Maybe it is because protestant Christian and whacko have become synonymous?

Thanks for an interesting perspective.
We can offer a similar lament for the Church since American Protestantism has lost its self-identity. Lack of clarity and mutual ‘calling’ leaves us floundering; and, then we wonder why are cultural influence is fading.

Thank you for having the courage to say this. I agree with you and also feel sad. President Obama is a Protestant Christian and I hope the next justice he nominates (I hope there is at least one) will also share his faith.

I wonder if we as Protestants have become to interested in gazing at our own navels, and have devalued critical thinking, discipline and public service. I see it more as a lament for the rigor of the mainline church than for the supreme court.

You’re upset because Protestantism is not represented on the Supreme Court…are you missing the point of your own point three about the ‘separation of church and state in the 17th and 18th centuries.’ Religion shouldn’t matter. Lamenting says it does.

I am quite intrigued by this point. I believe that change happens through imbalance and good change happens through creative imbalance. The coming plurality may lead to some interesting and positive changes that none of our founding parents or even our our grandparents could have foreseen. My hope is that our nation will continue to be a creatively imbalanced plurality, so that no one theology or philosophy dominates the American Experiment and Conversation.
Your insight is a marvelous addition to this website.

It should make no difference what religion a Justice is on the Supreme Court. Qualifications should be the primary factor for this honored position.
Another woman on the court…YES!!!

Five Roman Catholic justices and three Jewish justices. Five plus three equals eight. What would the ninth justice be?

I am an attorney. I am a Progressive Anglo-Catholic. No judge has ever ruled for or against me on that basis, even when I’ve disclosed that in my papers. I do not care what religion the judge is.The US constitution explicitly outlaws a religious test for any public office, as well it should. What I seek in a judge is basic fairness, a commitment to the rule of law, objectivity, open-mindedness, and courtesy to parties and counsel.
While I can sign on the the primacy of individual conscience, there are limits. Can one rely on one’s conscience if a planned action is objectively wrong, like committing a crime that harms another person? Yes, symbols do mean something but they mean different things to different people. But because for example, a statue of the Blessed Mary means one thing to me and another to other people, that is no reason not to have Her in the Church – who’s to say the meaning person X assigns to the statue is any more valid than that assigned b person Y? Finally, I don’t think religion can or should be absent from public life. Rather, the principles should be those of inclusion and respect. A Christian priest or minister should no more refrain from opening a City Council meeting with a prayer that mentions Jesus any more than a RAbbi should refrain from mentioning Moses, a Bhuddist priest mentioning Bhudda, or an Immam from mentioning Mohammed. To require a total excision of religion from the public square makes all of us poorer by closing our minds to the wisdom of people different from us and demonstrates pernicious disrespect by censorship.

I’m a retired liberal arts teacher and psychotherapist, the background through which I partially view the world. I’m surprised that Ms. Bass, in articulating her main point, an interesting and heart-felt one, doesn’t refer to what is perhaps an equally important one. That is, the question of “why?” For example, what is it about American culture, if anything, that has permitted a tiny minority of Jews to be so eloquently represented by a third of the justices, and the remainder of the Court, Catholics, still a minority. Is a cultural explanation relevant or helpful, or an interesting dead end? The issue is probably more apparent for Jews than for Catholics. Jews have been known as the “People of the Book” for centuries, and their “over-representation” in the halls of medicine, politics (look at who are Obama’s chief aids: Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod), academia, and other intellectually demanding and service oriented areas, is too well-known to be questioned. But why so many Catholics in a country still 50% Prostestant: is there something in the cathedrals or J.S. Bach that makes for good judging?
I have a hunch that no matter how cogent cultural explanations may be,
that they will eventually have to deal with chance, and coincidence. I wonder, additionally, if the best explanations will emerge from an historical perspective, in which we examine the forces in place at the time when each individual choice of justices was made. Do such patterns exist in other areas of history? What may be chance, or coincidence? Here my historical knowledge ends.
But I may be forgiven if I suggest to Don (above) that he re-read Ms. Bass’s article. She indicates that six, not five, justices, are Catholic.

Religion has nothing to do with sitting on the Court. It is strictly a heart condition and the wisdom that comes from having an intimate relationship with our Creator who indwells us and provides the compassion, insight and wisdom to deal with any agenda that comes before those sitting. We are witnessing a world that obviously has left that insight along the wayside. Man has always been in his own way…..since biblical times.

I emphatize with the writer Diana Butler Bass, and at the same time have to disagree with her in one important point. That of religion, I am of the opinion that religion, law and politics should never mix, and one faith should not be a qualification for any position within this United States. Faith does not guranteed equality, fairness and justice, the knowledge of the law does, and the characther of the person exercising the knowledge and power granted.

