General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt's time. A Protestant hasn't been nominated to the Supreme Court for almost 32 years
David Souter was the last Protestant nominated to the court, despite the fact that almost half of Americans are Protestant.
bigtree
(86,016 posts)...past time.
Xipe Totec
(43,892 posts)RobinA
(9,903 posts)Lani Guinier for SC? I could be remembering this wrong and it was for something else.
tblue37
(65,528 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)A black, female with no religious ties works great for me.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)But let's start with Article VI
no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States
BSdetect
(8,999 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)I think Article 6 together with the 1st Amendment is supposed to be that "wall of separation" between church and state. The fact that Article 6 appears and was written ahead of the 1st amendment makes me think that keeping church out of state was a priority.
kairos12
(12,896 posts)Let them swear in with a hand on a Pottery Barn Catalog.
Angleae
(4,500 posts)Never?
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,365 posts)minority in our government
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)in a deity and do lead public lives don't make a big thing of their lack of "faith."
When religion is not what you're about, you don't want others making you about it either. And that involves not letting others turn your disinterest in religion what you're about. I look for signs of religious involvement in their history instead.
As for actually labeling oneself "atheist," I wonder how many people do. You seldom hear it. Wouldn't thoughtful people who really don't care nevertheless first feel obliged to see what it means before slapping it on as a label? Which school of religious-intensity atheistic belief should they adopt after lengthy study? My beliefs on such things could far more accurately be summed up as "beats me" and that's as far as my delving goes. Disinterest is the opposite of religion, not atheism.
will be the day.
Leith
(7,814 posts)ALL SC justices have been Christian - isn't that "good enough?"
Perhaps you would like to explain why it is important to have more nominees and judges of certain sects on the highest court?
It took almost 200 years to get a Catholic president. Was it because Catholics didn't make up a large enough portion of the population?
Has there ever been an atheist, Sikh, Muslim, or any member of other religions nominated or seated? Is it because there aren't enough of them among the citizenry to seriously consider them? Well, more than half the population of the US are female. How does that compare to the number of women on the court?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was Christian?
Leith
(7,814 posts)Yes, I forgot about that.
It still doesn't mean that a protestant is next in "the rotation."
Polybius
(15,522 posts)And there are others.
Hekate
(91,003 posts)BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)Hekate
(91,003 posts)They are, in chronological order: Louis Brandeis, Benjamin Cardozo, Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg, Abe Fortas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-8-jewish-justices-who-made-the-us-supreme-court-jump/
ForgedCrank
(1,786 posts)me as well.
Qualifications would seem to be primary on the list or prerequisites. Why make it about religion?
RobinA
(9,903 posts)it should be about anything but qualifications. As a female, I could not care less about the gender, race or religion of the justices. I just want someone who will rule the way I feel is appropriate. The all male, all white (until the end) Warren court was the most liberal in my lifetime. Amy Comey Barrett is a female and benefits females not at all. And let's not even go there with what an asset Thomas has been to those of similar race. Or anyone else, for that matter. Just give me a smart liberal and I'll be happy.
hedda_foil
(16,377 posts)They are: Louis D. Brandeis, Benjamin Cardozo, Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg, Abe Fortas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, and Elena Kagan.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)pamdb
(1,333 posts)Far, far, far, too many catholics on the court. Frankly, I would love to see an atheist on the court.
And I was raised catholic, 12 years of catholic school. Never took.
Gore1FL
(21,165 posts)Deuxcents
(16,441 posts)Thankfully, theres no litmus test for religion for the SC..at least that I know of. Their oath, as w/ the office of President, Congress, etc. is to the constitution.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States
Deuxcents
(16,441 posts)Celerity
(43,733 posts)markpkessinger
(8,409 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)+1000
William769
(55,150 posts)Damn it!
BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)William769
(55,150 posts)markpkessinger
(8,409 posts)Zeitghost
(3,892 posts)Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)and not to the right of Father Coughlin.
sarisataka
(18,895 posts)91 have been Protestant, 15 Catholic, 8 Jewish and 1 unspecified.
