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No Religious Test
One of the books I am reading is FREETHINKERS: A History of American Secularism by Susan Jacoby. A passage that particularly struck me in the light of current events follows:
But the secularism of the Constitution did produce substantial controversy during the ratification debates conducted by state conventions. The framers were denounced by religious traditionalists both for the Constitution’s ban on religious tests for public office and for its failure to acknowledge God as the ultimate governmental authority. The opposition to article 6 frequently took an anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic tone. At the Massachusetts convention, one speaker warned that unless the chief executive was required to take a religious oath, “a Turk, a Jew, a Roman Catholic, and what is worse than all, a Universalist, may be President of the United States.†In the New York Daily Advertiser, a writer noted that since the president was designated commander in chief of the armed forces, “should he thereafter be a Jew our dear posterity may be ordered to rebuild Jerusalem.â€
Rather than retyping this paragraph from p. 29, I ran a search and found it (and more) online HERE.
8 Responses to “No Religious Test”
Still amazes me, after 42 years on this planet, how — as much as things change — they really don’t. New technology. Same old biases. Humankind is simultaneously beautiful and pitiful.
What a timely post.
How ridiculous that we are still having the same old arguments.
For me this lesson was permanently etched in my mind the first time I watched the first ten minutes of Stanley Kubrick / Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
In some regards man has evolved from the prehistoric watering hole to the depths of space without learning a thing.
I do however have faith (pun intended) that some handle the voyage very well… Have a good weekend all. Me… I’m going golfing.
Honestly, judging from the GOP debates, we are going backwards. We are moving backwards from the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment, to an age where faith trumps science, and religious tests trump competence and experience. It is dangerous for any society to put so much stock in a few powerful religious leaders and so little in its scientists.
I own the book myself, and think it should be required reading for all, especially the RR since they assume much, but know little of our past concerning religion and politics.
Oh my goodness, Pyst and I agree once again!
What can I say Holly? It happens LOL.
Speaking of which….from the New York Times. Lest you think that this is solely politics remember Monica Goodling’s alma mater.