Christmas One-Upmanship: Yes, Congress, There Is An Establishment Clause

In October of this year, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) refused to vote for a resolution recognizing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. He didn’t exactly vote against it, but instead took no position because he didn’t want people to think he was against government-supported religion. He just didn’t want the U.S. Congress to support one of that religion’s traditions.

He had no problem sponsoring H.R. 847, a resolution “recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.” It passed the House of Representatives Tuesday by a vote of 372 to 9.

Congress this year has passed three religious resolutions: one recognizing Diwali, a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains (King didn’t vote for that one either); one recognizing the beginning of Ramadan; and one celebrating Christmas, Christianity and Christians.

I think most non-binding resolutions are a waste of time, but resolutions commending sectarian beliefs and traditions really make me bristle.

First, they are incredibly divisive. In the words of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, governmental endorsements of religion send a strong message that adherents are “favored members of the political community” and nonadherents are “outsiders, [or] not full members of the political community.”

If King’s flip-flop isn’t enough to convince you they’re disruptive, just compare each resolution’s text.

Christmas is described as “a holiday of great significance to Americans,” whereas Diwali is only of “great significance” to Indian and South Asian Americans, and Ramadan is apparently just a “month of fasting and spiritual renewal.”

These resolutions pay lip service to religious tolerance, but actually evidence religious bigotry in Congress itself. For example, the Christmas resolution “expresses [Congress'] deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.”

On the contrary, language conveying Congress’ “deepest” respect to Muslims, and vowing to stand in “solidarity and support” with the Islamic community “during this time of conflict” was stricken from the original Ramadan resolution.

And what about the millions of Americans whose religious beliefs and traditions (or lack there of) aren’t “worthy” of congressional recognition? Are they outsiders in their own country? It certainly appears that way.

Finally, the Christmas resolution hails “the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States,” while the other two just mention there are a lot of people who observe Diwali and Ramadan. Their contribution to American society isn’t noted.

Language like this seems ripped from the Religious Right’s playbook. America, its supporters say, was founded as a “Christian nation” where Christians and Christianity should dominate all areas of society.

According to Fox News, this was exactly the message King wanted to send. King said yesterday that “the foundation of this nation and our American culture is Christianity.” The resolution was meant to empower Christians to stand up against “attempts to eradicate Christmas” and to “worship Christ…for the right” reasons, King told Fox.

Second, as King’s comments demonstrate, resolutions commending sectarian beliefs and traditions raise serious church-state concerns. The First Amendment Establishment clause forbids laws “respecting an establishment of religion.” Non-binding resolutions aren’t exactly laws, but their messages are the same.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison would be shocked and appalled that the government would even suggest there is a “right” reason to worship.

As president, Jefferson refused to proclaim days of prayer and fasting. He wrote in 1808 that he “consider[ed] the government of the U.S. as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises…. Certainly no power to prescribe any religious exercise, or to assume authority in religious discipline, has been delegated to the general government.”

Madison likewise objected, writing “although recommendations only, [religious proclamations] imply a religious agency, making no part of the trust delegated to political rulers.”

For Christmas this year, I’d like to see Congress honor its founding members’ mandate that religious beliefs and traditions be left to the people.

If nothing else, it’d let Congress get back to work!

Tagged In: