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| Hitchens, Matthew Chapman, Richard Dawkins, and Carol Blue (Hitchens's wife) |
I’m not sure [atheists] need to be honored. We don’t need positive reinforcement. On the other hand, we do need to stick up for ourselves, especially in a place like Texas, where they have laws, I think, that if you don’t believe in Jesus Christ you can’t run for sheriff.The word "mortality" in McGrath's title refers to the fact that Hitchens discovered in June 2010 that he had Stage 4 esophageal cancer. About that he wrote in September 2010, "In whatever kind of a 'race' life may be, I have very abruptly become a finalist."
The Hitchens quote is very close to the truth. Here's a snippet from Article 1, Section 4 of the Texas state constitution:
ReplyDeleteNo 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.
What prevents a Texas atheist from challenging this section in court? Fear of getting lynched?
Ken, thanks for the fact-checking, including a quotation that I can use for today's post on Mitt Romney. Don't look for it yet; as of this moment I've only drafted it in my mind.
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