Atheists Reject 'Transhumanist' Presidential Candidate's Call for Non-Theists' Right to Skip Airport Security

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Friday, June 12, 2015

A Los Angeles Fire Department Paramedic truck drives past a United Airlines plane from New York's JFK airport, that was diverted to a remote gate after landing at LAX, after a passenger on the flight exhibited flu-like symptoms, in Los Angeles, California, October 12, 2014. The passenger was later determined not be an Ebola threat after it was learned the passenger had been in South Africa, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman. | (Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Alcorn)

Atheist groups have denounced a recently published column by Transhumanist Party presidential hopeful Zoltan Istvan calling for atheists to be granted right to skip airport security.

Istvan, a futurist and author who's running for president on a third-party ticket, is calling for atheists to be exempted from airport security.

"In my six flights in the last month, I never managed to get through any security check in less than 40 minutes," wrote Istvan.

"Naturally, I wondered if it really had to be this way. Yet, when I looked around me in the security check lines, I found my answer."

Istvan noted how he was around various religious individuals, including Sikhs, Muslims, and Catholics, and argued that as an atheist he's a low risk passenger.

"Since religion and terrorism are statistically connected, perhaps we should leave the two to themselves to work out their qualms," continued Istvan.

"But for atheists like myself, to wait in dreaded airport security check lines for about five hours in the last month, is unacceptable."

Other atheists, however, are not supporting Istvan's proposal. Nick Fish, national program director with American Atheists, told The Christian Post that Istvan's idea was a "non-starter."

"American Atheists opposes any action by the government that treats people differently on the basis of religion. The principle of equality under the law is at the core of our work," said Fish.

"Just as we oppose giving people special treatment because they believe in God, we oppose giving special treatment to those who don't believe in God."

Paul Fidalgo, spokesman for the Center for Inquiry, told CP that he and his organization are also not on board for such a system at airports.

"We disagree with Mr. Istvan," said Fidalgo to CP. "Security measures should be applied equally to everyone, full stop."

Found in October of 2014, the Transhumanist Party identifies itself as "an American political organization dedicated to putting science, health, and technology at the forefront of United States politics."