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I have a fairly
straightforward question or set of questions: What does it mean to say that the
United States is a Christian country or that Christianity is, in the United
States, the "official" religion? Is this a descriptive claim? More
Christians than members of other religions? A historical claim?
Christianity has played an important role in American history? Does it mean
we're dedicated to Christian values only? Or perhaps it means that only moral
values acceptable in the United States are ones that are derived from
Christianity? (Which version of Christianity?) Moreover, whatever it means, does
it entail that other religions are unwelcome in the United States, or though
welcome are merely tolerated and should refrain from advancing their values in
the public square?
I would suggest that state
legislatures or Congress can say what they want? Descriptively, this is not a
Christian country, or if it is, it will in the near future no longer be
one. In the future, it might be a Muslim, Hindu, etc. country, and I
think anyone committed to the values of religious liberty and tolerance will
reject the idea that American constitutional values countenance the idea
that this is an X country, where "X" stands for a particular sectarian
religion.
It's not at all clear to me
why committed Christians or committed religionists cannot embrace their
religions without seeking the imprimatur of official endorsement. But if
they cannot, it's important to remember that soon their religion might be
descriptively a minority religion, and the entire framework of constitutional
religious liberty might be reinterpreted into the values of a future majority
religion that Christians might not be terribly fond of.
Domestic religious
imperialists ought to think twice about the reasons for holding up their
faith as the one true faith and seeking to express this commitment in law,
whether they conscientiously believe it or not. And just as soon as
they attempt to make their religion the law by constraining mildly or
ferociously other conscientious practices, many other religionists and
secularists together will reject, even by force, their
imperialism.
Bobby
Robert Justin Lipkin Professor of Law Widener University School of Law Delaware |
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