The Third Rail-Part II

This is to be a continuation-poking of the third rail topics of religion and politics. As religion shapes individual and collective identities, it is often co-opted by politicians to mobilize voters. Religious identities are used to polarize groups, influence viewpoints, and to establish a camaraderie with politicians espousing a similar religious ideology.

None of this would be a particular problem except for the fact that the guiding principles of morality within the framework of any religion are so quickly abandoned when politically expedient. Religion and religious teachings can provide a moral structure for political activity, but too often those guidelines are twisted and reinterpreted beyond any correlation with the original religious intent. Religion in that instance is a means to an end and not a filter of morality.

In a free society, the adoption of a specific religion like Christianity as state sanctioned, threatens individual freedom of conscience, fosters inequality among citizens, and undermines democratic equality. The core democratic principle of pluralism, where the promotion of diverse viewpoints is seen to be essential, is contrary to the adoption of a single religious viewpoint.

With estimates suggesting that there are over 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, it is understandable that there are a few disagreements of religious philosophy. Even within Christianity that represents 63% of the U.S. population, that group is split with 42% Protestant, 20% Catholic, and the remainder split by other Christian faiths. The next largest group is the religiously unaffiliated. This group is currently growing in number with the decline of Christianity and contains atheists, agnostics, and “nones” or “nothing in particular.” This group is currently estimated around 29%. This leaves the non-Christian faiths of Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu at around 6%.

[It should be noted that most of these estimates from Pew Research were given in ranges and I chose a middle ground for the range when possible.]

The current trend to adopt some version of Christianity flies in the face of the intent of the founding fathers who wrote our Constitution. According to some estimates of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, the breakdown of religious faiths included 28 Episcopalians, 8 Presbyterians, 7 Congregationalists, 2 Lutherans, 2 Dutch Reformed, 2 Methodists, 2 Roman Catholics, and 3 deists. Prominent figures like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Quincy Adams were deists who believed in a rational God who focused on nature and providence but not specific doctrines. Most of our founders seemed to be skeptics of orthodox theology and were seen to be nuanced in their religious beliefs.

While we certainly need some moral structure within our legal system, the adoption of any singular state-adopted religious doctrine represents a threat to freedom of conscience. This confusion of moral principle is exacerbated by a domestic world leader who envisions himself to be God or certainly a god-like figure. I need not remind the reader of his well-publicized breaks with accepted moral behavior. The mere fact that his name is being actively redacted and documents are being withheld in a case involving his association with a group of pedophiles, should give anyone pause. If you wouldn’t trust the president to babysit your attractive teenage daughter, why would you trust him to provide the country with moral guidance?

I would never question anyone’s religious beliefs. It is a matter of personal choice. If a religion offers you solace, peace of mind, or comfort, it should be your choice and yours alone. It should never be a mandate of government. Our government should get its own moral house in order before trying to mandate some twisted version of Christianity for all to follow.

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Postscript: The quasi-religious White House Easter Egg Roll of 2026, is normally is a children-themed celebration of the Easter season. This year’s event was somewhat “unhinged” by some accounts. It featured commentary by the president about gas prices, the war in Iran, and the 2025 drop in egg prices. There were chants of “4 more years” that delighted the host. The event was sponsored by Meta, YouTube, and Waymo. All have financial matters pending before this administration.

Also: For an eye-opening documentary on the dangers of religious extremism, I would recommend Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix. It is a 2026 four-part true-crime documentary series that exposes Samuel Rappylee Bateman, a polygamist cult leader who proclaimed himself a prophet following the incarceration of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. See if you don’t see personality parallels between Sam Bateman and a prominent political figure.