Although the Supreme Court decided in 1961 that states could not have any sort of ‘religious test’ in order for a person to hold public office, seven states still have language in their constitutions that require a belief in God for anyone wanting to hold public office, be a juror, or even a witness.
Atheists argue that while the Supreme Court decision would prevent these articles from being upheld, their existence is still offensive to non-believers. Says Todd Stiefel, the chairman of the Openly Secular coalition:
“If it was on the books that Jews couldn’t hold public office, or that African-Americans or women couldn’t vote, that would be a no-brainer.”
For more on the drive to remove the outdated language, visit nytimes.com