Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick argues there is no separation of church and state in U.S. Constitution

[Zincwarrior]

Dan Patrick...lol. When he was a sports-caster in Houston he used to be hilarious. Looks like he’s brought that comedy to the public sqare as well.

No. He is stone cold serious.

 

[Zincwarrior]

We were not founded as a "Christian" nation. Period.

Some of the original colonies banned Catholics. Others were founded by minorities who banned Anglicans.

Separation of Church and state protects ALL religions.

 

[task0778]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…"


This IS the separation of church and state.

 

[Seymour Flops]

The LT Governor of Texas, the most influential position in the state (history there), as part of a Trump Commission, is arguing there is no separation of Church and State. Given the Texas Republican's sudden fear of Sharia law, this appears to be a terrifying position to take. Thoughts USMB?

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick argues there is no separation of church and state in U.S. Constitution

Patrick spoke as chair of President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, which is planning to make federal policy recommendations in May.

www.kut.org

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick argues there is no separation of church and state in U.S. Constitution​

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks during a press conference on Monday, June 23, 2025, in Austin. Patrick was addressing about Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto the night before of the legislature’s bill to ban THC products.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick argued "there is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state' in the U.S. Constitution." He issued the statement this week in his role as chair of President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, which plans to make federal policy recommendations in May.

"For too long, the anti-God left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country," Patrick said. "During all 7 Commission hearings, witness after witness testified that the so-called ‘separation of church and state' was used to take their God-given religious liberty rights away."

Patrick’s remarks come as Texas is involved in multiple battles over the dividing line between church and state. These include multiple lawsuits over the enforcement of Senate Bill 10, which requires the display of an explicitly Protestant translation of the Ten Commandments in every Texas public school classroom, as well as efforts by Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton — the latter a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate — to target what they call the implementation of Islamic religious law.

Douglas Laycock, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Texas School of Law, called Patrick’s statement a “very old claim from people who want to use government power to impose their religious practices on other people.”

"It is literally true that the word separation of church and state do not appear in the Constitution, but the idea clearly appears in the Constitution," Laycock added.

Sam Martin, Frank Church Chair of Public Affairs at Boise State University, said that, while it is technically true that the words "separation of church and state" do not appear in the Constitution, the principle is shorthand for what is embedded in the First Amendment's ban on a government-established religion.

"Religious people have every reason and claim to make arguments and be in public life," Martin said. "But [Patrick is] not just arguing that religious people belong in public life. He’s arguing for a more privileged role for Christianity in public institutions, and I think that that is less defensible and less in line with what we know about the founding and the Constitution and certainly the way the courts have interpreted rights to religious freedom.”

Patrick said the commission will deliver its recommendations to Trump on how to "safeguard" Americans' religious liberty next month.

"What I think Patrick is doing, and what this commission seems to be heading toward, is attacking the very fundamental idea that government should remain, let’s say, institutionally separate from religion," Martin said. "And that is a hallmark of Christian nationalist practice."

What is your objection to Sharia Law?

 

[initforme]

As a lifelong Christian I am against infusing Christianity into politics. It will ruin religion.

 

[Zincwarrior]

What is your objection to Sharia Law?

The same objection I have to any religious law.

 

[Zincwarrior]

As a lifelong Christian I am against infusing Christianity into politics. It will ruin religion.

Yes, because "who's christianity?"

 

[DStar777]

Note to self and others: The 1st Amendment forbids CONGRESS from passing a particular kind of law. Then a teacher or a football coach will lead a group of students in some sort of prayer.. and all "heck" breaks loose. Some lefty/secularist/atheist will object and attempt to ban the free exercise of religion.. even though the Amendment also says.. "or prohibiting the FREE exercise thereof". Do these people understand the difference between:
1) Making a law.. and.. 2) Freely exercising a religion ??

 

[task0778]

What is your objection to Sharia Law?

My problem with Sharia Law is that sometimes it conflicts with our civil rights laws.

 

[lg325]

Interesting information on the subject of church and state in the book- Baptist Political Theology by Thomas Kidd, Paul Miller and Andrew Walker.

 

[candycorn]

No. He is stone cold serious.

Yeah...I know. Its what makes it hilarious to someone like me. What Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, Madison, Hamilton, etc...all fought for was no national religion.....

But Dan Patrick..the sports talkshow host...knows better

Thats what I find hilarious.

 

[TheProgressivePatriot]

No one wants to impose their religion on Americans, except for a number of libs who have stated over the past couple of weeks that President Trump should bend a knee to the Roman pontiff.

So Christian Nationalists and the Evangelicals don't want to impose theur religion on Americans?? What ******* alt-reality are you living in??