Firstly,separation of church and state is a founding principle of America, and it was so in part due to the abuse of the power of the state by religious leaders (albiet corrupt pre reformation catholics). You might read George Washington or Thomas Jefferson on that, as well as the idea that men of high standing, honor, and merit can be found in ALL religions. Secondly, I beleive you’re lament for the present demise of protestants in America can be laid to the feet of an unpopular president whose party has claimed (and abused) evangelical confidence for 30 years and who do not exhibit characteristics associated with Christ (homosexual scancals, heterosexual scandals, et al). Might I add fomenting war in Iraq with NO basis, and trashing the American economy with 18th century “laissez faire” philosopy that first failed in the 18th century, all throughout the 19th century, well into the 20th century, nad now the 21st century plus de regulation and no enforcement of remaining regulations as though “Christian” George Bush believed in the essential goodness of man — not that he himself demonstrated it in his policies. Christianity is presently on the wain in American because it has associated itself with failed Republican politicians (God did not invent poliitics, eh?) and monetary policy (God did not invent money, eh?) and taken it’s eyes off Christ. Thirdly, preacher/politicians like the late Jerry Fallwell, and of course Pat Robertson and Ted Haggard, not to mention “Christian” leaders like Ralph Reed dishonor Christ and bring disrepute to Christianity — as well as politics. Both are in disfavor at the moment, and because of their corrupt association and failurs that has hishonored both. All of the names listed here can be “googled” for scandals and the hipocracy doesn’t end there: I could list Newt Gingerich, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, John Yoo and Jay Bybee (torture memo men) and on and on. I have no problem with honorable people on any faith serving in any capacity in American government, but I do object to those who wrap themselves in the flag, shake their bibles at me, and then show me their ass. Lastly, and in summary, it is guilt by association and inbreeding with politicians, direct and indirect, is the cause for the waining of Christianity in America.

Please lets not forget she is a well prepared person. Don’t let religion get in God’s way.

I lament much more than the Protestant/Catholic/Jewish aspect the fact that Ms. Kegan is a lesbian. This is a Biblical abomination. It clearly affects her judgment as stated in her previous positions and opinions. President Obama’s nomination of her, without any judicial experience and with no connection to the life or reality of us comman persons (i.e., she is an elitist), is nothing more than politics. Obama is paying his debt to and is courting (no pun intended) the further favor of the Gay and Lesbian vote! Obama is clearly pro gay marriage, Ms. Kegan surely is. This is pure politics and is not in the best interest of the USA. It is an affront to the God in whom we trust!

“But I may be forgiven if I suggest to Don (above) that he re-read Ms. Bass’s article. She indicates that six, not five, justices, are Catholic.”
It originally read five. Diana must have corrected it.

The confusion over the number of Catholic justices reminds me of another question I wanted to ask: Is Clarence Thomas Catholic? I thought he attended an Episcopal church in Fairfax or Alexandria.

Ken
Regardless of religion, race,country of origin,beliefs,whatever all have sinned and been baboozeled by our arch enemy satan,and all have come short of what God would truly desire for us.We all need his forgiveness in one way or another ,me more than most,but today is the first day of the rest of our lives.We can make choices that are pleasing to Him who sent his only son to die for us.EVRYONE needs compassion,EVERYONE needs forgiveness,Republicans,Democrats,Tea Partiers,No partiers ,or hearty partiers.His forgiveness is for all of us screw-ups.Press on!!!!!!!!!!!

The waning of protestanism in America is due less to politics than to the church itself. It cannot continue to embrace diversity of ideas in an effort to “recruit” the masses. Yet, it has to remain relevant to the times. Protestanism has become so watered-down as a result, it is difficult to know just what it means anymore anyway. Christianity is not the only religion for which this is true. Indeed, I forsee the cyclical return of a stronger than ever GOD IS DEAD movement as more and more people worldwide leave the church. One only need to look at the church in Europe to see that.
Lamenting the loss of the protestantism in America is missing the point. What about lamenting the loss of God in America(and the world)? God has become black and white t.v.. People are looking for something else that has a more colorful, high def, 3D, and even sci-fi viewpoint. Shows on public television bombard us with new scientific information about the origins of the universe. Pictures from new (and older) telescopes are providing incredible images on all kinds of “stuff” from outer space. These may be the future of a new church. One that sees Jesus or whomever as a cosmic “Billy Burke” roaming universes in an effort to “save” them from killing each other. I digress.

It’s too bad this article has taken the form of “separate and unequal” in the sense of justice and religion. Protestanism, beliefs, thoughts and theories can and are just as biased as any religious denomination, hence, the common call for reform and inclusion to encourage and develop more believers. It is amazing that these concerns have not been expressed or issues addressed until this administration and this choice was made. My questions: Does the number of Catholic or Jewish justices really mean anything or possess the power to change as much you think? And second, the reference to affirmative action warrants a more objective view and true definition of what the process was and intended to do. As with most forums and outlets of information, there is an obvious “slant/view” influenced moreso by socioeconomic status, race, gender, political beliefs and traditional mores than the moral and ethical principles that we so loudly profess. As believers, judgement is not in our hands but our Creator and we are not “rubber stamped” to be and think the same thoughts. This society has used and abused faith and spiritual and moral conviction as a means to maintain status quo and keep the power in the hands of a “warped few”, Protestant, Jewish, Catholic or otherwise. God is in control no matter who is in the White House, synogogue, or at the revival.

