People wonder why many view the south as backward?

This little news item is a real eye opener.

Oh by the way the U.S. Supreme Court ruled illegal all such laws in 1961.

87th Arkansas General Assembly.

The resolution itself: HJR 1009: AMENDING THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO REPEAL THE PROHIBITION AGAINST AN ATHEIST HOLDING ANY OFFICE IN THE CIVIL DEPARTMENTS OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS OR TESTIFYING AS A WITNESS IN ANY COURT.

It was submitted by the Green Party's highest-ranking elected official in America, state Rep. Richard Carroll of North Little Rock, who was elected in November winning more than 80 percent of the vote in his district.

Arkansas is one of half a dozen states that still exclude non-believers from public office. Article 19 Section 1 of the 1874 Arkansas Constitution states that "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.

Talk about the Pot calling the Kettle black:



Title 28, Chapter I, Part 453 of the United States Code, each Supreme Court Justice takes the following oath:

"I, [NAME], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as [TITLE] under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."



Oaths of Office for Federal Judges:

Statutes Defining Legal Custodian


5 U.S.C. 3331:

§ 3331. Oath of office

Release date: 2004-01-16

An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath:

“I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” This section does not affect other oaths required by law.



Seems to me ALL Federal Employees that are sworn into Office acknowledge there is a GOD.

Heck sounds like a great way to make some money.

Maybe I should go run for office in Ark.

____________________

Its religions discrimination regardless CircuitRider.

That makes it unconstitutional at best. Immoral in my determination.

I agree with you on that... but don't think USSCJ should tell others that they can't do the same thing they themselves do...

Weren't you the one proclaiming states rights in a previous post?

Shall I assume you prefer states rights only when they suit your left wing ideology?

There is a term for that. It starts with a capital H, rhymes with zippo, ends with.. crite...

This is NOT being mean...

Common courtsey on this board is... to use "QUOTE" to let everyone know who you are talking to...




For instance, I "QUOTE" Lynann When I replied to her "Post"...

And I "QUOTED" "Bushidobillyclub" in my next post...

In other words, just let us know to whom you are replying...

to bad all the states don't require this

maybe there would a little more morals added to politics

think about the word politics
poly means many and tics are a blood sucking animals
so we have a bunch of blood suckers leading us

haha Funny...

States rights...the Constitution is quite clear on this matter.

Please see said document.

All powers not granted and all that good stuff...check it out!

Establishment clause? Check that out too. Humm wait...I am not confused about the distinctions here are you?

Funny again that you would call me a hypocrite...

So, here's a question for you. If a state, let's say Michigan because we have a large Muslim population here, begins to establish Sharia law and supports these changes because it's our right as a state might you point to the Constitution and call foul?

Easy come easy go...anyway the wind blows eh?

If anyone reading this is so simple that they cannot appreciate the dangers of the state (the state can be anything from a school board to the federal congress) establishing a religion then...gosh please do us all a favor and go to your maker now...because you don't deserve to live in the United States.

Is it okay for a state to endorse and require religious qualifications for public office?

Sure if you are in the majority now...but perhaps you won't always enjoy that status.

Here's to hoping disciples of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster breed like rabbits so they can impose their religious will on everyone else!

Umm and to address the idea that this brings morals to politics?

Excuse me while I laugh...shall I compile a list of so called Christians both in public and private life who have lied, done drugs, committed adultery, committed tax fraud, had or paid for abortions, taken or offered bribes...sorry it cannot be done there isn't enough room on these forums.

The idea that people who call themselves Christians have a monopoly on moral behavior makes me want to throw up!

I know more than one atheists who lives in ways that are much more in keeping with biblical directions than those around me who claim to be Christians.

Here is a silly little concept.

How about being true to your word, to living life in an up-right and honorable way, to respecting life our fellow human beings and the world, to treating each aspect of our lives and interactions with each other respectably not out of a fear of damnation but because it is the right thing to do?

Do you need that to be the law of the land to act rightly?

How about respecting and valuing God's greatest gift? Free will.

Here's how I see it...God and I are going to have a chat one day and I intend to ask about this issue.

I think I am going to see if I can establish a religion that says NASCAR fans are not reliable or worthy of public service, cannot hold office here and will not be allowed to testify in court and maybe I will go further and call for the extermination of all NASCAR fans one day as well. Then I will get all my followers to move to mid-west and claim it states rights to support, finance and establish statutes to support my position.

Sounds swell doesn't it?

As for the oath?

"The history of the Oath for Federal employees can be traced to the Constitution, where Article II includes the specific oath the President takes - to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." Article VI requires an oath by all other government officials from all three branches, the military, and the States. It simply states that they "shall be bound by oath of affirmation to support the Constitution." The very first law passed by the very first Congress implemented Article VI by setting out this simple oath in law: "I do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States."

God...not mentioned...

Discrimination. I guess they still don't get that if we allow only the religious to govern our country we will be no different than the Middle East and our religious sect and factions will wage brutal war against each other for control too.

haha yeah...

I find some things endlessly amusing.

Like people who point to governments in the middle east and decry the involvement of clerics in government decisions while they are a$$ deep in trying to make the United States a "christian" country.

It's ignorant, short sighted and arrogant thinking.

It doesnt realy matter, the U.S. is not a christian nation and never will be.
In fact christianity is dieing a slow death.
The gov. of ARK. sees this and is trying depretly to hold on to their superstisions.
Just like they tryed to hold on to segragation and that was taken from them now it's their mytholigy.

Arkansas is one of half a dozen states that still exclude non-believers from public office. Article 19 Section 1 of the 1874 Arkansas Constitution states that "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.



This covers a Muslim,,,,,,, Allah is "a God...."

It doesnt descriminate between Religions. It doesnt favor just one religion.

It just doesn't cover an atheist.

Lots of Christian hate going on today O_O

I don't hate Christians.

I didn't propose ,make or endorse a law that says Christians cannot hold office.

Alot of your recent threads have been about stupid christian antics, so it was just an observation on my part. BTW dreneni is up to level 46! whoohoo!

I post those things because I find it amusing that there are people who seem to think they can be small mind, prejudiced, violent, judgmental, adulterous, greedy, hateful, ignorant...umm the list could go on here and then claim all that is fine because after all they they are Christians.

The sort of Christians who find themselves the subject of my posts are there because they are behaving in decidedly non-Christian ways and giving other Christians a bad name.

Black dragonflight horde rogue level 80. Love fool, elder, chef, jenkins, explorer and working on loremaster.

I think I will slay some pixels tonight hehe

I could care less what race, religion, sex, whatever the person is. if that person can do the job and is qualified...that's what we need....and I'm a Christian saying this. I don't agree with the choice to not let an athiest hold office. that should have nothing to do with whether or not he can do the job. there is good and bad everywhere and many people (not just christians...and there are) that are small minded...and I'm in the south....Texas in fact...and has lived in the south most of my life