At least in North Carolina that is. According to the North Carolina constitution, politicians who deny the existence of God are barred from public office. Talk about having to demonstrate fitness for office, but the real question is that does this contradict a separation of church and state? By forcing a candidate for office to accept the existence of God is tantamount to forcing the candidate to endorse religion and now the policy is coming to a challenge.
Cecil Bothwell is an atheist who is attempting to run for City Council. Opponents are citing the constitution for rational that he should not be seated due to his religious stance. The state constitution is in direct opposition of the US constitution stating that no religious test may be administered as a qualification for office. While we still keep references to God in many visible parts of our government, the refusal to seat a candidate on the basis they may or may not acknowledge the existence of God is ridiculous.
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327/Critics-of-Cecil-Bothwell-cite-N.C.-bar-to-atheists
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"Atheist" is a slur in North Carolina, evidently.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Hagan#.22Godless.22_ad
However, these sorts of laws are illegal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torcaso_v._Watkins
Wow, this is pretty ridiculous. I’m surprised that this is a law but I would be even more surprised if it was enforced. This is clearly a violation of some basic civil rights and it must be a joke of an election if the opposition is really citing this as just cause for the candidate to not be seated. I bet after this election they will get rid of this law. There is a law in my hometown that you cannot walk a cow down Lake road on a Sunday, yes it is a legit law. Obviously this law means nothing because nobody but farmers own cows. I think cities need to put some time into looking for these ridiculous laws and getting rid of them, just in case I decide to start my own dairy farm.
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