President Rick Perry in 2012–Surely Not!

Rick Perry has been compared to a “tent revival preacher.” Perry has said:

“We are in a struggle for the heart and soul of our nation…Do we believe in the primacy of an unrestrained federal government? Or do we worship the God of the universe, placing our trust in his eternal, natural laws, and defending his children?”

Perry has expressed his views on non-Christian religions.  Perry attended a service at the Cornerstone church in San Antonio, conducted by Rev. John Hagee.  During that service Rev. Hagee stated, “If you live your life and don’t confess your sins to God Almighty through the authority of Christ and His blood, I’m going to say this very plainly, you’re going straight to hell with a nonstop ticket.”  Perry was asked if he agreed with the comments, and Perry responded:

“It is my faith, and I’m a believer of that”.

Perry rubbed salt in the wound by explaining that there was nothing in the sermon with which he took exception.  Perry explained that he believes in the inerrancy of the Bible and those who reject Jesus Christ as their savior will go to hell.

Perry has participated in a Baptist prayer in public school and then defended his action by stating that he disagreed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that public school prayer in unconstitutional.  The Governor of Texas explained that Texans who are upset over single-faith public prayers should “just be tolerant,” and that the type of prayer offered in a public school should be decided by “majority-rule situation”. Perry has been quoted as saying that he wants to “advance the cause of faith”.

Rick Perry has carried his religious beliefs into the Texas public schools.  Teaching intelligent design has been promoted by Rick Perry, and his spokeswoman called intelligent design “a valid scientific theory,” in spite of the fact that is has been disputed by the scientific establishment and overruled by at least one federal judge.  Under the leadership of Perry, Texas teachers will now be required to cover religious influences of the nation’s Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state.

The First Amendment was ratified in 1791.  Both the establishment clause and the free exercise clause of the First Amendment guaranteed the right of every citizen of the United States to worship, or not to worship, as they might choose.  For more than two hundred years the American Constitution has guaranteed freedom of religion. The establishment clause prohibits the government from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another. It enforces the “separation of church and state.”  The free exercise clause prohibits the government, from interfering with a person’s practice of their religion.

Rick Perry seems to feel that if he disagrees with the U.S. Constitution, he is free to disregard it.  He is WRONG. As the Governor, Rick Perry swore to “…preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States …” His notion of rule by a “majority” when it comes to religious freedom is totally opposite of the express freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution.  As the Governor of one of the largest states in the country, it is essential that he respect, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.  It is unacceptable that if Rick Perry disagrees with any portion of the US Constitution, that he can unilaterally fail to enforce it.  It is offensive that Rick Perry thinks that the notion of “majority rules” should apply to religious freedom.  As the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry is the person charged with the protection of the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution for all Texans.  If he believes he is free to enforce the U.S. Constitution as he personally deems appropriate, then he violating his Oath of Office.

Clearly, the Texas ranks first in the United States for Evangelical Protestants.

The Texas Almanac reported that Texas ranks:

• First in number of Evangelical Protestants, with 5,083,087

• Second, behind Pennsylvania, in number of Mainline Protestants at
1,705,394

• Third in number of Catholics, behind California and New York

• Third in number of Buddhist congregations

• Fifth in number of Muslims

• Fifth in number of Hindu congregations

• Sixth in number of Mormons

• Tenth in number of Jews

While Jews may compromise a small minority in Texas, the population of Jews in the United States is estimated to exceed 6,000,000.

It is precisely because Jews comprise a minority religious population in Texas that it is essential that Jews speak out against Rick Perry.  Even those who represent the majority religious population in Texas must appreciate their freedom to worship as they deem appropriate.  Just as Evangelical Christians would be outraged if their kids were taught Jewish values in school, Jews should be outraged by a Governor who advocates teaching their children religious values dictated by the “majority”.