No Religious Test Means No Religious Test
May 20, 2008 by Dr. Lowrey
From the ACLU Blogsite
Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 11:38:02 AM PDT
By T. Jeremy Gunn
The Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees that political candidates, like all Americans, have a right to talk about religion and their religious beliefs. This year many candidates for political office increasingly have been exercising that constitutional right and talking about their faith.
Of course along with the increasing discussion of faith, there are increasing complaints – also constitutionally protected – that candidates are cynically using religion to make themselves appear more appealing to voters. Whether more talk about religion and more accusations about cynicism and hypocrisy is good for the public is up to the voters to decide.
The Constitution also has also been clear, for more than two hundred years, that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”
Some candidates who like to talk about their religion seem, however, not to understand the meaning of the word “no.” They are happy to favor a religious test for public officials — as long as their religion is included.
Belief in monotheism has now been proposed as a necessary qualification for someone who wants to be president. So if you are a believer in the Dalai Lama’s religion, Buddhism, this country was not meant for you. If you are a follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s religion, Hinduism, – just check your American dream at the door.
Candidate Romney wants the door of religious tolerance opened just wide enough to let him sneak through, but is quite ready to close it when someone else comes knocking.
Others want the door open wide enough to let their candidate in, but to keep Mitt Romney out.
The same constitutional standard that protects Governor Romney’s right to be elected and serve as president of the United States also protects the right of all Americans – Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Hindu, Secular Humanist, Zoroastrian, Jew, and Muslim – to serve their country.
No religious test means no religious test.
Kita Kazoo
Dr. Lowrey
