Congressman John Fleming (R-LA) frames the November election in very disturbing terms, drawing from a mistaken view of American religious identity. It's not just inappropriate, damaging rhetoric – though it is that, appealing to easy fears of cultural difference. It's also just plain wrong.
We have two competing world views here and there is no way that we can reach across the aisle — one is going to have to win…We are either going to go down the socialist road and become like western Europe and create, I guess really a godless society, an atheist society. Or we're going to continue down the other pathway where we believe in freedom of speech, individual liberties and that we remain a Christian nation. So we're going to have to win that battle, we're going to have to solve that argument before we can once again reach across and work together on things.
No. We are not a "Christian nation" and never have been. We are not an atheist nation and are not becoming one. And those things are most certainly not at stake in this election. Americans are free to worship as they see fit or not to worship at all. Guaranteed by our Constitution, those things will still be true after November, no matter which party wins control of Congress.
Confusing a choice between competing policy views with a choice between competing religious views is a harmful mistake. If selecting our government becomes the same act as choosing our faith, religious freedom falls aside. And in fact on the issue of divergent religious views, America long ago decided: We will live together. It's enshrined in the Constitution, and it's not up for a vote – not this November, or any. We have only to protect it.
