North Carolina voters stymied by ancient anti-atheism clause in state Constitution

North Carolina voters in a local election have hit a snag in their election for a local council seat. Who knew there was a centuries old provision in the North Carolina state Constitution that disallows placing into public office "any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God”?

Hahahaha... I can only laugh, because if I think about it any more deeply, I have to say it would make me vomit.

The politician in question, the writer Cecil Bothwell, was elected last month to the Asheville City council. He says on Facebook that he's an atheist, but publicly he's a bit more nuanced-- post-theist, is I believe the term he uses. Everyone seems to agree the US Constitution trumps in this question, and the US Supreme Court has been unequivocal on this topic for over a hundred years, that the will of the voter overrules religious tests. Whatever, it's lovely, and quite interesting, how key issues of the seventeenth century can come back and mess us up here in the twenty-first. All signs point to an epic and costly court battle brewing. The lawyers will just have to size up who the opponents are, so they'll know whom to bill.