Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Atheist Discrimination?


I found this image on a facebook post and decided to check the facts because I was pretty sure that couldn't be done. But I was actually shocked. It appears that freedom of religion is only for people who have a religion, and since atheism isn't a religion, they're welcome to discriminate! Hurray for intolerance!

In Arkansas, I could not hold office or testify as a witness in any court! How do they do divorce court for atheists? Texas almost passes, stating no religious tests shall ever be required of me, as long as I acknowledge the existence of a 'Supreme Being'. Can that supreme being be me?

In Pennsylvania, one might get away with it, seeing as how it just says no person that believes in a god would be disqualified. It says nothing about any person who doesn't believe in a god, so I could get disqualified, but not necessarily so.

I'm not looking to get into politics, but it's nice knowing that option is there. When I grew up, I completely fell for the American ideal that I could be anything I wanted to be - a fireman, a doctor, the president. Well, just another piece of propaganda.

Here's the state constitutions I looked up:

From the Constitution of the State of Arkansas Article 19, Section 1:
Atheists disqualified from holding office or testifying as witness. No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any Court.
From the Texas Constitution Article 1, Section 4:
RELIGIOUS TESTS. No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.
From the South Carolina State Constitution Article 17, Section 4 :
Supreme Being. No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution.
From the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Article 1, Section 4:
Religion Section 4. No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Guess I shouldn't try to run for office down here in Texas.