James Talarico on Faith, the Law, and the Ten Commandments in Schools

In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Texas State Representative James Talarico sat down for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, lawmaking, and his opposition to a controversial new Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom.

Talarico, a former teacher, and current seminary student, explained why he believes the bill is both unconstitutional and harmful to Christianity.

“If we have to force people to put up a poster, that means we have a dead religion,” Rep. James Talarico said to Joe Rogan.

The Law in Question

Texas Senate Bill 1515, passed in 2023, mandates that all public elementary and secondary schools display a poster of the Ten Commandments in a “conspicuous place” in every classroom. The posters must meet specific size and formatting requirements.

Critics like Talarico, believe it inappropriately uses government authority to endorse religion.

A Christian Perspective

Talarico’s concern wasn’t just legal—it was deeply spiritual. In the conversation, he reflected on how the heart of Christian teaching isn’t about public displays, but inward transformation and relational love:

“Those are the two commandments he gave us: Love God and love neighbor. And as a seminarian and a lawmaker, I'm kind of... I'm starting to figure out how these two commands—how they relate to each other, how they sustain each other.”

His point: real faith is lived out, not posted on walls by force of law.

Concern for All Students

A key part of Talarico’s argument focused on the impact of the law on students from diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs:

“I think my concern is for the Muslim kid and the Jewish kid, the Hindu kid, the atheist kid who's sitting in a classroom who now has a poster on the wall forced by the government that says, you know, your religion is inferior or you're not welcome here.”

Talarico invoked the compassion of Jesus to emphasize this point, saying that if Jesus saw those students feeling marginalized or unwelcome, “he would weep for those students and would demand that we love them as ourselves.”

Why Students Deserve Better

Students today are already navigating a mental health crisis, a fractured culture, and a world short on clarity. Talarico stressed the importance of classrooms being places where all students feel respected and included, regardless of their faith or lack thereof. 

“This bill will create a whole new generation of atheists… who think religion is more about power than love.”

Faith rooted in love doesn’t require a poster. It requires people willing to live by example—to care for the poor, speak truth to power, protect the vulnerable, and act justly.