SHARIA VS. THE CONSTITUTION: AMERICA CANNOT SERVE TWO SYSTEMS OF LAW
America is facing a conversation that far too many Christians and political leaders are afraid to have. What happens when a religious legal system contains principles that conflict with the United States Constitution? That question should not be considered hateful. It should not be dismissed as “Islamophobia.” It is a legitimate constitutional, political, and theological question that Americans have every right to ask. The issue is Sharia. Before someone immediately becomes angry, we need to make an important distinction. This article is not arguing that every Muslim is a terrorist. It is not claiming that every Muslim living in America is attempting to overthrow the government. Christians should never hate someone because of his ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Jesus Christ commanded us to preach the Gospel to every creature. But loving people does not require Christians to remain silent about ideas. Truth can withstand examination. The Constitution can withstand debate. And Sharia should not be exempt from scrutiny.
WHAT IS SHARIA?
Sharia is commonly understood as Islamic religious law or guidance derived primarily from the Quran and the teachings and traditions associated with Muhammad. Its interpretation and application vary significantly among Muslims, scholars, movements, and nations. That distinction matters. There is not one single government-issued “Sharia code” followed identically by every Muslim in every country. Some Muslims understand Sharia primarily in terms of personal religious practices, prayer, fasting, charity, and moral conduct. Historically and in some modern legal systems, interpretations of Sharia have also extended into marriage, divorce, inheritance, criminal law, political authority, and public behavior. That is where Americans must pay attention. The question is not whether Muslims have the right to practice their religion privately. Of course they do. The First Amendment protects religious liberty. The real question is this: Should any religious legal system ever be permitted to override the Constitution and laws of the United States? The answer must be an unmistakable NO.
AMERICA HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF LAW:
The United States was established as a constitutional republic. Our government is limited by a written Constitution. Power is divided among branches of government. Citizens possess constitutional rights. Elected officials are accountable to the people. The First Amendment protects religious exercise, but it also prevents the establishment of a government religion. The Constitution is described in Article VI as the “supreme Law of the Land.” Those words matter. America cannot have one constitutional standard for Christians, another for Muslims, another for atheists, and another for everyone else. There must be one civil legal system. One Constitution. One standard of equal protection under the law. A Christian cannot walk into court and demand that the judge ignore American law because his personal interpretation of the Bible says something different. A Muslim should not be able to demand that a court abandon constitutional protections because of a particular interpretation of Islamic law. Religious liberty protects belief. It does not give any religion the authority to become a parallel government. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” — II Corinthians 3:17 As Christians, we understand that genuine faith cannot be produced by government force. You cannot pass a law that causes a sinner to be born again. You cannot tax someone into salvation. You cannot regulate someone into loving Jesus Christ. The Gospel changes hearts. Government restrains civil wrongdoing. Those are not the same mission.
FREE SPEECH MUST REMAIN FREE:
One of the greatest concerns surrounding religious political systems is freedom of speech. In America, you have the right to criticize Christianity. People mock Jesus Christ every day. They attack the Bible. They ridicule pastors. They insult churches. As a Christian, I may strongly dislike it. I may preach against it. I may respond to it. But I do not believe the government should execute someone because he criticized my faith. The First Amendment protects speech precisely because unpopular speech is the speech most likely to need protection. This principle must apply to Islam as well. Americans must retain the legal right to examine the Quran. Christians must retain the right to preach that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. Pastors must retain the right to compare the Bible with Islamic teachings. Former Muslims must retain the right to explain why they left Islam. That is how constitutional liberty works. The moment government begins protecting religious ideas from criticism, free speech is in danger.
“An idea that cannot survive a question will eventually demand the silence of the questioner.”
America must never criminalize legitimate theological or political debate. Threats and violence are already illegal. Assault is illegal. Harassment can be addressed under existing law. But disagreement is not violence. Criticism is not assault. A sermon is not a physical attack. Christians must be especially careful about allowing government to redefine offensive speech as criminal conduct. The law used to silence one group today can easily be used to silence the church tomorrow.
EQUAL PROTECTION CANNOT BE NEGOTIABLE:
The Fourteenth Amendment established the constitutional principle of equal protection under the law. America has often failed to live up to that principle perfectly. Our nation's history contains terrible examples of injustice and discrimination. But the answer to past failures is not to abandon equality. It is to apply equality consistently. Men and women must receive the protection of American law. Christians and Muslims must receive the protection of American law. The religious and the nonreligious must receive the protection of American law. No religious tribunal, cultural tradition, or private agreement should be permitted to lawfully strip a person of rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If a woman is abused, American law protects her. If a person is threatened for changing religions, American law protects him. If a Christian converts to Islam, the government cannot punish him. If a Muslim converts to Christianity, the government cannot punish him. That is religious liberty.
