Conservatives Attack Keith Ellison's Religion

Conservatives are all about religion. Unless it's a different religion than Christianity; then they attack you.

Far-right Jewish talk show host Dennis Prager attacked Keith Ellison for using the Koran in his swearing in process. Prager says by doing so, Ellison will, "undermine[] American civilization." As if this isn't offensive enough, Prager goes on to denigrate the Koran itself. "America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison's favorite book is," the blowhard writes, as if the Koran is some Sci-Fi novel that Ellison happens to like.

Of course, there are some problems with Prager's baseless attacks. From TPM Cafe:

The fact is that Members of Congress do not hold any book when they are sworn in. They simply gather in the House chamber and are sworn in en masse. Prager is referring to the private non-official swearing in ceremonies some Members stage essentially as a photo op.

Oh, but there is so much more from Prager, who obviously does not understand the seperation of church and state.

In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath.

So wait -- Prager is saying you are free to practice your religion as long as you keep it away from everyone else. But for official events, you must use the tome of Christianity. Has Prager ever read the Constitution -- the real writing that members of Congress should be concerned with?

Mark Daniels, a Christian, Ohio State University graduate with a Master's Degree in divinity, writes this on his blog:

irst, there's a little thing we Christians call "the Golden Rule." It was enunciated by Jesus, Who we believe is God as well as human, meaning that His word carries more than a little weight with us.

Jesus said, "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12) As a Christian, I would be deeply resentful if I were forced to use a Koran when I swore an oath of office. Constitutional issues aside for a moment, no person should be forced to use the religious symbols or texts of any faith against their wills.

Christianity insists that no one can come to faith in Christ or be under the authority of God's Word by anything other than voluntary means. For Christians, faith in God is about having a trusting relationship with Christ, not adhering to some values system.

This is the Christian argument against forcing someone to use a Bible even if they do not believe that it is the Word of God. But there is also the Constitutional argument. Again, from Mr. Daniels:

[T]he Constitution clearly states, in Article 6, that there can be no religious test for holding office.

Prager ignores that pesky Constitution, saying basically the opposite of what the Constitution says:

If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress.

That sounds like a religious test for holding office to me...

I could go on all day with Prager's baseless, horrible attacks on Ellison and Islam in general. I mean, the man compared the Koran to "Mein Kampf"!

Would they allow him to choose Hitler's "Mein Kampf," the Nazis' bible, for his oath?

Why does Town Hall let this joker continue to write for them?