trillian

I don't see any problem voting in a church....just a building to me. I WOULD think that the church might have some issues given that "church decorum" does not apply to the voting public.

I might go in with a T-shirt that says "Happiness is... smashing little children against rocks Ps. 137:9".
I might just have to ask the volunteers lots of questions and take a really long time to make up my little voter mind.

4th Generation Atheist

I think I'd rather vote in a church that was easy for me to get to, than go way out of my way to get to a polling place at a school.

Of course, I'd be offended if the church in question took the opportunity to post a bunch of crap on its bulletin boards aimed at getting visiting voters to agree with some fundie political cause (pro-life, anti-gambling, whatever). Should something like that happen, I think it's appropriate for secularists to try to raise a stink about it. But if most posters are "neutral"---announcing their little meetings or bake sales or weddings or the like---and the church members aren't hanging around in that capacity starting discussions during voting time, I don't really mind. All other things being equal, I'd prefer the school, but all other things are rarely equal.

MzNeko

Hmmmm... I've got a t-shirt that I'm fond of - this one. I never thought about wearing it to go vote before... that could be fun.

copernicus

I like that idea. It kind of describes the entire Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights--"civil libertarianism run amok".

Toto

t-shirt with quote "The Church Says the Earth is Flat. But I know that it is round. For I have seen the Shadow On the Moon. And I have more Faith in a Shadow than in the Church."

I hate to be a wet blanket, but that quote is bogus IMHO. It somes from a speech by Robert Ingersoll, and in context I think that Ingersoll was using hyperbole and sarcasm. Magellen never said it, never dissed the church like that (although he might have thought it.) The church never told him that the earth was flat or that he would sail off the edge.

I respect Cliff Walker of Positive Atheism, but I have disagreed with him on this. He thinks the quote is valid. But it doesn't fit the known history of Magellan's era.

MzNeko

That's as may be, but it doesn't really matter to me who said it. The name could be left off for all I care. I like the sentiment expressed. It sort of sums up how I feel about all sorts of silly things "the church" has said at one time or another.

Besides, it's fun to watch people's reactions when I wear it.

capsaicin67

I posted a thread about this very thing last election. I agree that it is problematic. I voted at a church and the polling stations/stalls faced a truly gigantic religious mural with some text that said something about god that I've repressed.

1)It validates the notion that govt is dependent on churches and that churches are vital/essential to the basic functioning of our govt and communities.

2)It is an implicit endorsement of religion by association, IMO.

3)It forces voters to utilize a religious structure and be exposed to prosletyzation.

4)Many religious groups in the US are very much involved in trying to influence legislation and govt currently.

Those were my beefs.