The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
The United States Constitution, Article VI, paragraph 3. Emphasis added.
The GOP is famous for beating up on Obama for “shredding the constitution”. Meanwhile the current crop of GOP candidates tout their own religiosity to make sure they pass the religion test with the far right faithful.
Despite what the constitution says, there is a religious test that presidential candidates must pass if they are Republican. You hear them talk about their beliefs and their faith, yelling about whether or not another candidate is a “true Christian’ (what ever that is) or they are the better Christian for the job. Franklin Graham, heir to the Billy Graham empire, hints that Obama is Christian in name only. Of course Romney, being Mormon, might not be a Christian although Franklin didn’t say it directly and I’m sure he’s not happy with Romney’s Mormonism.
Then Rick Santorum talks about Obama and say that he doesn’t think Obama has the correct theology. It’s not the theology of the Bible, Santorum says. Begs the question of what is the correct theology? Maybe there is one but as an atheist I’m sure there isn’t any. To paraphrase sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein “Theology is like looking for a black cat in a cellar at midnight that isn’t there”.
But the main point is that we need to get religion out of politics, it is toxic and it will only cause more problems than it will solve. If you haven’t heard the old joke about when three Baptists get together, one will form a new church. So which candidate has the right religion? Also you already know that “real Americans” don’t trust those “Muslims” because they are ALL terrorists and not Christian. Then there are the Jews. It goes on and on.
Also in the Constitution is this little item... “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”. Congress isn’t establishing a religion but the GOP certainly wants to! Think about it.
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