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18 Rutgers J. L. & Religion 1 (2016-2017)

handle is hein.journals/rjlr18 and id is 1 raw text is: IN GOD WE TRUST: THE LACK OF ATHEIST REPRESENTATION ON THE BENCH Elizabeth C. Kingston* Table of Contents INTRODUCTION.........................................2 I. RELIGION IN AMERICA...................................3 A.Establishing Religious Freedom and a Judeo-Christian Nation ................................4 B.Religion in America Today...............................6 C.American Atheism......................................7 1.Atheism Defined ..................................7 2.The Perception of Nonbelief in the United States.................10 3.Current Demographics of Nonbelief in the United States ...............................14 II. Religion in the Judiciary..............................16 A.Religious Demography in the Judiciary................ .....16 B.The Influences of a Judge's Religion on Decision-Making and the Public............................................... 19 1. Religion's Influences in the Judiciary...................20 2. Impact of a Lack of Diversity on the Public.... .............22 C.The Role of Religion in the Judicial Election and Appointment Processes ...............................23 III. Bringing Atheism to the Bench.....................25 Conclusion...........................................32 * Research Attorney, Michigan Court of Appeals. Michigan State University College of Law, J.D., 2016; Grand Valley State University, B.S., Legal Studies, History, 2012. Unless specified otherwise, any opinions expressed in this article are the viewpoints of the author, and do not necessarily represent the position of any institution with respect to which the author is employed or affiliated. The author would like to thank George and Anita Kingston for their support and encouragement.