Does that mean that you don’t think Catholics are Christians? I am an
Orthodox Christian, and there are no Orthodox (meaning truth) judges.
I am just greatful, that there are Christians up there. No matter how
you want to look at it. We all worship the same ONE TRUE GOD. And
secondly, the word Christian means all who believe in Christ. Those
who broke away from the original teachings in the Acts of the Apostles,
are called protestants, because they wanted to change the the original steps set up by the apostles to
suit themselves. Look up in the world book encyclopedia, every Christian religion, and it will tell you who established it and when and why. I suggest you just appreciate that there are Christians on the
panel.

I agree with all of the commentary except for the separation of church and state. In the beginning and when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, there was no separation. Even after they settled in the promised land, they were guided by God and were victorious as long as they obeyed. It was only after they decided to do things their own way that they decayed and were overcome.

This is a thinly disguised commentary about the god-given gifts granted solely to protestants. I am sorely disturbed at seeing this kind of anti semitic and anti catholic bias clothed in thin veneer of intelectualism. Some of the most unthinking, biased and cruel people I know are protestants who believe they are saved in Jesus Christ and have all the answers. Can we not do better than this.

I do not believe in an individual church. But for for me it is a relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ.

While I am not particularly a fan of Elena Kagan, your inclusion of political commentary about her on your email circulation today means that instead of being the Christian “Daily Bible Reading” e-service you represent yourself to be, you are actually a convert political advocacy/ policy entity instead.
Rather than parading around representing your self as a spiritual/ scripture focused service, since you are apparently also a political entity, you ought to have the integrity and ethics to overtly represent yourself as such.
Jesus was not a proponent of FALSE ADVERTISING, MISLEADING REPRESENTATION OR INCONGRUENCE of any kind.
This is not the first time I have emailed you about the exact same issue!!!!! Your response when I emailed you about this dynamic last time (during the last presidential election) was to reply in “apology”…………Yet, the same ethical violation occurs once again today.
Since you are determined to be of a political ilk, have the courage and decency to start a separate political commentary e-service (that subscribers can volitionally consent to be a part of, if they choose to) and stop cloaking political agenda behind the facade of scripture dissemination.

Lest we forget………..Jesus was a “Jew”……….I don’t think Christ would share your view on this…….in Christ’s name

I appreciate your lament, Elena, largely because I had a similar thought this morning. I don’t feel qualified to interpret you as others seem to have done, but my thought stemmed more from the fact that something that has been present is present no longer — a particularly Protestant worldview — and I wonder about the impact that will have on future decisions, especially as they may affect me personally. This is not a put down of people from other religious or non-religious traditions. It is not to put down people of the only 2 religions that will be represented once Kagan is confirmed. Nor is it a put-down of her as a nominee. It’s simply me, having lived through quite a few decades and seen a whole lot of change, wondering about another “new day” (so to speak) in a very fast-changing world. I’m curious as to how this change will play out. What softens the change for me is that Ms Kagan worked for Thurgood Marshall — and I admired him very much.

I am a Protestant Minister, but I don’t really agree with this post. In my experience what Ms. Bass identifies as “Protestant sensibilities” are not exclusive or even indicative of Protestants today.
These characteristics are likely to be found in people of varying religious traditions (or no religious tradition), and are likely not to be found in many Protestants.
I think the lament may more accurately be for not having certain kinds of Protestants on the Court.

Our confidence has to be in the One True Judge who will not judge based on one’s culture (Jew vs. non-Jew) or even one’s religious persuasion (Roman Catholic v. Protestant), but rather based on one’s relationship with Him. He will lead and guide us into all truth, and His truth will stand the test handed down by this world’s highest courts, and His truth will last forever. As Christians, we need to put our faith to work and stop worrying about things God has given us assurance of — all will stand before Him, the One True Judge, and He will judge in righteousness and truth.

I was very surprise this morning when I read your article, I always enjoy reading them but this time I read like I was reading the news and all that depressing information. I totally agree Rev. La Donna. I just know by heart that when politics and religion or faith are in a debate or article turns into a deep mix or emotions and get very complicated. Let’s just as Jesus said: Give to God what belongs to God and to Cesar what belongs to Cesar !!! Have a great day !!!!

Sorry to disagree, but Ms. Kagan is a practicing lesbian, and a militant activist who has no judicial experience, and very little law practice experience, so I do NOT believe that she will make a “fine and fair justice.” She believes that the president’s decrees should be of overriding value in determining law (from her own writings!), and appears to value international law over our Constitution. That does not reassure me that she will be a fine and fair jurist for the highest court in the land. I also believe that, as a Christian, I have much to fear from her overtly hostile attitudes toward Christianity in the decisions she will make as a justice. Ms. Bass I think you are unduly sanguine about this woman.

I enjoyed the article, and it gave me much to think about.I have read up on this nominee, and I am very disturbed that being a lesbian is against GOD’S LAW. Not allowing the military on campus was wrong against America. Being Jewish has nothing to do with all this. She is very intelligent, but if she can’t follow GOD”S law; how can she sit on the Supreme Court of laws? I wish Obama had given more thought, but I forget that he thinks we are NOT a Christian Nation! I think it would be very beneficial for ALL Americans to go back and read the history of the founding of our country. The priciples we were founded on were GODlY. Until the Power of Love overtakes the Love of Power we will continue in this downward spiral!

