Is it true you cannot become the president of the United States of America if you are an atheist?

Question

Do Atheists Have Equal Rights? Do They Deserve Them?

The State Constitutions Don't Lie:

(Look these up yourself if you think I editted them!)

Arkansas
"No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court."
article 19, sect. 1 of the 1874 constitution

Maryland
"That as it is the duty of every man to worship God in such manner as he thinks most acceptable to Him, all persons are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty... nor shall any person, otherwise competent, be deemed incompetent as a witness, or juror, on account of his religious belief; provided, he believes in the existence of God, and that under His dispensation such person will be held morally accountable for his acts, and be rewarded or punished therefore either in this world or in the world to come." Bill of Rights: Article 36

Massachusetts
"As the happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil government, essentially depend upon piety, religion and morality; and as these cannot be generally diffused through a community, but by the institution of the public worship of God, and of public instructions in piety, religion and morality: herefore, to promote their happiness and to secure the good order
and preservation of their government, the people of this commonwealth have a right to invest their legislature with power to authorize and require, and the legislature shall, from time to time, authorize and require, the several towns, parishes, precincts, and other bodies politic, or religious societies, to make suitable provision, at their own expense, for the institution of the public
worship of God, and for the support and maintenance of public Protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality, in all cases where such provision shall not be made voluntarily."

Declaration of Rights: Article III

North Carolina
"The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God...." Constitution Article 6 Section 8

Pennsylvania
"No person who acknowledges the being of God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth".
Declaration of Rights Article 1 Section 4

Tennessee
"No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this state."
Bill of Rights: Article 9 Section 4

Texas
"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."
Article 1 - Bill of Rights: Section 4]

SHG did u read the above

Answer 1

Legally, an Atheist may run for the presidency; the Constitution states all of the requirements for the President, and religious belief (or lack thereof) is not specified. However, the Christian right has a significant amount of lobbying power, so the chances of actually winning the election is pretty much nil.

EDIT: the original post was edited to include the laws of individual states. However, none of those matter when it comes to the federal government. Only the Constitution and federal law matter.

Answer 2

There's no federal law against it. States are something else all together since some of them actually have antiatheist laws. However, reality is something different. No politician would EVER go for the Presidency while claiming to be an Atheist because they'd lose by a landslide. The religious hold far too much power in the US.

Answer 3

Technically and legally no it isn't true. The US constitution specifically states that "no religious test" shall ever apply to become an elected official at the federal level. HOWEVER, it would be all but impossible for an avowed atheist to become president, because nobody but other atheists would vote for such a person.

Answer 4

According to the Constitution of the United States, the only two qualifications needed to become President are 1) you have to be at least 35 years of age and 2) born in America. It make absolutely no provisions for religion.

Answer 5

While there is nothing in the legal codes or requirements to be president that states that an ahtiest cannot be president...there is little chance that someone that was an athiest ever COULD be elected to that office.

Answer 6

There's nothing in the Constitution banning it, but it would be hard for a country that has an 84% believer population to vote for you.

Answer 7

No, but you've got a bunch of idiots who think keeping atheists out of a secular office would prevent the rise of the Anti-Christ.

Answer 8

No. You can run for President. It will be difficult to get elected though. Many Christians will not vote for an atheist regardless of qualifications.

Answer 9

No law about it but people might not vote for an atheist. So the parties don't run an atheist as the candidate.

Answer 10

No one ever said that.

The rules are simple.

Natural born citizen

Over 35 years old