Article VI of the Constitution: “..but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or Trust under these United States.”
Amendment One: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..”
The Republican Party, in order to satisfy its main political support base, religious “conservatives,” otherwise often known as “pro-life” supporters, has violated the Constitutional requirements above for over 40 years.
This is no secret. Republicans have made it very public. They have announced that they will only appoint “pro-life” judges. Their party platforms contain “pro-life” planks. Republicans proudly announce they favor “pro-life” legislation. Election literature often announces this Republican candidate is “pro-life” [except when they want to conceal that!], sometimes listing church membership.
Republican Party political officials will piously say,”I didn’t ask him/her whether he/she was “pro-life.” Or – “That never came up.” They don’t have to. The “TEST” has already been conducted in the very well known Republican Party vetting process. It is extremely unlikely any candidate will get on a Republican “short list” unless their “pro-life” record is already known.
If in doubt about the above, please consider two recent incidents. First, the Harriet Miers example. Republican president George W. Bush nominated Miers to the Supreme Court. The Republican “base” exploded in anger. Miers wasn’t sufficiently “solid” on a number of critical issues. Bush was forced to withdraw her nomination. Second, the slogan, “No more Souters.” Souter was seen as a “failure” by “social conservatives” because he wasn’t dependably far right doctrinaire. Actually worse, Souter was a moderate who supported privacy, equality, and separation of church and state. Republicans vowed to never again make this “mistake”
Don’t forget the Republican rule-twisting hypocrisy of 2016. They denied holding hearings for moderate Obama pick, Merrick Garland, on the false reason it was “too late” in Obama’s term. Then – they said if Clinton won, they’d not allow her to make a Supreme Court appointment for the next 4 years!!!!! Now, of course, we’re told those rules are off the table – fulfilling McConnell’s cynical promise to fill a seat at the end of Trump’s term – the Republican definition of “law & order.” In your face, America. WE decide what is and isn’t “law & order.”
One of the Founders’ deepest fears was four factors might divide the country: abuse of power, slavery, religion, mobs. They determined to prevent this. Their remedy for America divided by religion was Article VI and Amendment One – strict “separation of church and state.”
We have extensive quotes, letters, speeches, etc. from the Founders indicating they wished a complete “separation of church and state.” The early American general public also voiced this. We have testimony during the process of adopting the “Bill of Rights” explicitly stating support for “separation of church and state.”
The “religious right” and Republicans have attempted to rewrite history explaining all this away. They have concocted numerous “legal theories” attempting the same. The current ones are “originalism” and “textualism.” Republican nominated judges/Justices often claim to be able [alone!!!] to read the Constitutional “tea leaves” discovering what the Founders meant – which other historians and Justices have – amazingly – been unable to do!!!!! They have issued some remarkable, often plausible, explanations of the Constitution that everybody has missed for over 200 years!!!!!. And, in another amazing coincidence – the Republican judges/Justices’ explanations are usually identical with a previously expressed [either in private, or publicly] Republican/”religious right” goal!
Ironically, the truth is right there in the printed words above: no religious test, no established church, all 330 million Americans have their own personal religious beliefs.
There were “established churches” in 1789-92 when the Constitution and “Bill of Rights” were written. ll of the l3 original states had one. Nations like England and Sweden and others had one. England had gone through religious warfare determining a successor to Henry VIII. Europe had fought religious wars from 1517-1648. By 1830, all ll original states had eliminated their “official” church. Some Founders even believed requiring a person to financially support the church he himself attended was unconstitutional. Their “separation of church & state” is very clear.
What is an “established church?” It is the official state-backed church that puts its religious dogma into law. All people are required to obey. The “established church” tells you what to think – and historically punished those who didn’t. The scientist Galileo was confine3d to house arrest for correctly describing the solar system. Our own Puritan theocracy punished people with “the scarlet letter.” Dissidents, like Roger Williams, were driven out of the colony.
The U.S. government has recognized at least 200 different churches. They all, under the Constitution, have equal rights. Under an “established church” this cannot happen.
The American Constitution guarantees two religious rights: freedom for; and freedom from. YOU have YOUR own religion, or no religion. YOU are also free from others trying to impose THEIR interpretation on a sacred text on YOU.
The American “religious right” only respects half of those rights. THEIR interpretation of “religious liberty” is THEY, as the owners of “the truth,” have a “biblical right” to impose THEIR religious values on YOU, whether you want it, like it, or not. THEY feel they’re doing this for your own good – because they “know” the truth you don’t.
Here are some religious right quotes from recent years:
-Pat Buchanan, 1992 Republican convention: “There is a religious war going on in this country. It is a cultural war..for the soul of America.”
-Jay Grimstead, National Director, “Coalition on Revival”: “God has given us the Bible as a rule book for all society, Christian and non-Christian alike.”
-Randall Terry: “Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty..are called by God to conquer this country. We don’t want equal time..don’t want pluralism.”
-Robert Jeffress, pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas: “Islam is wrong. It is a heresy from the pit of hell. Judaism – you can’t be saved being a Jew.” In a 2011 sermon he called the Catholic Church a corrupt version of Christianity that sprang from Ancient Babylonian cults.
-Pat Robertson{700 Club]: “You say you’re supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don’t have to be nice to the spirit of the antichrist.”
Here are some Republicans on rape:
-Clayton Williams [TX}: “Rape is kinda like the weather. If it’s inevitable, relax and enjoy it.”
-Todd Akin [MO]: “If it is a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that thing down.”
-Rick Santorum [PA]: “Rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.”
-Richard Mourdock {IN]: “Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen.”
-Jodie Laubenberg [T x]: “In an emergency room they have what’s called rape kits., where a woman can get cleaned out.”
-Lawrence Lockman [ME]: “If a woman has [the right to an abortion], why shouldn’t a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman? At least the rapist’s pursuit of sexual freedom doesn’t [in most cases] result in anyone’s death.”
The Founders were very clear. They believed that YOU should not be dictated to by any church. The “religious right” doesn’t accept this. Do YOU?
The Roberts Supreme Court, dominated by 5 men all raised in one fundamentalist church, ruled in 2020, in “Espinoza” – YOU can be forced to pay YOUR tax dollars to support a church YOU don’t don’t attend, may even strongly disagree with. This overturned 231 years of American legal precedent [ the prejudicial word was “any”!!!!!].
The next question, according to Republican Party and “religious right” plans – is to determine WHO controls her own body – a woman – or the state? This is dictatorship. If you don’ control YOUR own body, then what other rights do YOU really have??????????
wait111 There’s another Republican/religious right double standard:
Since the Republican Party and the “religious right” are on a sacred self-proclaimed “holy mission” – they bare allowed special treatment.
Remember all the details above, the vetting, etc.?
Republicans are allowed to search for candidates who’ll give them a near-100% voting record on courts. There have been 15 members of one fundamentalist church on the Supreme Court. Republicans have put nearly half them on the Court since 1980. This church says abortion is a sin, and wants that in American law. This church is also against contraception, and wants that in American law.
BUT…..
YOU are not allowed to raise questions about this.
because, in their view, THAT would be unfair, would make YOU a religious bigot, an anti-XYZ Church zealot, prejudiced, etc. Any Senate vote against these carefully selected potential Justices/judges is supposed to IGNORE all the reasons WHY the person was nominated [a sure vote on several key issues]
Got that??? They get to do things you can’t – because…. In Your face, America.
WE make the rules.
With Justice For All 