This is one of the most unfortunate articles I’ve ever read on Beliefnet, simultaneously promoting sectarianism and misinformation. First and foremost, the Constitution of the United States prohibits religious tests for holding office. Second, it is absolutely a false reading of American history to posit that our laws were shaped by Protestant theology. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, nominal Protestants, were explicit in stating that neither the American government nor American laws were in any way founded on the Christian religion. It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Third, there is no unanimity among Protestants on the so-called three general convictions upon which Ms. Bass concludes her argument. Indeed, a number of sects are actively agitating to eliminate separation of church and state. Please, no more such nonsense.

I agree with the comment made by the ChristianProtestant that speaks the truth!
Be careful Americans, we as Christians must Stand up for our Rights and write our Senators and Congressmen and let them know to stick with the PRINCIPALS OF OUR FOREFATHERS!

It seems to me Miss Bass, that you have contradicted yourself in your final paragraph. After all of that jibber jabber in the rest of your article, you then contradict yourself by saying “Elena Kagen will make a fine and fair justice………Missing from the bench upcoming years will be someone who empathizes with the Protestant worldview in a visceral ( instinctive, deeply or crudely emotional)way.” So tell me, what is fine and fair with this. Where does the Liberty and justice for all come in with Only Catholic and Jewish Judges? It is not a conicidence that the judge retiring, retired in just enough time to get an Obama chosen judge in office just before the November election, at which time we will gain back enough Republican seats to oppose any unfair choice he may make. The big mess Obama vowed to clean up, he has quadrupled, and is continuing to do so. With oil spills, hurricaines, tornados, and floods, not to speak of bombings, and attempted bombings, what is he doing? Certainly not being president. He’s running aroung visiting college campuses, doing commencement exercises and vacationing, actually spreading his political lies around hoping to pick up some votes in the coming elections.

I think we’ll find that “affirmative action” has indeed been applied in the selection of Ms. Kagan.

It is ironic, while taking issue with islamic fundamentalism and pointing fingers at islam believers for their fanaticism, the moral majority labors to impose narrow conservative views encouraged by right wing religeous zealots in the Bush administration. Now the litmus test is advocated to select a Supreme Court nominee. What a disaster! No wander, the present Court siding with conservative religeous views and deeply influenced by religion is now a most serious threat to the constitution and to democracy. The question of more protestant philosopy to influence the debate and choice of the next Supreme Curt Justice is but an aberration.

It just seems to me that someone needs to come out and tell the American public about the implied state religion: capitalism. If you have enough money in this country, you can do pretty much whatever you want.

After reading the posts and the other blogs on this subject, here on Beliefnet, it is VERY apparent that if one isn’t Christian, they are of no worth and certainly shouldn’t be allowed to serve in government.
These articles show that religious bias and intolerance is alive and well in the U.S. Instead of wanting to know if the person is qualified and will they serve, people are more concerned because they’re not their flavor of Christianity, which shows that someone who is of a different faith, not Christian or Jewish, isn’t wanted.
Land of the free…yeah, right.

Ms Bass is significantly off-base. In my observation, the general Protestantism that she describes hardly exists. For example, she states that “Protestants hold central the idea that nothing should or can impede individual conscience. . . . Protestants of all sorts emphasize the free expression of individual rights and conscience. Those individual rights can–and do–empower liberation and freedom against corrupt institutions and unjust states. Woe betide one is perceived as disagreeing with the commonly accepted beliefs of the largely Protestant, Evangelical right. In particular, where is the open-mindedness to accept political compromise. Where is the acceptance of “individual conscience” on the issue of abortion. Btw, abortion is a reality that I loathe, but choose to accept.
Yes, Protestants know and accept the power of symbols in public spaces. No problem as long as the symbols are Chrisitian and/or nationalist. The nation, may have been founded largely by persons with various levels of belief in Deism & Christianty; we are a pluralistic country now. It seems they rarely accept objection to the display of Christian symbols, or for that matter symbols of nationalism. I would suppose that nearly everybody on the planet accepts the power of symbols.
As to the separation of Church & State, it seems to me that until relatively recently, there was an implied acceptance of Protestantism as a national religion. It’s influence was pervasive because most elected officals, as well as judges, were Protestants.
Quite frankly, I wouldn’t object in the least if a Buddhist, a Muslim, or even an atheist [gasp -- how likely is that?] were appointed to the SCOTUS.
How about accepting gracefully the nomination, as directed by the the Constitution,of an extremely well-qualified person by the current President of the United States.

Prior to the 20th century, wasn’t the entire court always white, wealthy male protestants?
I’m always a little amused and amazed by people complaining and “lamenting” about affirmative action allowing Catholics, Jews, females and non-white people to hold positions of power. Wasn’t there hundreds of years of “affirmative action” for white, male, wealthy, protestants?
Do people really miss the oppressive, unfair system that favored white wealthy well connected protestants in favor of a competitive meritocracy that focuses on people’s skills rather than their economic background, gender, skin color and religious affiliation?
From what little I have read about Ms. Kagan it looks like she worked hard and is bright. Shouldn’t that be rewarded?

