Why do some people think Atheists can't hold office?

Question

All laws against atheists holding office were ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable by the 1961 Supreme Court case Torcaso v. Watkins on a first amendment basis.

Answer 1

There are written rules to holding office, and then there are unwritten rules to holding office.

Atheists not holding office is one of the unwritten rules, and it is largely determined by the voters. It is believed that currently there are not enough voters willing to support a non-religious candidate.

In the past, it was an unwritten rule that woman or blacks couldn't be president. However, we may see that change in our lifetime, if the voters make it happen.

Most (all?) unwritten rules are vote-driven.

Answer 2

I saw this post in the question about an atheist president.  Thanks for pointing that out.  I had never heard that this was heard on a First Amendment basis.  But like I asked at the other question: isn't it funny that it was heard on a First Amendment basis rather than on the clause in the Constitution that specifically forbids any sort of religious test to hold office?

Answer 3

count me out... i think Atheists could do a better job, more neutral thinking and less bigoted

Answer 4

No one thinks it's illegal, they just think that theists won't vote for them.

Answer 5

Because they either haven't read the Constitution or they don't care what it says.

Answer 6

Atheist in office? This country has a majority of  voters who believe in God or a higher power in some form, so even if that ruling was to be inforced-------it is very unlikely that Americans would vote for them. Hey, don't get mad at the messenger-----look how nutty people got when they thought Mr. Obama was a muslim.

Answer 7

When you say " some people " I assume you mean christians.

I believe it's referred to as religious bigotry

Answer 8

Because they remain in the constitutions of seven states.  Enforceable or not, that is bigotry and exclusion.

Of course in a practical sense it's because known atheists pretty much can't (we'll have to see if Stark getes re-elected though) given widespread prejudice and hate.

Answer 9

They can as long as they keep their atheism a secret.  They need to get elected first in order to hold office.

To get elected, you need the votes of tons of semi-literate people in the Bible Zone.

Answer 10

Because they don't know the history and because atheists holding office are so rare.

Answer 11

Stupidity begets more stupidity !!