Description
Discover 'Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic,' an essential read for anyone interested in the intersection of atheism and American values. This compelling book examines why the First Amendment, while protecting religious liberty, often neglects the rights of atheists. Authors R. Laurence Moore and Isaac Kramnick delve deep into the historical narrative of nonbelievers in America, highlighting how figures like Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll faced public derision and legal discrimination. Through a thorough exploration of legal cases, the authors reveal the ongoing struggle for equality in a nation where God significantly shapes identity. In their analysis, they confront how, even today, an 'atheist awakening' is rising, challenging the religious foundations of American governance. With insightful commentary on landmark cases like Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, this book serves as a critical resource for those advocating for a secular state and the rights of nonbelievers.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780393357264
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 256
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780393357264
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 256
Description:
If the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious liberty, why doesn't it protect atheists?
God occupies our nation's consciousness, even defining to many what it means to be American. Nonbelievers have often had second-class legal status and have had to fight for their rights as citizens.
As R. Laurence Moore and Isaac Kramnick demonstrate in their sharp and convincing work, avowed atheists were derided since the founding of the nation. Even Thomas Paine fell into disfavor and his role as a patriot forgotten. Popular Republican Robert Ingersoll could not be elected in the nineteenth century due to his atheism, and the suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton was shunned when she questioned biblical precepts about women™s roles.
Moore and Kramnick lay out this fascinating history and the legal cases that have questioned religious supremacy. It took until 1961 for the Supreme Court to ban religious tests for state officials, despite Article 6 of the Constitution. Still, every one of the fifty states continues to have God in its constitution. The authors discuss these cases and more current ones, such as Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which address whether personal religious beliefs supersede secular ones.
In Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic, the authors also explore the dramatic rise of an "atheist awakening" and the role of organizations intent on holding the country to the secular principles it was founded upon.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780393357264
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 256
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780393357264
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 256
Description:
If the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious liberty, why doesn't it protect atheists?
God occupies our nation's consciousness, even defining to many what it means to be American. Nonbelievers have often had second-class legal status and have had to fight for their rights as citizens.
As R. Laurence Moore and Isaac Kramnick demonstrate in their sharp and convincing work, avowed atheists were derided since the founding of the nation. Even Thomas Paine fell into disfavor and his role as a patriot forgotten. Popular Republican Robert Ingersoll could not be elected in the nineteenth century due to his atheism, and the suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton was shunned when she questioned biblical precepts about women™s roles.
Moore and Kramnick lay out this fascinating history and the legal cases that have questioned religious supremacy. It took until 1961 for the Supreme Court to ban religious tests for state officials, despite Article 6 of the Constitution. Still, every one of the fifty states continues to have God in its constitution. The authors discuss these cases and more current ones, such as Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which address whether personal religious beliefs supersede secular ones.
In Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic, the authors also explore the dramatic rise of an "atheist awakening" and the role of organizations intent on holding the country to the secular principles it was founded upon.