In North Carolina Atheist Are Not Allowed To Be Elected

Well you know these are ancient laws that came from old English common-law. Most states just see them as archaic and void and don't bother wasting the taxpayer money necessary to remove them from the books. Then we get some idiots that try to use them to push a political agenda and suddenly we have a pointless supreme court case to formally declare something that anyone with half a brain already knows. I'll bet if you look at the state constitutions throughout the country you'll find a good number still have such laws on the books.

That has got to be one old law. I'm surprised that it hasn't been challenged yet. I do believe in God but do not believe that a person's religion or lack of religion has anything to do with their qualification for any political office.

I'm not sure what you are proposing as a debating point here. North Carlina has an archaic law. okay. The populace voted for someone who doesn't fit the parameters of that law. okay. Are you asking if we feel he should be in office or are you asking who voted him in or are you asking if this law should even exist?

I don't think Councilor Bothwell's going to have very much trouble with this. It's pretty clear-cut that this law is unconstitutional, and the main opposition seems to be some nutcase who likes to dress in Confederate uniform in public! This antiquated, anti-freedom law does need to be repealed though. If I was the head of a government (at any level, national state or whatever) I think I would set up a committee to go through all the old laws and recommend ones for repeal that obviously don't have a useful purpose anymore - sort of a housecleaning exercise.

Well that is stupid. Does the state constitution say WHICH almighty they have to acknowledge or will any do? What ever happened to separation of church and state. I bet this one could be fought and won in court.

That clause of the North Carolina State Constitution violates the United States Constitution, and as such is null and void. Mr. Bothwell is currently serving in the office to which he was lawfully elected, and if someone sues Ashville over it they're likely to get fined for filing a frivilous brief.

If it is a law, it is a law. They need to petition to remove it then all will be well. A lot of States have crazy out dated laws. That is why it is so important to clean these up every few years or so. I am not saying it is right, but there is an easy way to fix it.

Apparently the representatives in North Carolina forgot the reason why the pilgrims came to this country. I hope that the representatives of North Carolina are smart enough to understand that the voice of the people is more important than the ideology of a few, and change the law. But, it will be interesting to see what happens.