The Man Who Challenged the ‘Religious Test’

[Dardedar]

Remembering Roy: Maryland Man Who Challenged ‘Religious Test’ Dies At Age 96

June 12th 2007

More than 40 years ago, Roy Torcaso was appointed a notary public in Maryland. When it came time for the swearing in, Torcaso refused to take the oath because it contained a reference to God. Torcaso, an atheist, said that would violate his freedom of conscience.

Maryland officials decided to go to the mat. They pointed to a provision in the Maryland Constitution that says public office is open to anyone willing to make a “declaration of belief in the existence of God.”

Torcaso sued. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where Torcaso prevailed. Decided June 19, 1961, Torcaso v. Watkins is a brief, unanimous opinion with some very ringing language criticizing “religious tests” for public office. Here is a sample:

“We repeat and again reaffirm that neither a State nor the Federal Government can constitutionally force a person ‘to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion.’ Neither can constitutionally pass laws or impose requirements which aid all religions as against nonbelievers, and neither can aid those religions based on a belief in the existence of God as against those religions founded on different beliefs.”

Roy Torcaso died June 9. He was 96 years old. After his case, he became something of a student of church-state law. I met him on a few occasions and always admired his commitment and fighting spirit. Roy was proof that one person can, indeed, make a difference. He will be missed.

Despite the decisive opinion in Torcaso’s favor, the issue of religious tests for public office still pops up from time to time. Maryland and six other states (Pennsylvania, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina) still retain religious qualifications for public office in their state constitutions. These provisions are dead letters thanks to Roy’s case, but they remain on the books.

Perhaps they are not so dead after all. In 1990, Herb Silverman, a professor of mathematics in South Carolina and an atheist, challenged that state’s provision. Silverman sought to become a notary public to spark a test case. It took several years, but he eventually won a unanimous decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court stating what should have been obvious: the provision could not be enforced.

Article VI of the U.S. Constitution bars religious tests for federal office. Thanks to Torcaso’s commitment, similar protections were put in place at the state level as well. States that retain bigoted provisions barring public office to non-believers and skeptics should remove them forthwith. It would be a great way to honor Roy’s memory.

LINK

[FSC]

They might as well remove In God We Trust from the US currency also.
Despite lying probably doesn't matter we are only fooling ourselves when we make a statement as that. No one in america trusts in God or the higher moral standards Christs example taught us. You know who we should put our trust in? The politicians, the lawyers, the democrats the rebublicans, Clinton, George W. Bush and all who come after them. They know whats best for us. They are looking out for our best interests as an individual and a nation. Without men like that where would we be as a society today. To hell with all that Biblical nonsense. These people know whats best for us. They're good honest people who have nothing to gain from taking advantage of us nor even want to. They surely have our best interests at heart. Why should they lie, manipulate, steal or bear false witness about their fellow man. They have good reasons not to do that. They know if they do those things all of us will rise up and join together to overthrow them. They wouldn't stand a chance. Our families would be the first to join us if there was a wrong doing, and then our neighbors would come and stand by our side to help right the wrong. And then our friends would join in and we would all work together to put right the problem, all working in unity to help one another to do whats best for us and the nation as a whole. I know i can trust you my fellow brethren to do that for me right? To gehenna with all that Biblical nonsense. Lord forbid if we should all follow the example set before us in the Bible, what would this world be? Certaintly not the epitamy of love, compassion, selflessness and honor it is today. I'm proud to be part of America...So proud i could even quote christ when he spoke to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:15-22.

Rev 3:15 'I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. O that you* were cold or hot!
Rev 3:16 'So then, because you are lukewarm, and not hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of My mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and am grown rich, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that *thou* art the wretched and the miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked;
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified by fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not be made manifest; and eye-salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 I rebuke and discipline as many as I love; be zealous therefore and repent.
Rev 3:20 'Look! I have stood at the door, and I am knocking. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Rev 3:21 He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne; as *I* also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

Jeremiah 10:23 (Darby)
Jeremiah 10:23 I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man
that walketh to direct his steps.

1Ti 6:17 Enjoin on those rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to trust on the uncertainty of riches; but in the God who affords us all things richly for our enjoyment” “

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that confideth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.

2Co 1:9 But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in Jehovah than to put confidence in man;

Nah 1:7 Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

2Sa 22:31 As for *God, his way is perfect; The word of Jehovah is tried: He is a shield to all that trust in him.

Proverbs 3:5 With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment.

Romans 10:2 I know they love God, but they don't understand
Romans 10:3 what makes people acceptable to him. So they refuse to trust God, and they try to be acceptable by obeying the Law.

Isaiah 30:15 The holy LORD God of Israel had told all of you, "I will keep you safe if you
turn back to me and calm down. I will make you strong if you quietly trust me."

Isaiah 30:12 Now this is the answer of the holy God of Israel: "You rejected my message, and you trust in violence and lies.

[Dardedar]

They might as well remove In God We Trust from the US currency also.

DAR
I agree.

Despite lying probably doesn't matter we are only fooling ourselves when we make a statement as that.

DAR
A "statement as what?" I certainly think lying matters. The God of the Bible doesn't though. He admits he is a liar in his Bible.

No one in america trusts in God or the higher moral standards Christs example taught us.

DAR
No one? Does that include you?

You know who we should put our trust in? The politicians, the lawyers, the democrats the rebublicans, Clinton, George W. Bush and all who come after them.

DAR
Now you just being silly. I am for investing qualified trust, to a limited degree, in people who have a track record and have earned it.

To hell with all that Biblical nonsense.

DAR
Another good point.

To gehenna with all that Biblical nonsense. Lord forbid if we should all follow the example set before us in the Bible, what would this world be?

DAR
Here are some of examples set before us in the Bible:

# The Bible condones slavery.

# The Bible supports polygamy.

# The Bible has condoned and even required human sacrifice.

# The Bible has supported mass genocide.

# The Bible teaches that women have an inferior status to men.

# The Bible says a woman must marry her rapist.

This abhorent moral system was tried for some time but not any more (except some very holy places in the middle east where they take "In God We Trust" seriously). We don't allow the above behavior anymore because it has very results for society.
For the verses supporting the above examples, see our non-tract Why your morals are better than the Bible’s.

D.