My question for the self rightous Christians who have decided that Ms. Kagan is a lesbian…HOW do any of you KNOW this? Where is your proof? Just because a 50 year old professional woman isn’t married doesn’t mean anything. Every woman in this country who isn’t married to a Male isn’t gay. Now, IF she is a lesbian, who the heck cares? How in the world will that have ANY affect on legal decisions that are decided by the Supreme Court? It wouldn’t. So if you find homosexuality offending to your sense of “right”…fine. Just remember, your version of a god isn’t everyone’s.

Oh, forgot…why does it matter if there are no Protestants on the SCOTUS? It doesn’t. The faith/religion of a candidate for the Court isn’t part of the qualifications. It’s called “separation of church and state”.

Is this woman just plain crazy or only stupid. What a ridiculous observation, and I’m surprised that this site would even highlight such gibberish….I suggest she check her history books, going back to the missionaries that destroyed so many societies, including our own Native American cultures.
This is disgraceful!
President Obama is more than qualified to place his nominee’s in running for the Supreme Court. The Bush Court certainly hasn’t helped America…..they stole the presidential election. Is that what we’re now considering moral values??!!

I believe that God’s will has been done…because His will, ultimately, is always done. No matter how we want circumstances to be, we must never forget that He is always in charge and has the final say. I am recalling a verse from His Holy Bible….”all things works together for good…” This means, what does not appear to be perfect to us…is perfect to God. For He knows exactly what is going on and only what He allows to happen…happens. His thinking is so much higher than ours and again I am recalling that His Holy Word says…’His ways is higher than ours…as the heavens is higher than the earth…” We cannot always understand Him…we can only…trust Him. Blessings.

I want to make it perfectly clear that I am a progressive Anglican, a.k.a. “liberal Protestant,” and that my words or article in no way, shape, form, or intention is a criticism of either Roman Catholics or Jews. I am deeply grateful for all that Catholics and Jews have contributed to American culture–including law and politics. If anyone reads my article in such a way that it fuels either anti-semitism or anti-Catholicism, you have read my words through your own lens of prejudice, and not through my feelings, experience, or beliefs.
My words are simple and straightforward. I am simply regretful that my own tradition will not be at the “table” of Supreme Court deliberations, for I believe that every religious group adds its unique perspective to the questions at hand, the Constitutional issues that will shape the future for our children and grandchildren and for the global family. As an adherent, a faithful liberal Christian, I am sad for the fact that my community–a community that was once dominant on the Court, will no longer be there. I do not doubt the capacities of those currently at the table (except, quite honestly, those of Clarence Thomas–for political and not religious reasons!), but wish the deliberations of the highest court in the land might include a broader range of religious backgrounds. And that includes the perspectives of those who might be Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, or from a native religious tradition. Perhaps the Supreme Court isn’t big enough to embrace the full pluralism of our society–maybe it should be expanded to 15!

I can just feel the diversity and acceptance of some of you liberals in your posts. If Bass had lamented the lack of an Islamic on the court, you libs would have agreed. However Bass in her editorial as a biproduct expose the intolerance of the so called “tolerant” liberals. She mentions that this country has had a high percentage of Protestants in its population however no Protestants are on the Supreme Court. This is partially due to the intolerance of the liberal Democrats in Congress who seek to shoot down any conservative. Tolerant liberal is a disguise for religous bigot.

To our author on sadness in losing protestant presence on court:
Don’t fret. It is inevitable that certain actions, movements, changes
and incidents portray and provide evidence of our nation’s demise.
Rome eventually, over significant time, fell apart from within. The
original passion of its creation was lost slowly over time, with little effort made to regain that determination and originality of
purpose, goal and ultimate perpetuation. People and groups just kept
coming up with patchwork responses, with little or no relation to the
foundings.
Mr. Lincoln warned us that our eventual destruction would not come from the outside, but from within…his clear reference to moral and
core corruption. We are all so drowned in “political correctness”
and strangled by sensitivity to every possible position on religion,
politics and gender, that we have clouded our vision of what brought
us to this fantastic effort and founding in human nobility, far beyond any nation, culture, and empire before…The United States
of America. Change may be inevitable, but it must be guided by
principles that do not change, so that the structure and framework
remains secure. Protestantism is critical to our Nation’s success.
God help us.

???”one of America’s oldest and most traditional religions”???
“Protestantism” is by NO means “one.” Many non-Catholic Christians do not consider themselves Protestants. They are not members of sects which separated from the Catholic church. Religious differences of non-Catholics in this country are far from being “one.” I don’t know how devout Ms. Kagan is, but there are many Jews I would rather have on the Supreme Court and in other branches of government than many Protestants, with their liberal political views.
I would worry more about her status as a lesbian (which I have not heard other than in these comments) than about her being a Jew. Am Yisrael Chai.

JTWebb:
” I would worry more about her status as a lesbian (which I have not heard other than in these comments)than about her being a Jew.”
I haven’t heard the lesbian speculations either (and that is probably just what they are…speculations) except on some B’net posts. However, IF she is…why would you be concerned? What difference does it make in her qualifications for the job?

