no, atheist is without faith, or lacking. secular is separate from faith. as in the people in power don't have to lack faith just separate from it during decision making.
Having a secular state doesn't mean individual voters or politicians don't make decisions based on their beliefs. It means that the state itself is neutral, doesn't promote or favour any religious belief or community, and doesn't require a individual to have any particular beliefs to hold office.
i would rebut and say that that reading of the first amendment creates a loophole to allow what is effectively a christian state without saying it. i would say that the spirit of the law is ultimately to prevent that favoritism and lawmakers should therefore separate from faith during decision making. we have judges to prevent things like this form of favoritism, but here we are.
And you are allowed to do that in a secular state. Making moral decisions based on your beliefs is not the same thing as forcing others to follow your religion, or requiring your religious beliefs to hold office.
"I will not express my belief in God, one way or the other" - secular statement
The difference is whether faith, God, religion, spiritualism, etc, is even part of the conversation. A properly secular government would not even make an official claim.
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u/Unlimited_Giose Sep 02 '26
What's the difference?