Religious Discrimination

[Midwest_Doc]

A poll asks if atheists should be allowed to hold public office.
http://www.bakersfield.com/ (bottom of the page)

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I knew Roy Torcaso, who was the litigant of the Supreme Court case.

It is unconstitutional to bar an atheist from public office whether it be notary public or president of the United States. Specifically no religious test can be used to bar someone from holding any public office.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. No religious test for public office

Of course, that part of the Constitution was ignored almost from the start.

[fifthoffive]

12. It's still in the Tennessee State Constitution, but

it's clearly unenforceable. It doesn't need to be codified to be true - no known atheist could be elected to anything in Tennessee. And believe me, it would be known.

The first question I am usually asked when I meet someone for the first time is, "Where do you go to church?". It's an attempt to be friendly. They cannot imagine that church is not the most important part of your life as it is for them. It never occurs to them that an atheist would be so "normal" in looks and behavior - downright likable, even.

[DavidDvorkin]

13. We're cold, unemotional, amoral people

And we don't love our children. I heard a religious teenager saying that during an NPR interview years ago. That seems to be that standard view of atheists, in some circles.

And of course we're not entitled to be citizens. We have the word of a former president regarding that.

[Kitty Herder]

3. Why would they even create a poll like this?

The constitution is quite clear on the matter. No religious test for office.

[Warpy]

7. Religious people love these polls

because the majority are believers and vote that religious tests should be used. It makes the pious think they are more important than the constitution and that the constititution should be overturned to reflect majority rule.

Of course, that's the very thing the framers wanted to avoid, the oppression of minorities by the majority, so that's why they wrote that particular clause plus attached the Bill of Rights. The majority has been disgusted by those things ever since.

And that, Virginia, is why Warpy keeps her ACLU card current.

[Kazak]

4. Unreal, perhaps reworded...

Should supernaturalists be barred from public office? The more apt question, I should say!

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Yes. 72 (9%); No. 769 (91%); (Total: 841) n/t

[Midwest_Doc]

8. I am concerned that 9% voted YES n/t

[yardwork]

9. A good reminder of some of the fundamental problems in the U.S.

[Kazak]

10. Subtract one from the "yes" column...

I accidentally clicked yes. I was answering the OP's poll question, should atheists be allowed to run, but the real question on the poll is, should atheists be barred.

[ColbertWatcher]

11. I thought I had read it wrong! Thank you for pointing that out. n/t

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. I AM SURPRISED

Should atheists be barred from public office?
Yes. 72
9%
No. 761
91%

THIS IS IN THE SOUTHERN CENTRAL VALLEY TWEEN FRESNO AND L.A.