It does not matter where the subject comes up, obama is not a Protestant in any form. He is an internal muslim extremeist bent on the destruction of our nation by any means possible. The addition of any person who is not normal to such a high office should never have taken place; the addition of a lesbian in any form to the Supreme Court is a gross injustice to the American people. It will only help to degrade the US one step further with her decisions now favoring placing more disturbed personalities in places where only normal people should be. By normal, I mean someone who is a God fearing person dedicated to what is right, proper , and just according to the Word of God revealed in the Bible. Anything done outside of this direction will lead to more destruction to our country by the so called elitists, progressives, liberals, and far left democrats whose policies have already eroded our once free country. Any of you out there can say what you want against our one true God as it is the privilege he has given to you in the form of free choice, but one day you will come to know the truth when you will bow to his knee & wish you had believed and followed his gift of life through his son, Jesus. You can rant and rave about what I’ve said here in these few sentences, but if you do, you are a sorry sort of American. You didn’t put your life on the line in the many wars our forefathers fought and what we continue to do today to maintain a free country where all are free to do as they please; some of us have done so. you are the ones who elected an illegal President who is not an American citizen, but a citizen of Indonesia, raised a muslim, and is still a muslim to the nth degree. He & his family do not love our America, they have total disdain & hate for it.Shame on you for putting such trash in power to destroy us !! If you do not like America as she was originally setup by our forefathers, then leave us for the country of your choice where you can be in serfdom to some ruling tyrannical despot as we now are facing. If you can’t respect our language, our flag, our constitution, and our country which is founded upon the Judeo-Christian principles, then go!

First of all, President Obama is NOT and never has been a Muslim. Just keep on trying to put that scare tactic out there but it won’t fly! I also saw a picture of Elena Kagan with her family. I don’t know what members of her family they were but it matters not if she is a lesbian. I am concerned that she advised President Clinton to ban late term abortion for political reasons. there are many medical reasons for this decision. Where could one get the idea that any American Christians are NOT Protestants? If you are a Christian and you are not a Catholic you are by definition a Protestant. Get a dictionary.
President Obama was born in Hawaii and has lived for many years in Chicago. He attended college in the US. His Grandfather was Muslim but not even his grandmother – the wife of that grandfather – was Muslim. I think you just like to promote lies, Dean!

Am a protestant prebyterian since birth,grew up as a pastor’s kid, theologically trained in a southern baptist seminary, but all these don’t keep me from violating and trampling the law of the land. All these religious activities and involvements are not guarantees that one will be a much better citizen. What matters most is a peronal and a living day-to-day experience with The God whom you recognize as the Creator and and ruler of this world. Our country, the Philippines, is rulled by Catholics and Protestant but our number one problem today is graft and corruption. While Catholics and Protestant are dominant and guilty of graft and corruption, muslims on the other hand are guilty of selling pirated CDs. We have people claiming their faith in God, but our problem prevails. Just in our recent election, taking the case of our own town, people shifted their votes to another candidate just because he gave the voters a much bigger amount. People are moved by momeny and not by their faith. Unless one has fully internalized ones faith, all forms of religious involvement will be futile.Our great national hero Apolinario Mabini said: “No matter how the government renews itself, if there is no change in the hearts of the people, all its efforts will be equivalent to naught.”

“If you are a Christian and you are not a Catholic you are by definition a Protestant. Get a dictionary.”
Don’t forget Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mea! They’re neither (Roman) Catholic nor Protestant. Protestant churches by definition are those churches that arose out of the Reformation in sixteenth century Europe–Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregationalist, Anglican, Methodist–and their successor churches.
And some church historians don’t think the term Protestant accurately applies to Pentecostals.
Mea is absolutely right, though, about President Obama. He is NOT and never has been a Muslim. Dean, you are bearing false witness; you need to be careful.

Pres. Obama was baptized in the United Church of Christ. The Navy Chaplain who preaches at Camp David is a Southern Baptist. Muslim?
What part of “thou shalt not bear false witness” don’t you understand?

I agree with the lament of the writer it is sad to see such a change on our high court. Where I must disagree with the writer is I do not feel Ms. Kagan will be a fair judge. She is a liberal activist and will take that to the Supreme Court. We MUST call all our Senators, Democrat and Republican, and tell them not to support this nomination. I pray for our country leaders every day and with actions like this, boy! do they need it!

I too am sad. 50 % of the court should be protestant.
I hope that Kagan is not confirmed by congress, because she has absolutely no experience as a judge, and is therefore unqualified to be a Supreme Court justice (plus there is no track record with which congress can evaluate her). What was Obama thinking?

I too am sad. 50% of the court should be Protestant.
I hope Kagan is not confirmed by congress, because she has absloutely no experience as a judge and is therefore unqualified to be a Supreme Court justice (plus there is no record on which congress can evaluate her).

interpreter:
Sorry(not) to hear that you are “sad” because the current nominee for the Supreme Court is a talented professional woman with so many qualifications for this court it is unreal, and she happens to be Jewish. She can be evaluated by her past record as Dean of the law school at Harvard and other posts she has held (read about them, if indeed you read). She also has argued before the Supreme Court….that could be called “experience”. There have been justice’s in the past who did not have positions as judge before their nominations/confirmations. There are many qualifications she can ge evauated on.
There is a very good change she will be confirmed….thus no Protestant’s.
Why should 50% of the court be Prostestant, interpreter? What differnce does it make what religion a justice is? Really, what difference?
Last question? What “horseman” is this in your opinion?

