Atheist Congressman Fetes Public Lands at Lighting of Capitol Christmas Tree

LOWLIGHTS:

Huffman gave a speech when he received this award. “When I look out at all of the brilliant, talented, principled people in this room, my first thought is that if being a nonbeliever means I have to burn in hell for eternity, I’m going to have good company,” he said.

Huffman went on to say “how fortunate I am to be in an era when a member of Congress can come out publicly as a nonreligious humanist and politically live to tell about it. It hasn’t always been possible for national political figures to do things like that.”

“In fact,” he said, “in the history of the United States Congress before I came out, you can only find one member, Rep. Pete Stark [D-Calif.]—who had publicly acknowledged not believing in God.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

Christmas, of course, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man. One obvious explanation for Huffman partaking in the Capitol Christmas tree lighting is that this year’s tree was cut down in his congressional district. Yet only two members who spoke at the lighting—McCarthy and LaMalfa—mentioned that Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ.

“Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the blessing of God’s love for all of us, the greatest gift we could ever receive,” said McCarthy.

“I rejoice in the reason for the season: the birth of our savior Jesus Christ,” said LaMalfa.