A question.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2003-03-14 04:37pm

I was wondering if anyone knew how many and which U.S. states still require all state employees to affirm their belief in God before they can take office. I've looked for about 45 minutes now, and damned if I can't find a reliable list.

Any and all help, as always, will be duly appreciated and appropriately rewarded with...uh...stuff.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-14 04:40pm

Five, IIRC. I'll look into it to see if I can find out which five. My incredible powers of reasoning lead me to believe that they're likely below the Mason-Dixon line.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-14 04:43pm

http://religioustolerance.org/texas.htm

Here we go. It looks like both Carolinas, Texas, Tennessee, and South Dakota forbid atheists from holding office. Massachusetts and Maryland also appear to have some anti-atheist sentiment in their constitutions.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2003-03-14 04:51pm

Danke!

You shall be rewarded with...uhm....a haiku!

Durran Korr kicks ass
He helped the strange cannibal
Find just what he sought

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-14 04:52pm

No problem.

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-03-14 04:55pm

Interesting stuff, that is..

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-14 05:00pm

While I'm glad that Georgia's constitution has no such restrictions (it in fact affirms the right of non-theists to serve), I'm a bit surprised also.

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-03-14 05:02pm

Durran Korr wrote:While I'm glad that Georgia's constitution has no such restrictions (it in fact affirms the right of non-theists to serve), I'm a bit surprised also.

Ditto.. with all the blatantly anti-gay stuff, and it being in the Deep South, I am as well surprised that Georgia isn't anti-atheism.. Or Mississippi or Alabama or Utah, for that matter. o O

Bartman · Post by **Bartman** » 2003-03-14 05:11pm

verilon wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:While I'm glad that Georgia's constitution has no such restrictions (it in fact affirms the right of non-theists to serve), I'm a bit surprised also.
Ditto.. with all the blatantly anti-gay stuff, and it being in the Deep South, I am as well surprised that Georgia isn't anti-atheism.. Or Mississippi or Alabama or Utah, for that matter. o O

Utah shouldn't be too suprising. It has one of the stongest church/state seperation constitutions in the US. It was largely forced on them by the feds, who wouldn't allow Utah into the union without some restraints on the power of the LDS church. In practice of course it works out somewhat differently, as it does have a large number of politicians who would like nothing better than to make it a theocracy. But all that does is demonstrate the wisdom of those who wrote the state constitution.

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-03-14 05:18pm

Bartman wrote:Utah shouldn't be too suprising. It has one of the stongest church/state seperation constitutions in the US. It was largely forced on them by the feds, who wouldn't allow Utah into the union without some restraints on the power of the LDS church. In practice of course it works out somewhat differently, as it does have a large number of politicians who would like nothing better than to make it a theocracy. But all that does is demonstrate the wisdom of those who wrote the state constitution.

That would be why it surprises me.

God Emperor · Post by **God Emperor** » 2003-03-14 05:59pm

Durran Korr wrote:http://religioustolerance.org/texas.htm

Here we go. South Dakota forbid atheists from holding office.

Damn them, looks like I'll never run for public offices.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-03-14 06:03pm

Bartman wrote:
verilon wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:While I'm glad that Georgia's constitution has no such restrictions (it in fact affirms the right of non-theists to serve), I'm a bit surprised also.
Ditto.. with all the blatantly anti-gay stuff, and it being in the Deep South, I am as well surprised that Georgia isn't anti-atheism.. Or Mississippi or Alabama or Utah, for that matter. o O
Utah shouldn't be too suprising. It has one of the stongest church/state seperation constitutions in the US. It was largely forced on them by the feds, who wouldn't allow Utah into the union without some restraints on the power of the LDS church. In practice of course it works out somewhat differently, as it does have a large number of politicians who would like nothing better than to make it a theocracy. But all that does is demonstrate the wisdom of those who wrote the state constitution.

Always take that with a grain of salt. It is a constant battle here in Utah, the super majority that the right wing Republicans hold ensure their ability to basicly do what they want and what they want is to run just about everything past the LDS bigwigs first. The state liquor Commision just revamped the rules this year and did so secretely with the LDS church and LDS friendly organizations.

It is a constant fight to keep the 'church' seperated from the state here behind the Zion Curtain.