What would happen if we had an atheist monarch?

[Wookie]

I mean, the monarch has as one of their titles "Defender of the Faith". (Although IIRC Chas has said he wants the title of "Defender of Faiths"; but then he believes in alternative medicine on the NHS and talking to plants, so I think we can fairly safely discount him as an authority on anything...)

If an avowed atheist was made monarch, surely then they wouldn't be able to accept the DotF title? So what would happen? Would Faith have to make its own way and defend itself?

<note to the humour-impaired; yes, there *is* an attempt at mild trolling in this post.>

 

[Alan B'Stard]

If an avowed atheist was made monarch, surely then they wouldn't be able to accept the DotF title?

I'd really prefer an elected atheist President, but that's another argument!

 

[Doctor]

The DotF title should be removed anyway since it was bestowed by the pope for deffending the Caholic religion and these days you can't be monarch and catholic.

 

[db]

The DotF title should be removed anyway since it was bestowed by the pope for deffending the Caholic religion and these days you can't be monarch and catholic.

i thought the pope himself revoked its usage a million years ago, cos he got a cob on with henry viii or something, but an act of parliment reintroduced it with a more anglicised flavour?

 

[Moley]

'God save the queen' would be..................?

 

[Alan B'Stard]

'God save the queen' would be..................?

Sung by the Sex Pistols!

 

[Goldilox]

You could never have an athiest monach - because their right to rule is dependent on the belief that they're somehow annointed by God - otherwise they're just like anyone else but with a big house (Ok several big houses and a parliment, but still - you take my point I hope)

 

[Toble]

You can't even have a Catholic Monarch, as they have to be Protestant.

Or so I believe... (actually I don't believe, but i'm willing to blame climate change on God).

 

[Doctor]

A a constitutionsl monsrchy the power of the position no longer comes from some ficticious diety but from Parliament. I think that the rules on papists is no papists rather than only protestants there for we could have an anthiest, a budhist, muslim, hindu, pagan or satnist but not a catholic.