American Core Value -- Religious Neutrality (No Preference for Religion or Nonbelief)

Today, I read as much of Karen Jordan’s A Christian Vision of Freedom and Democracy: Neutrality as an Obstacle to Freedom as I could stand before skipping to the end. It's Roman Catholic propaganda.

Specifically, the article is an apology of Joseph Ratzinger’s (i.e., Pope Benedict XVI) support for a “more moderate use of neutrality principle.” That phrase, however, is code for using government to promote Christianity. Jordan offers this view as an alternative to the Supreme Court's view of neutrality that government may neither prefer one religion over another or religion over nonreligion. As an adherent of secular government, I find the "no preference" view infinitely more appealing.

I had to skip most of the article for fear of overdosing on Catholic theology. The church, Jordan tells us, defines “freedom” as “liberation from sin, and freedom to follow the commandments of God.” As a Catholic-turned-Atheist almost 50 years ago, I’ll take a pass on that unappealing view and go with the traditional view of freedom as being free from government (and church) control.

Last, I would further note that Jordan’s argues that Ratzinger’s believes that current political divisiveness (if not anarchy) is due to the lack of Christian moral values. On that score, I would merely note that the Catholic church, with a long history of immorality, should clean up its own house before meddling in the affairs of others. I'll leave the cause of pluralism for another day.