scotth
13th March 2003, 01:27 PM
You can find the Texas Constitution at: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/txconst/toc.html
If you select Article 1 - Bill of Rights, and then Sec. 4 - Religion Tests you will find this:
No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.
Does this appear to be a contradiction to anyone besides me?
It is my opinion that we need to find an agnostic or athiest willing to run for some/any minor public office in the state. Then we need to bring this to court and get it amended (at least).
It should be an easy legal slam dunk. Compare to Article VI of US Constitution:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
It may be that someone only has to have the intent to run for office before this could be brought to court. If you're a lawyer, feel free to chime in here. I am unclear on if it would be consider mute until someone had actually won an office or not.
If you select Article 1 - Bill of Rights, and then Sec. 4 - Religion Tests you will find this:
No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.
Does this appear to be a contradiction to anyone besides me?
It is my opinion that we need to find an agnostic or athiest willing to run for some/any minor public office in the state. Then we need to bring this to court and get it amended (at least).
It should be an easy legal slam dunk. Compare to Article VI of US Constitution:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
It may be that someone only has to have the intent to run for office before this could be brought to court. If you're a lawyer, feel free to chime in here. I am unclear on if it would be consider mute until someone had actually won an office or not.