Secularists seek to keep religious arguments out of public square

One of the tactics of orthodox secularists in the "clash of orthodoxies" is to attempt to deny the validity of the arguments of the religiously orthodox because the arguments are based on faith and not reason. The secularists allow that the religious are free to believe and act on their beliefs, "just don't impose your beliefs on the public." In the secularist's view, there is no room in the public square for religion. Though this is the current received wisdom of the secularists, it reverses centuries of American history and millennia of Western history.

This secularist approach is as fresh as the day's news. Recently, the United States House of Representatives passed broad health-care legislation. In order to get enough votes to pass, the legislation was amended to include language that would prevent federal funds for abortions. Laced within the general outcry by abortion proponents was an attack on the role religion played in the passage of the abortion-restricting language.

Huffington Post ran a piece, "Do Catholic bishops run the United States government?" Huffington Post blogger Jane Hamsher wrote, "Democrats in Congress have just proudly signed a deal with Catholic bishops which allows a bunch of old men who have spent the better part of the last century avoiding their own sexual issues to dictate access to abortion services in the House health-care bill."

Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, noting the "hardball" tactics of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, urged the IRS to look into the activities of the bishops. "Who elected them to Congress?" she said. "The IRS is less restrictive about church involvement in efforts to influence legislation than it is involvement in campaigns and elections. Given the political behavior of (the Catholic bishops) in this case, maybe it shouldn't be."

Speaking of "hardball," cable TV host Chris Matthews, red-faced, blasted the bishops for their involvement. "Well I'll tell ya, the clergy should stay off Capitol Hill." Law professors and others also questioned whether the bishops' activities violated the First Amendment. This kind of thinking clearly stands on its head the plain meaning and intent of the First Amendment.

By seeking to freeze out religion and religious arguments from the public square, the secularists eliminate the need to address religious arguments and are free to act as though their often faith-based and unprovable assumptions are rooted in reason and not in faith.

Let's take a look at how these arguments play out in the abortion debate. Again, we return to Professor Robert P. George's "The Clash of Orthodoxies."