Secular groups protest ‘Godly’ oath on behalf of census workers

Representatives of more than a dozen secular and humanist groups, including the Freedom From Religion Foundation, have signed a joint letter to the U.S. Census Bureau after getting complaints from people about being asked to take a religious employment oath that ends in “so help me God.”

The letter to Census Director Robert Groves urges removal of “such superfluous and divisive language from the oath you administer. As it stands, this practice leads hirees and applicants to believe that Census has a religious test for public office in violation of U.S. Constitution, Article VI, clause: ‘no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.’ ”

The letter continues: “The oath is harmful to those who do not believe in a monotheist god because it implies that the nonbeliever cannot get the job without taking the oath or would lose his or her job if their lack of religious belief were discovered by management. Moreover, the oath has the effect of stigmatizing non-monotheists as outsiders.”

The letter also notes that the Census’ Guide for Training Enumeration states that the “so help me God” phrase is not required and may be crossed out. “Notwithstanding that the cross-out option is available, by having to ask in front of Census officials and other new hirees with whom they would be working in the future, those who object to this religious practice expose themselves to religion-based prejudice going forward. Consequently, the oath has a substantial coercive effect upon Census applicants.”

The letter may be read HERE.

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