Some conservative Republicans have complained that Democratic Senators had been using religious tests which effectively prohibited devout Catholics from being appointed as federal judges. It was suggested that the Democrats were engaged in anti-Catholic discrimination. Why haven’t we heard similar complaints bout Judge Roy Moore in Alabama?
Yes, there is an even better argument that Moore is engaging in anti-Catholicism. He erected a massive monument to the Ten Commandments in the Alabama State Courthouse — and he chose the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments over the Catholic one.
Protestants usually use the version which appears in the first Exodus version, chapter 20. Scholars have identified both Exodus versions as having probably been written in the tenth century BCE. Roman Catholics rely upon the version which appears in Deuteronomy and which was likely written in the seventh century BCE, around 300 years later.
Obviously some version of the Ten Commandments had to be picked — so why not this one? Well, why not another? Picking one version rather than another is an example of our government privileging one version over another — and that, in effect, means privileging that particular religious tradition over another. Sure, all Christian denominations share the Ten Commandments, but Judge Roy Moore has communicated the idea that the government of Alabama prefers Protestant tradition over Catholic tradition.
Very much the same thing was the case when Bibles were regularly read in American public schools. Protestantism was dominant across the nation so, naturally, schools used Protestant versions of the Bible — the King James Version. They didn’t use Catholic versions of the Bible. Thus, any Catholic students in school were forced to use the “wrong” translation (which causes all sorts of theological problems) or... well, they didn’t have a choice. And could be beaten if they refused. That’s one of the reasons why Catholic schools were created — Protestant educators were unwilling to even allow Catholic students to use their own Bibles. (See: Abington v. Schempp)
This is one of the reasons why it is inappropriate for the government to set up displays of religious scripture like the Ten Commandments. The government has absolutely no authority to declare that one translation or one version is in any way preferable to any other. Picking one version of the Ten Commandments to display is no better than picking one translation of the Bible for students to read. That’s what neutrality is all about — not taking sides in theological disputes and disagreements.
But Judge Roy Moore isn’t neutral and he appears to have no interest in becoming neutral. I don’t mean simply “neutral” in the so-called “culture wars,” but also neutral when it comes to divisions within Christianity. Devout Christians of all types should be absolutely horrified at the government picking any one denomination, group, or tradition for special treatment. That, however, is exactly what Roy Moore has done. And citizens of Alabama are cheering him on.
What are they thinking? Do they believe that it is appropriate for their government to single out not simply Christianity but in fact their particular version of Christianity for extra support and promotion? Do they really see members of other religions and other denominations of Christianity as second-class citizens who should be forced to help support religious beliefs they disagree with?
Perhaps. There are quite a few Christians in America who are unable or unwilling to distinguish between their ideas of True Christianity and their ideas of American Patriotism. Being a True Christian means being a Patriotic American and vice-versa. When asked “What Would Jesus Do?” they don’t answer “Feed the hungry and house the homeless,” they answer “lower taxes, end welfare, and vote Republican!” Dissent from their conservative political beliefs is blasphemy. Disagreement with their theology is treason.
But is that the sort of America we really want to have?