'Other' is far more overdue.
BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)dclarston13
(414 posts)Religion should not play ANY role in the selection process.
Mr.Bill
(24,365 posts)announce you are an Atheist and run for office. See what happens.
Torchlight
(3,423 posts)The inherent bias of flawed religious litmus tests aside, I don't think your argument is on firm ground.
Response to Torchlight (Reply #19)
RB TexLa This message was self-deleted by its author.
tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)What a silly op.
Hekate
(91,003 posts)VGNonly
(7,523 posts)He attends an Episcopalian church, for the last 15 years.
Captain Zero
(6,861 posts)VERY VERY conservative on one side. It's a minority in that denomination, but there is indeed a conservative Episcopal Church in the US. I would bet Gorsuch attends that one (?).
They are especially opposed to women as priests or bishops as I remember.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)Springer says St. John's is carrying out the covenant Episcopalians recite during baptisms: to strive for justice and peace among all people. Her congregation, she added, includes liberals, conservatives and all political points in between.
...
"Be advised," blared a tweet from Bryan Fischer, a host on the American Family Radio Network. "Gorsuch attends a church that is rabidly pro-gay, pro-Muslim, pro-green, and anti-Trump."
...
Another columnist argued that if conservatives complained about Barack Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, shouldn't they also grumble about Gorsuch's?
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/18/politics/neil-gorsuch-religion/index.html
The Hill managed to ask if Gorsuch was a "secret liberal". Dumbasses.
Hekate
(91,003 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)but I don't think it'll be a problem while Biden's president.
Mr. Ected
(9,675 posts)No political affiliation, just jurisprudence in line with Democratic ideals.
For life.
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)If my eyes could roll back any further, I'd be looking straight ahead.
iemanja
(53,127 posts)We already have it. It's called America.
Xolodno
(6,410 posts)I want a Pagan.
BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)Bluesaph
(720 posts)Than another Christian.
fishwax
(29,150 posts)He was raised Catholic, but has apparently been episcopalian for years. (Also, for the record, Harriet Miers was nominated and I think she was Methodist, though of course her nomination was quickly withdrawn.)
Personally I'd be happy to see a non-affiliated person get the nod, though.
Goodheart
(5,351 posts)Voltaire2
(13,257 posts)BootinUp
(47,211 posts)in connection with their job as a judge/politician. And I have no preference for their religious affiliation. Of course, they must meet other more important qualifications.
brooklynite
(94,950 posts)NutmegYankee
(16,204 posts)My protestant family had this discussion over the holidays. Are we really going to lose freedom on reproduction and be forced to follow the tenets of a faith not our own? Make no mistake, my solidly Blue family was all in on that feeling.
There are no secular arguments to ban abortion. It's a purely religious view that will be forced on those who don't agree by force. And people will die, just like my Great Great Grandmother. She died of sepsis from a "back alley" abortion.
brooklynite
(94,950 posts)And no Republican is going to vote for them on that basis. Religion isn't a relevant factor.
RB TexLa
(17,003 posts)before there was a Catholic nominee.
I don't see anything wrong with a Jesuit educated African-American woman nominee.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)eom
RandiFan1290
(6,261 posts)Not even a good attempt.
Glad someone noticed
msfiddlestix
(7,288 posts)I want a hard line between Church and State which includes the United States Supreme Court!
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Article VI
Which part of this do you not understand?
Personally, I'd like to see some Atheists on SCOTUS; would allow more rational decisions. But I'll go with what the Constitution says.
FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)Just more rightwing hypocrisy.
Employers aren't allowed to ask about applicant religion. Yet every damn election, which is literally politicians applying for their jobs, they spend more time professing their piety and "faith" than they do on issues. Making a spectacle of themselves praying or going to church. Every election has been a clear violation of Article 6.
SYFROYH
(34,186 posts)CrackityJones75
(2,403 posts)Happy Hoosier
(7,460 posts)So.... ummmm....
kcr
(15,326 posts)LizBeth
(9,953 posts)it out is more effective.