Why has the United States had laws against homosexuality, but not against idolatry, a greater sin? ---Because the laws against homosexuality are not motivated by religion. Christians, Jews, atheists, and don't-cares have all generally thought that sodomy was wrong.
It was interesting to me to find out what Thomas Aquinas has to say about laws against non-Christians. He goes into this in the Faith section of Summa Theologica. In brief: nobody should be coerced to become Christian; Jewish ceremonies should be tolerated; children should not be baptized if their non-Christian parents object; pagan ceremonies may or may not be tolerated, depending on prudential considerations; heretics should be executed. His rationales are sensible on toleration, a bit mixed up on heretics. The principles sound rather like those of Islam, which in most eras (though not present-day Saudi Arabia) has tolerated Jews and Christians, if not pagans, but which forbids conversion of Moslems to Christianity on pain of death.
Section 2-2-10-8 of the Summa is on compulsion to religion:
On the other hand, there are unbelievers who at some time have accepted the faith, and
professed it, such as heretics and all apostates: such should be submitted even to
bodily compulsion, that they may fulfil what they have promised, and hold what they, at
one time, received.
...
Thus from the fact that the Jews observe their rites, which, of old, foreshadowed the
truth of the faith which we hold, there follows this good--that our very enemies bear
witness to our faith, and that our faith is represented in a figure, so to speak. For
this reason they are tolerated in the observance of their rites.
On the other hand, the rites of other unbelievers, which are neither truthful nor
profitable are by no means to be tolerated, except perchance in order to avoid an evil,
e.g. the scandal or disturbance that might ensue, or some hindrance to the salvation of
those who if they were unmolested might gradually be converted to the faith. For this
reason the Church, at times, has tolerated the rites even of heretics and pagans, when
unbelievers were very numerous.
Among unbelievers there are some who have never received the faith, such as the heathens
and the Jews: and these are by no means to be compelled to the faith, in order that they
may believe, because to believe depends on the will: nevertheless they should be
compelled by the faithful, if it be possible to do so, so that they do not hinder the
faith, by their blasphemies, or by their evil persuasions, or even by their open
persecutions. It is for this reason that Christ's faithful often wage war with
unbelievers, not indeed for the purpose of forcing them to believe, because even if they
were to conquer them, and take them prisoners, they should still leave them free to
believe, if they will, but in order to prevent them from hindering the faith of Christ.
Question 2-2-10-12 is "Whether the children of Jews and other unbelievers ought to be
baptized against their parents' will?"
Now it would be an injustice to Jews if their children were to be baptized against their
will, since they would lose the rights of parental authority over their children as soon
as these were Christians. Therefore these should not be baptized against their parents'
will.
Section 2-2-10-11 is "Whether the rites of unbelievers ought to be tolerated?"
Gregory [Regist. xi, Ep. 15: cf. Decret., dist. xlv, can., Qui sincera] says, speaking
of the Jews: "They should be allowed to observe all their feasts, just as hitherto they
and their fathers have for ages observed them."
Question 2-2-11-3 is about heretics:
... they deserve not only to be separated from the Church by excommunication, but also
to be severed from the world by death. For it is a much graver matter to corrupt the
faith which quickens the soul, than to forge money, which supports temporal life.
Wherefore if forgers of money and other evil-doers are forthwith condemned to death by
the secular authority, much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are
convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death.
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