Constitutional Thought of the Day

The Court in Members of City Council v. Taxpayers for Vincent, 466 U.S. 789 stated that “The First Amendment, U.S. Const. amend. I, forbids the government to regulate speech in ways that favor some viewpoints or ideas at the expense of others.” Modern philosophy and culture has produced the idea that life can be compartmentalized and dichotomized. However, historical and orthodox Christianity subscribes to a paradigm in which religion cannot be separated from any aspect of life. Therefore, when asking orthodox Christians not to speak of religion, God, or spirituality in a public forum, the official is really suppressing the viewpoint against dichotomizing Christianity, therefore, resulting in favor shown toward certain philosophical and religious views (that life can be dichotomized) and a discrimination against other philosophical and religious views (that Christ prohibits dichotomization of life with Him).