A recent story in the New York Times touches on conflict between religious denominations. Pope Benedict XVI has unnerved some Jewish leaders by restoring a Good Friday prayer that calls for Jews to convert to Christianity. They argue that years of efforts at establishing a strong bond between the two organizations might now be in jeopardy.
Of course all this comes down to words and their impact. Which reminds me that one of the forgotten reasons why some argued that the Ten Commandments ought not be displayed in government buildings is that Catholics, Jews and Protestants have their own versions of the document. When government makes a choice between one of the versions, isn't it making a subtle choice among the religions thereby giving it priority? Does that bias government in favor of that religion? Does this make the rights and liberties of other religions tenuous?
In my opinion, this is part of the justification of the republican system as argued in Federalist #10: The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source.
Discuss.
