Re: no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Michael Dobony" <survey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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On Wed, 1 Sep 2010 23:12:04 -0400, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

"edspyhill01" <edspyhill01@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"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."


Tell that to the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Nashville,
who
teaches his flock (whose heads are full of moths) that only a
christian can
rightly be president of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson had trouble in the beginning of his presidential
campaign
because he did not live a Christian life and was deemed a non-Christian
and
therefore unfit for office. Also, this provision was never deemed
enforceable to the states. Several states had tests of Christianity for
state and local governments. The Supreme Court repeatedly and
unanimously
rejected any attempt to change that.

There is a huge difference in voter rejection (or, acceptance) and a
federal test for religious belief. The former is valid on any grounds at
any time for any candidate, the latter is never valid.


There isn't THAT much of a difference, since it's become customary for
the press and the voters to make inquiries about the religion of
candidates. At least two or three feather brains in this newsgroup have
said that they require candidates to reveal their personal beliefs.


There is no Constitutional issue when you and I want to know the
candidat'e faith, or the lack thereof. It may not be the brightest thing
to do, but it's not a religious test that would challenge the
Constitution.

The religious test that is prohibited is the one that prevents a person
from even becoming a candidate.


Constitutional or not, the net effect is the same.


.

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