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Thoughts? Loyalty Oaths and the State
Posted on: May 2, 2008 - 4:43pm
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Thoughts? Loyalty Oaths and the State
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oath2-2008may02,0,6280956.story
So I posted this in the Av.T forum.. but for some reason was removed--so, thought maybe this a more appropriate place.
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I thought I noticed a thread by you, and then it magically disappeared. I think maybe we have gremlins.
I suppose your question is, "Do you think this is a breach of the separation of church and state?"
Yes.
This is tricky territory because there are some things in religion that are antithetical to science, and someone who subscribes to one cannot reasonably subscribe to the other. In other words, if someone believes the earth is 6000 years old, he can't very well be expected to teach a course on evolution. However, if such a person did teach the class, and didn't deviate from the curriculum or add his personal religious feelings in any way, he would be performing his job adequately.
Of course, this is an extreme example, since virtually anyone well versed enough to teach evolution will accept the truth of it.
In short, state institutions should not be able to have hidden tests like this to weed out people with particular religious beliefs. Oaths of allegiance reek of fascism.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Especially in the states, where the talk of freedom and constitution are actually founded in documents. In Canada, that shit just isn't taken seriously. An example:
My favourite boss ever called me into her office to swear allegiance to the Queen, as is required of all government employees. When I went in there, she was wearing a tiara and had a rhinestone star wand, while she "knighted" me a bureaucrat. It was hilarious. But the wording on that "contract" was certainly more vague than "defend the constitution".
I'm surprised that she didn't consider teaching the class alone to be defending the constitution, but adding "enemies foreign and domestic" clearly makes it a military oath, so I can understand her refusal. I'm surprised there haven't been more refusals.
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence