When both Democrats and Republicans begin to unite in promoting the union of church and state, it signals that the very foundation of American government and our constitutional protections are rapidly coming to an end. When both major parties embrace the merging of religious authority with political power, this is not a revival of faith and freedom but a revival of theocracy, authoritarianism, and the collapse of religious and civil liberty.
Alabama House Bill 178, sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark Gidley, is a proposed law that would require the 10 Commandments to be displayed in K-12 schools. Gidley is pastor of Faith Worship Center in Glencoe, AL, and introduced the measure, which passed the chamber by a vote of 88-11. [1]
What makes this new story unique is that during the open discussion that took place during the vote, Democratic Rep. Patrick Sellers, who pastors Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, gave a fiery sermon on the house floor, turning the chamber into a worship service complete with praises, shouts, and applause.
Patrick Sellers told the legislative body that the 10 Commandments are “what’s missing in our schools. That’s what’s missing in our homes, and that’s what’s missing in our families. You need the word of God.” Democratic Rep. Sellers stated that “every school” and “every child” need it, and that was his reason for supporting the legislation.
The Christian nationalist revival taking place in our country is not merely seeking to place the 10 Commandments in public schools; rather, it is only the beginning of a broader agenda aimed at reshaping American institutions around a narrow, often politicized interpretation of Christianity. Their movement seeks to also normalize government funding of specific religious doctrines, including the enforcement of Sunday sacredness, which aligns with their belief that the government should uphold and even legislate Christian moral codes.
There is a delicate and fine line between the state protecting religion and the state imposing it. In a free society, the government’s role is to ensure that individuals can practice their faith—or choose not to—without fear, discrimination, or interference. This means safeguarding the right to worship, speak, assemble, and live according to one’s conscience.
However, when the state begins to endorse, fund, or mandate religious practices—such as public prayer, religious displays in schools, or Sunday rest—it shifts from protection to promotion. At that point, the government is no longer neutral; it is favoring one belief system over others, effectively coercing participation or conformity. This not only violates the rights of those who don’t share that faith, but it also corrupts the integrity of religion itself, turning genuine faith into a tool of political power.
We were warned that this type of merging of church and state, which is a form of political corruption, will be necessary for the adoption of Sunday laws.
“Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance” (Great Controversy, p. 592).
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