Texas Dem James Talarico rips ‘un-Christian’ court decision on what’s allowed in classrooms
Texas Democrat James Talarico He sharply criticized a court decision this week that allowed Texas to enforce a law requiring the display of the 10 Commandments in classrooms, calling it “a profoundly unchristian decision.”
He condemned “Christian nationalism” and said, “I am a Christian, but I know that the most dangerous form of government is theocracy.”
Talarico, Democrat Texas state representative is running to flip one of the Texas Senate seats blue for the first time in decades. Democrats believe Talarico has a real chance to defeat either incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn or current state Attorney General Ken Paxton. A Talarico victory would dash the GOP’s hopes of maintaining or expanding its Senate majority this November.
To talk cnn Talarico this week condemned the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling. He argued that the law requiring the display of the 10 Commandments constitutes an insult to Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, agnostic and atheist individuals in Texas.
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Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, said a Texas law requiring the 10 Commandments to be displayed in schools is “profoundly unchristian.”
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“I don’t want anyone to force themselves religion And I certainly don’t want the government forcing a religion down my throat. “So why would I do that to one of my neighbors?” he told CNN: “I think it’s unconstitutional, and I also think it’s deeply unchristian, because we’re supposed to love all our neighbors, especially our neighbors of other faiths.”
In the 9-8 decision taken on Tuesday, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals passed a Texas law requiring public schools statewide to display the Ten Commandments. The court ruled that the law violated neither the Constitution’s Establishment Clause nor the Free Exercise Clause.
The majority opinion of the court was as follows: “Due to the plaintiffs’ failure to show that [Texas law] SB 10 greatly burdens rights to religious exercise; Free Exercise claims must be rejected.”
But Talarico, a former middle school teacher as well as a Presbyterian seminarian, argued that the law runs counter to the obligation of Christians to love God and love neighbor.
“My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. Not just my neighbors who look like me, not just my neighbors who vote like me, not just my neighbors who pray like me. I am called to love all my neighbors as I love myself. This includes my Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, agnostic and atheist neighbors,” he said.
He also denounced what he called “Christian nationalism”, saying, “The only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks he is on a mission from God.”
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A copy of the Ten Commandments is displayed in a classroom at Baghdad Elementary School in Leander, Texas, on November 19, 2025, in accordance with a state law that requires school districts to post them in classrooms.
Talarico, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, has opposed the 10 Commandments bill for years on the grounds that it is “idolatry.”
Speaking on CNN, he attacked Paxton for praising the decision. “I’m not sure Ken Paxton is in the place to lecture us on moral values,” he said with a smile.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Paxton for comment.
Paxton, who is now locked in a tough primary with Cornyn, called the decision “a huge victory for Texas and our moral values.”
He said the 10 Commandments “had a profound impact on our country, and it is important for students to learn from them every day,” adding, “My office was proud to advocate for SB 10 and ensure the Ten Commandments were successfully demonstrated in classrooms across Texas.”
Following Talarico’s dig, Paxton responded to X: “James Talarico says God commanded us to believe in six genders. late term abortionand they exploit children by ‘passing’. “He is completely and utterly morally bankrupt.”
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, are heading to a runoff election in Texas, extending their primary fights until the end of May.
Paxton wasn’t the only one to criticize Talarico’s handling of the decision. Turning Point USA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet posted on
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In response, Talarico became even stricter, telling Fox News Digital: “Jesus taught us to love God and love neighbor, because without love of neighbor there is no love of God. My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. I don’t want the government shoving a religion down my throat.”
Talarico added: “The separation of church and state is a sacred boundary, and it not only benefits the state, it also benefits the church, because when the church gets too close to political power, it loses its prophetic voice.”
A spokesperson for Cornyn responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by saying, “We support the decision.”
Original article source: Texas Democrat James Talarico rips up ‘un-Christian’ court ruling on what is allowed in classrooms