Joshua declared, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” — Joshua 24:15
Notice the word “choose.” Christianity teaches that people make real decisions concerning belief. As Christians, we preach. We persuade. We witness. We pray. But the sword of government cannot produce genuine conversion. Any legal ideology that punishes a peaceful person merely for changing his religious beliefs conflicts with the American understanding of religious liberty. Christians should boldly defend that liberty for everyone.
THE DANGER OF PARALLEL LEGAL SYSTEMS:
America is becoming increasingly divided. We divide ourselves politically. Racially. Economically. Culturally. The last thing this nation needs is competing legal systems based on religious identity. Imagine an America where different communities operate under entirely different standards of civil justice. One system for one faith. Another system for another faith. Different standards for inheritance. Different standards concerning the rights of women. Different standards concerning speech. That is not national unity. That is legal fragmentation. Private religious counseling and voluntary mediation are not automatically unconstitutional. Churches have counseled families for generations. Religious organizations often help resolve personal disputes. But there is a massive difference between voluntary religious guidance and a system that attempts to override civil law or constitutional rights. That line must remain clear.
“The law must protect the freedom to worship without surrendering the authority to govern.”
America can protect mosques without becoming Islamic. America can protect churches without establishing a Baptist government. America can protect synagogues without establishing Judaism as the law of the land. Religious liberty works when government protects the right of conscience while maintaining one constitutional civil system.
CHRISTIANS MUST STOP BEING AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS:
Part of the problem in America today is fear. People are terrified of labels. Ask a question about Islam and someone calls you an Islamophobe. Ask a question about government spending and someone calls you heartless. Ask a question about immigration and someone calls you racist. Ask a question about sexuality and someone calls you hateful. Eventually, people stop asking questions. That is dangerous. Christians should never intentionally lie about another religion. We should not spread fake statistics, fabricated quotes, or misleading videos. If we are going to challenge Islam, we should know what Islamic sources actually teach. If we discuss Sharia, we should distinguish among interpretations. If we make a claim, we should be able to defend it. Why? Because truth does not need fake evidence.
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” — I Thessalonians 5:21
Christians should study. Read. Research. Compare. Ask difficult questions. We should be the most prepared people in the public square because we claim to represent the God of truth. Being bold does not mean being careless. Being courageous does not mean being dishonest.
THE CONSTITUTION MUST REMAIN SUPREME IN AMERICAN COURTS:
The solution is actually simple. America must unapologetically maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and duly enacted American law in our civil courts. No foreign law should override constitutional rights. No religious code should override constitutional rights. No political ideology should override constitutional rights. No international organization should override constitutional rights. If a practice violates American criminal law, calling it religious does not automatically make it legal. If a system denies someone constitutional protection, religious terminology should not shield it from scrutiny. This standard should apply equally. That is important. Christians should be very cautious about demanding government powers that we would fear if those same powers were controlled by someone else. Our defense must be constitutional. Our arguments must be truthful. Our courage must be consistent.
THE CHRISTIAN ANSWER IS TRUTH, THE GOSPEL, AND COURAGE:
I believe America should resist any attempt to replace constitutional law with Sharia law. I also believe Christians have a responsibility far greater than winning political arguments. Muslims need Jesus Christ. Our goal should not be hatred. Our goal should not be violence. Our goal should not be treating our Muslim neighbor as less human. Our goal should be truth.
The Bible says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” — John 14:6
I reject Islamic theology because I believe Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. I reject any teaching that denies the crucifixion and bodily resurrection of Christ. I reject salvation by human works. I believe salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And I will not apologize for those beliefs. But the Christian response to false religion is not uncontrolled hatred. It is the Gospel. Preach Christ. Win souls. Plant churches. Train Christians. Defend religious liberty. Engage in government. Know the Constitution. Run for office. Vote. Speak.
America does not need a frightened church whispering in the corner.
America needs Christians who understand both their Bible and their constitutional liberties. Sharia and the Constitution represent fundamentally different sources of legal authority when Sharia is advanced as a system of civil government. America must remain governed by the Constitution. There cannot be two supreme laws of the land. For the Christian, there is an even greater responsibility. We must defend liberty while preaching truth. We must oppose bad ideas without surrendering our Christian testimony. We must love people enough to tell them the truth. The battle for America's future will not be won by Christians who are afraid to speak. It will be won by Christians who know what they believe, understand what is happening around them, and courageously stand for faith, freedom, and constitutional government. The church must wake up. The citizen must get involved. And America must never surrender the Constitution to any competing system of civil law.