am still glad I voted for you.

Pam
Guest
Pam
6 years ago

Sofia Pereira is awesome!

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

Austin Pederson, who ran for President and is now running for senate, is an agnostic. He’s up front about it. His personal gain is integrity. He is principled. He is not deceptive about this particular issue.
There is no litmus test. The Founding Fathers cringed at the thought. It is not “religion” they seek to uphold, it is principles they value.
Principles do not tread on others. Principles do not create an us against them war.
Principles do not use deception for personal gain.

HigherPower
Guest
HigherPower
6 years ago

Even MOTHER THERESA- who was Sainted in the end and whose faith and charity are well documented and acknowledged – had moments of doubt .

It is important to note that our God connection is a mystery. And it is fluid and evolving over the course of our lives.. I find it comforting to know that a soul as devoted as she was to her faith still faultered and suffered faithlessness…

http://time.com/4126238/mother-teresas-crisis-of-faith/

Johm
Guest
Johm
6 years ago

Anyone who understand the historical context of humanism should know that it inherited values and displaced the central idea of god as the basis of those values. Deconstructionist philosophy however displaced humanism and reveals that values are free floating and grounded in nothing but evolutionary wiring. That means that murder may be illegal but whether or not it is right or wrong doesn’t matter. In other words, a humanist politician has no rational basis for equality and social justice. He can say let’s do what we feel is right. Compare that to a religious leader such as mlk JR. Who based the idea of equality rationally in that we are “created” equal. Have some respect for religion and philosophy. Great atheist thinkers such as Nietzsche revealed the contradictions of humanism.