What difference does it make if they are catholic, jewish, or protestant? I noticed one of the comments pointed out that Ms. Kagan is a lesbian. So what! I am sure that will not get in the way of the cases brought before the supreme court. As far as her not being a Judge, again so what. It’s like any other job. How can you get experience if they won’t hire you? Give the lady a chance.

So SarahB is blaming all that has happened [including BP's oil spill, as well as natural phenomena, i.e., storms, etc] on the President [see quote pasted here]. To accuse the President of excess “vacationing” is laughable following 8 years of a President who racked up more personal away time, nap time, vacation ranch time, etc, than any of his predecessors period.
The big mess Obama vowed to clean up, he has quadrupled, and is continuing to do so. With oil spills, hurricaines, tornados, and floods, not to speak of bombings, and attempted bombings, what is he doing? Certainly not being president. He’s running aroung visiting college campuses, doing commencement exercises and vacationing, actually spreading his political lies around hoping to pick up some votes in the coming elections.
Several of these posts are text book examples of the old saying: “There’s none so blind as they who will not see.” And I expand upon that to note, there’s none so deaf as they who will not hear. Ultimately people believe what they want [feel comfortable] to believe. Live and let live, citizens. Live your own life humbly and quietly according to you beliefs. Avoid interferring with me doing the same.

Back when the GOP was in the business of nominating supreme court justices, Sen. John Cornyn (R) noted that “40 percent of the men and women who have served as Supreme Court justices” had no judicial experience.
Anyway, I argue that our court is as Protestant as it can be, as measured by the criteria in the original article:
Individual conscience: No court but a protestant court would’ve found a way to extend free speech rights to corporations.
Symbols: At least where I live, every other Protestant church has an American flag up front in the sanctuary. I’ve never heard of a Protestant arguing for empty public space, but I’ve heard a lot of Protestant arguments for putting the 10 commandments in courtrooms. Protestants don’t avoid symbols; they want to force worship of theirs.
Separation of church and state: Are you kidding me? Protestantism is the closest thing we have to a national religion. Gays cannot adopt foster children in my state, and the amendment to our state constitution to make that happen was driven solely by Protestant religious groups. That is not separation, that is church becoming state.

that’s too bad for the americans but can anyone give us the big difference between catholic, jewish, and protestant !!!
really that’s so confused !!

It is always interesting to hear someone bring up the Church and State issue. It is a bogus inference in almost every instance I hear it! We have forgotten the Founding Fathers, their faith and their devotion to God, making this a most definite Christian Nation, founded upon Christian principles of truth, honesty, faith, hope, and trust in God! Our Constitution was inspired by Christian virtues….but now there are those who seek to deny that this is “One Nation Under God”! America is a choice land because of our Christian heritage where freedom and liberty have been respected until socialistic/communistic values have been infused into government, and the people have been lulled into carnal security by government entitlements; bailouts; rebates etc.! Wake up America, you are being deceived! Think and reason for yourselves, and read about your Founding Fathers and their sacrifices for your freedom and liberty!

P.S. It doesn’t matter what religion one is in America, all are entitled to worship how, where and what they please! It is a Constitutional protection! We may not agree or embrace….and that is o.k. and we cannot infringe upon the freedom of religion in America….even though there are some who now would deny us the right to say prayers in public;display Christmas; display the Ten Commandments etc….has anyone bothered to look at the religious symbols carved in some of our National Monuments and Buildings??? They are truly symbols attributed to our Founding Fathers and their religious faith and beliefs upon which this Country was founded….they didn’t all agree….but were united by the prayer of Benjamin Franklin…..and they got the job done of writing the Constitution of the United States of America…..God heard the prayer of a God fearing man! Thank you Benjamin Franklin! You are a true Patriot….along with all of the other Founding Fathers of this great Nation!!!!

Lookbeyond
May 13, 2010 8:11 PM:
We have forgotten the Founding Fathers, their faith and their devotion to God, making this a most definite Christian Nation, founded upon Christian principles of truth, honesty, faith, hope, and trust in God!
endquote
Oh, my.
First, the obligatory: I am a Christian.
Really. Just, I being a Christian does not blind me to historical fact.
Lookbeyond, your ignorance of the founding fathers and their commitment to this country not being a “Christian” nation together with their enormous striving to achieve separation of church and state is frightening.
More so because you aren’t a raving lunatic.
Please, take some time to actually learn about the Constitution. Read it.
Read the Federalist Papers.
Read Thomas Jefferson, especially on just this subject in the Treaty of Tripoli. I’ve attached a link to make it easy to find original texts. Not my favorite people, just accurate source.
I hesitate to think in too broad of generalities, but, yes. I do believe it has become increasingly difficult to ignore that few protestants have really defended Christianity against the takeover of our religion as a State-religion.
I don’t care whether a Justice is Christian, Jew, Pagan or even agnostic. Atheists and Muslims tend to be too black and white in their thinking for my taste, but, to cite the Constitution again, there is and absolute prohibition against requiring any religious test for office.

