But certainly freedom of religion includes the freedom
not to believe in a supreme being. Does the oath exclude Hindus and other faiths who believe in many gods?
"Freedom of Religion" is not really a thing. This term is a misunderstood compromise by the founders facing the prospect of making a nation out of many states with different official state religions.
Virginia was Anglican, Maryland was Catholic. Pennsylvania was Quaker, Massachusetts was Puritan.
When the founders used the term "Religion" most of them weren't referring to actually different religions from Christianity, they were using the word in the meaning that we now regard as "Denomination."
They more or less meant "Freedom of Denomination", more than freedom of any religion, but the contextual meanings of words sometimes change over the years.
Jefferson was a notable exception. He probably *Did* mean any and all religions, but at the time the Constitution was written, he was ambassador to France, and had no input in it.
The US Constitution has always had an inherent assumption of a Christian populace. It even ends with the words:
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
When Jesus is specifically referred to in the governing document, just how indulgent of other religions can it be?
-— But certainly freedom of religion includes the freedom
not to believe in a supreme being. -—
Yes, but it doesn’t grant you the right to serve in the military. Given the choice of an atheist or believer with you in a foxhole, which would you trust with your life?
I would think the term “God” would cover all religions!!!