Does Your State Forbid Atheists From Holding Public Office?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Posted by PZ Myers, Pharyngula

It's an ugly little open secret that Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have constitutions that explicitly forbid atheists from holding state office.

These laws are archaic and unenforceable in principle -- they were all ruled unconstitutional in 1961 -- but of course they're still in effect across all 50 states in practice, since public opinion makes it almost impossible for an atheist to get elected to high office.

Now, though, a representative in Arkansas has submitted a bill to amend the Arkansas constitution and remove the prohibition of atheists. This could get very interesting, or it might not. If the Arkansas legislature does the sensible thing and simply and efficiently removes an old law that can't be enforced anyway, I will be pleased, but there won't be much drama.

Since when are legislatures sensible, however? I can imagine indignant Christians defending an unconstitutional law and insisting that it be kept on the books as a token of their contempt.

It is an awkward situation for the Christianist yahoos, because their constituencies might get inflamed, but on other hand, do they really want to go on record defending the indefensible?

I'm looking forward to it, and kudos to Green Party Rep. Richard Carroll of North Little Rock for poking a stick into this nest of snakes and stirring it up.

PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris. He runs the science blog Pharyngula.

[pedroh 21]

Jesu is the law!!!

ohh lawd lawd

[Peikko 1,575]

Arkansas, is that the state with the constitution longer than the bible?

[almaty 19]

[Peikko 1,575]

I'm shocked, where did you get that photograph?

[almaty 19]

I'm shocked, where did you get that photograph?

a friend of mine sent it to me from Congress in Little Rock

Edited February 19, 2009 by almaty

[Peikko 1,575]

I was never there...

[almaty 19]

I was never there...

sister purple..next to the Old Testament .and a picture of General Forrest

[almaty 19]

friendly future speaker of the house....

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Shut up> Is that for real? OMG

[Yoink 7]

how would they know if you were an athiest?

[DeadPoolX 9]

how would they know if you were an athiest?

That's a good point. Unless religion was a major staple of your campaigning platform, who would know?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

how would they know if you were an athiest?

That's a good point. Unless religion was a major staple of your campaigning platform, who would know?

Didn't you know all atheists have their convictions tattooed in their butts????

[ask almaty ]

[DeadPoolX 9]

how would they know if you were an athiest?

That's a good point. Unless religion was a major staple of your campaigning platform, who would know?

Didn't you know all atheists have their convictions tattooed in their butts????

[ask almaty ]

Well... I suppose that's where the phrase "turn the other cheek" came from.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

how would they know if you were an athiest?

That's a good point. Unless religion was a major staple of your campaigning platform, who would know?

Didn't you know all atheists have their convictions tattooed in their butts????

[ask almaty ]

Well... I suppose that's where the phrase "turn the other cheek" came from.