Panthera wrote:
Atheists… tend to be too black and white in their thinking for my taste.
Hey, Panthera, I know how you can resolve that dilemma. Invite an atheist home for dinner and relate to her/him ONE piece of evidence that God exists. Mind you, you don’t need any “proof”, just ONE (1)piece of scientific evidence of any kind of the existence of what people generally refer to as “God”.
Get busy on that right away.

I heard this person today on Warren Olney’s show and could not believe my ears. Her statement concerning how tolerant Protestants have been historically would indicate she has no history knowledge from the 16th century on. (see Ireland, murder and famine introduced to the Irish people by tolerant Protestants, available in almost any history book, encyclopedia or conversation with anyone remotely intelligent). This has continued unbroken until the present day (see Ian Paisley, Protestant Minister and leader of the Protestant anti Irish, anti Catholic movement in Northern Ireland). As well as that I wonder how many native American were killed and robbed of their “heathen” practices (language, music etc.) by these tolerant loving Protestants!
I say good riddance to the Protestant ascendancy and all who need it to feel like they are God’s chosen.

Lifeform,
Either you were indulging yourself in a bit of double entendre humor (which I hope) or you missed the point.
I truly do not know what I find more annoying, the arrogance of “Christians” who “know” God hates me as a homosexual because “God said it, the Bible wrote it, I believe it” or the Christopher Hitchens wanna-bees who have made a religion of denying the existence of anything beyond their ability to empirically experience.
Now, speaking as someone trained in the natural sciences, I must gently reprove you. Logic requires falsification, not proof.
You can’t disprove a negative with English. The syntax simply does not suffice.
Symbolic logic is a wonderful way to prove or disprove whatever you desire – just define the constraints at the beginning to achieve your goal at the end.
Goodness me, though – why on earth should I seek to deprive somebody of their religion of non-existence? If it makes them happy to believe something which is rationally incapable of disproof, then who am I to doubt their faith?
captcha: xmas even
Wow.

Very interesting discussion and obviously this is what America is all about. Freedom of expression. We need to be able to share without offending one another. In the beginning the bible, not any other document, was used to establish the first government of the United States. Obviously the main reason was that this new country would be guided by the prinicples established in the bible. They also understood and went further to separate the church and the state. I believe that any discussion we have should be based on biblical principles. Man is on the path of self destruction and we can bring a halt to it once we learn to respect one another. The democratic process will continue as voting is one of the requirements to Kagan’s acceptance in the court.

sooninamerica,
I have to disagree with you there – vehemently. The United States was never governed by “The Bible”.
This is one of the myths which conservative Christians have very successfully propagated over the last years. A myth made possible by the loss of proper civil studies and serious teaching of American History in our schools.
I am a Christian. I read the Bible daily. I also have read extensively on the foundation of the US and, frankly, no.

What about England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland? All of them have established churches. In Germany, the churches get state-collected tax money from people even if these people never set foot in church.
Do you like establishment in Europe but disestablishment in the US? Why not protest the link between church and state in your Episcopal church’s home country, England? There, bishops sit in the legislature and their head of state not only can’t be Catholic but can’t even marry one, even though they’re probably going to have a law that says people of the same sex could get married. How contradictory is this?
Or are the Protestant churches in Europe too feeble for anyone to take them seriously or worry about them, so long as they’re basically “social democrats in vestments” and no real threat to the ruling groups in those countries?

If the US Supreme Court was representative of American religious community, there would be four Protestants, two Catholics, one Jew, one Buddhist and one Muslim.
Six Catholics and three Jews is not representative.

Panthera
May 17, 2010 8:19 AM
sooninamerica
“I am a Christian. I read the Bible daily. I also have read extensively on the foundation of the US and, frankly, no.”
I don’t get,”The United States was never governed by “The Bible”.
You say you read the Holy Bible, then why do you not believe it? And,
as erudite as you seem to be by your writing, do you not know that America’s oldest Universities started with the Bible as their basic reading? Christians are neither conservitive nor liberal; they are Believer’s in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You are wrong in your facts, dear Panthera. The Lord bless you and show you the narrow road.

Is there any protestants left in America ?

I think three or anyone group is wrong, but since she is jewish. I must step a side, because I have some German in my roots. I think six catholics is way to much. why not a buddhist or hindu or whatever then Christian perse. Are not we support have people of all types ? America was clear influnce by Protestantism, this can not be denial. But, if were honest most of founding fathers were not tradtional Christian ,but diest. Washgton did not believe in risen Lord Jesus nor did Jefferson, So, can they really be christians ? I can not judge those, but I am jusat trying to be a good Christian. It must be said it best thing American ever did was allow freedom of relgion and we need to keep it that way.

A good exemple of USA’s religious plurality is Manhattan, Kansas: there are more churches than malls in this city, if you look at google map it’s intersting. It means a lot about US now.