Texas Senate hopeful Talarico labels Ten Commandments decision un-Christian

Texas Congressman Critiques Ten Commandments Law

This week, Texas Democrat James Talarico spoke out against a court ruling that allows the state to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, calling it a “very unchristian decision.”

He criticized what he termed “Christian nationalism” and emphasized, “I’m a Christian, but I think the most dangerous form of government is a theocracy.” Talarico, who is aiming for a Senate seat in Texas, believes he has a good chance against the incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. A win for Talarico could disrupt Republican hopes of retaining their Senate majority.

Earlier this week, Talarico condemned the Fifth Circuit’s verdict, asserting that the law could be seen as an affront to various religious groups, including Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, agnostics, and atheists in Texas.

In a narrow 9-8 decision, the Fifth Circuit upheld the law, asserting that it didn’t breach the Establishment Clause or Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution. The majority opinion pointed out that plaintiffs had not demonstrated substantial harm to their freedom of religion.

However, Talarico, who has a background as a middle school teacher and studied theology, argued that enforcing such a law contradicts the Christian calling to love one’s neighbor. “My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. Not just the neighbor who looks like me or believes what I believe, but all my neighbors, including those of differing faiths,” he noted.

Talarico further labeled Christian nationalism as problematic, stating, “The only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks they are on a mission from God.”

While Talarico has long opposed the Ten Commandments bill, describing it as “idolatry,” he took a moment to share a light-hearted jab at Paxton, who praised the ruling. “I don’t know if Ken Paxton is in a position to lecture us on moral values,” he remarked with a chuckle.

Paxton, currently involved in a challenging primary runoff against Cornyn, celebrated the court’s ruling as “a huge victory for Texas and our moral values.” He argued that the Ten Commandments are fundamentally important for students to learn.

In an unexpected response, Paxton accused Talarico on social media of holding views that suggest a lack of morals, claiming, “He is completely and completely morally bankrupt.”

Support for Talarico’s stance can be seen in his assertion that imposing religion through government is undesirable. “To me, the separation of church and state matters. It not only protects the state but also the church from becoming entangled in political power,” he affirmed.