alarming new law?

[Paul Finkelman]

Unfortunately, I think Rev. Klingenschmitt denies his own theology when
he asserts that the right (or at least many -- but not all --
evangelical Protestants) are "tolerant."  Those who persist on trying to
convert others -- who denounce other faiths -- are inherently not
"tolerant."  I understand, and respect, that some faiths preach
conversion.  The fine line is between preaching or believing in the
religious value of converting others, and the exercise of that belief in
ways that are intolerant of the values of others.  

This is also true for those who insist on using state space and money to
proclaim their religious views.  Those who want to use public space for
their religious beliefs (putting up 10 Commandments monuments for
example) are utterly intolerant of the beliefs of those who do no share
their religious values.  Almost all of those pushing for public
religious monuments are in fact on the "right." 

When I testified in the Alabama Ten Commandments Monument case I heard
the defendant tell the court that the First Amendment did not apply to
Moslems, Hindus, and Buddhists, because those were not "real religions."
 He was the darling of the right.  His tolerance was clearly limited to
those who accepted not only his religious view, but even the translation
of the Bible in the King James version of the Bible.

  Quoting Will Linden <wlinden at panix.com>:

> On Sun, 16 Dec 2007, Douglas Laycock wrote:
>>
>> As for Rev. Klingenschmitt's claim that the right tolerates all
>> religions, nonsense. There are tolerant folks and bigots on both
>> sides. For the intolerant right, look at the anti-Mormon hostility
to
>> Mitt Romney in Republican primaries; recall the protests when a
Hindu
>> gave the prayer in Congress. In a restroom remodeling project at
the
>
>
>     On the other hand, I have not heard of any protests from
> "separationists" over a witch giving the invocation in the Oregon
State
> Senate. Mind, it was a very nice invocation.
>
> _______________________________________________
> 

Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
     and Public Policy
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York   12208-3494

518-445-3386 
pfink at albanylaw.edu