Do you think atheists should be able to hold public office?

Absolutely they should !! People don't realize that one of the principles this country was founded on was separation of church and state. Yes, the founding fathers were men of faith, but they were also children of the Enlightenment, a time in history that emphasized reason and science as a basis for rational human society, as opposed to the rampant, destructive, religious superstition that had existed for millenia. The idea that an atheist doesn't believe in anything or has no moral code is absolute crap. Witness the horrors, thievery and lawlessness that exists today in the name of "God".

I am an atheist so yes I think we should be able to hold public office. I think church and politics should remain separate. I think religion has no place in politics or our schools.

While I think it is impossible to seperate religion from politics, I think anyone who meets the requirements for office should be allowed to run for and hold office. Now, the reason I say that it is impossible to seperate religion from politics is this: look at many of our laws. For example, the debate about gay marriage. What is that but a lot of people wanting to make laws based on thier religious views? There is no rational or legal basis for denying gay unions. However, people get all caught up on the word 'marriage' and its religion connotations. I would like to add that I am a Christian. People, even those holding office, will make decisions based on thier personal moral code, whether it is a religious code or a rationalist code.

Is this a real question?... i think ofcourse they should be allowed.... i am an atheist too... it this question amuses me... Thanks Sid

Yeah, actually, I do. There's nothing in the constitution that says that people of other religions can't hold office. In fact, to deny them office based on their religion, or lack thereof, is in violation of the Establishment Clause. Sometimes I think more atheists would be a breath of fresh air in a government heavily dominated by Christian practitioners.

Hey SuckerUpper, this must be a joke, isn't it? I didn't think this might be a question at all. At least constitutionally, belief or not-belief is not among the requisites of public charges and never should be. The only qualifications necessary for assuming any office should be capacity, integrity and disposition to self-sacrifice. When reading myLotters contributions, you can see that there is a very wholesome mixture of different point of views, and I think that shows that freedom of mind is a solid fundament of human society and the only soil where true convictions can grow.

I agree with all of the other posters here. I am an atheist. However, the people tend to think that in order to have morality, you must have religion. Which, I feel, is completely untrue. You don't see a huge swing towards most criminals being atheists, do you? One day, we'll have an atheist president. I don't think it will be any time soon, though.

I agree that athiest should be allowed to hold public office. I myself am agnostic but feel that everyone should be given the right to try and gain office.