Religious Liberty Should Not Be Subordinated to Zionist Ideology in American Policy
Source: The American Conservative. "White House Religious Liberty Commission Member Pokes the Zionist Bear - The American Conservative." February 13, 2026. www.theamericanconservative.com
The Gist
The author argues that America shouldn't require people to support Zionism to be considered legitimate or non-antisemitic. Catholics and others should be able to criticize Israel's actions without being labeled as antisemites, and religious freedom means protecting different theological views about Israel.
Conclusion
The United States should not make loyalty to Zionist theology a requirement for protected speech or moral legitimacy, and questioning Zionism should not be automatically equated with antisemitism
Premises
- Catholics and their Church leadership have legitimate theological positions that differ from Zionist ideology without being antisemitic
- Pope Leo and Pope Francis have criticized Israeli conduct in Gaza while also condemning antisemitism, showing these positions can coexist
- The First Amendment protects religious liberty and should not make exceptions for particular theological views about Israel
- Equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism creates a double standard that silences legitimate criticism of Israeli policy
- American foreign policy should not be dictated by the theological beliefs of Christian Zionists and pro-Zionist Jewish leaders
- Carrie Prejean Boller's questions about this issue were legitimate and necessary, not antisemitic
- Her removal from the Religious Liberty Commission demonstrates the problematic enforcement of Zionist orthodoxy
Assumptions
- Religious liberty includes the right to hold theological views that differ from Zionism
- Criticism of Israeli policy can be separated from hatred of Jewish people
- The Catholic Church's positions represent legitimate religious viewpoints deserving protection
- American policy should not privilege one religious interpretation over others
- Open debate about foreign policy is essential to democratic governance