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Anti-Religious Left is on a Roll
It’s not news to describe the Left as anti-religion. But they seem to be unabashedly attacking Christians and Jews more often with little criticism from their own members. Still, some people from the Right are not afraid to speak up. Although Ben Sasse is often criticized for his comments on Donald Trump, his call for the support of religious freedom was admirable.
Senator Ben Sasse called out his fellow Senators on blatantly using a religious test to interview Brian Buescher, nominee for U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska. Mr. Buescher was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and he was disparaged for his membership by Senators Kamala Harris and Maizie Hirono. Senator Sasse wasn’t going to stand for it, and called for a Senate resolution:
. . . to unanimously reaffirm our oath of office to a Constitution that rejects religious bigotry. It is useful to regularly remind ourselves that Americans are a First Amendment people. Each of the five freedoms in the First Amendment: speech, press, religion, assembly, protest, they define who we are.
He also said:
This isn’t a Republican belief; this isn’t a Democratic belief; this is an American belief. This is a super-basic point: no religious tests. If someone has a problem with this resolution, what other parts of the Constitution are you against? Freedom of the press? Women’s right to vote? Freedom of speech? This isn’t hard. No religious tests for serving on the federal bench. We should in this body rebuke these anti-Catholic attacks.
Maize Hirono felt called to respond:
If my colleague, the junior Senator from Nebraska, wants to embrace the alt-right’s position by offering this resolution, that is his business.
The March for Life was just one more excuse for attacking Christians.
Congress has also witnessed attacks on Jews from its own members, particularly from Ilhan Omar, who was challenged recently for her comments on the conspiracy of the Jews to hypnotize society.
Religious people are being condemned from all sides. When our own Congressional leaders fearlessly insist on religious tests and double down on their actions, we should be worried.
How do you see this situation?
Published in Religion & Philosophy
Wow, I don’t have any idea what that means. Can you give me an example of anything that a religious person is allowed to do in the public square, where a non-religious person would be prohibited from doing the exact same thing? (Hint: There actually are a few under RFRA, but that is statutory and not Constitutional.)
Also, I’m curious – where would you draw the line? Is there a line? Flying planes into buildings for the glory of Allah? Can Congress pass a law against that particular exercise of religious freedom? Honor killings? Human sacrifice? What if it is my religious belief that I must use heroin in order to commune with God? Can I tell the DEA to go fly a kite?
I’m also curious as to what practical consequence your position has for the Religious Test Clause. I’ve been told (and I agree) that the Religious Test Clause has no application to voters exercising their franchise. And I’ve been told (and I disagree) that if a judicial nominee promises to “follow the law” then the nominee’s personal beliefs are irrelevant, whether they are religious or not. So what does the Religious Test Clause mean? Does it mean anything? I think it does, but not anything like your description of religious freedom.
For some it’s their primary practice . . .