Dear Editor:
This email is a response to James Phillips’ column: “Everyone has religious freedom unless your’re a Christian”
1. “---this country that was founded in Christianity---and---a Country founded on Christian principles.”
a. “God” and “Religion” are not mentioned in the Articles of Confederation, but “Lord” is used when stating the years 1777 and 1778.
b. “God” is not mentioned in The U.S. Constitution, but “Creator” is.
c. “Religion” is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution only when it forbids a “religious” test for holding a public position.
d. The Declaration of Independence uses the following words once:
“Laws of Nature”, “Nature’s God”, “Creator” and “Divine Providence.”
e. “Christianity”, “Holy Bible” and “Jesus” are not mentioned in any of those documents.
The only rational conclusion from reading those documents is that our Founding Fathers intended to create a secular, not a religious, nation. Their reason for doing so is evident when one studies European history that is replete with the religious conflicts, persecution, and discrimination which emigrants came to America to escape.
2. “---(Christianty) being the guiding force in this country since the first settlers arrived in 1607---”.
Unfortunately, many of the early American settlers, including the Puritans, promptly forgot their Christianity and the religious conflicts in Europe and began to persecute those led by Roger Williams who wanted to keep religion separate from government; not to mention, but to mention the horrors of the Salem Witch trials and executions in Massachusetts in the 1690s.
3. “---your own pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a prayer before a football game---look the other way.”
I have lived long enough to recall a few Jews, homosexuals, and members of peripheral religions, and no religion, who were forced to “look the other way.” Thanks to our Founding Fathers and to a growing sense of public fairness, those days are fast receding.
4. “---atheists and other non-believers began wrongfully crying about separation of church and state and threatening school officials with law suits---. It’s time we let those groups who scream loud enough to be heard know that we, the vast majority, don’t care what they want. It is far past time for the majority to rule again.”
A majority of American citizens may elect those who govern us, but those elected may not discriminate against, nor deny the rights of, any minority. That is the American way and why we are the freest nation on Earth!
5. “Now look where that has gotten us.”
Where our Founding Fathers concept of religious freedom has gotten us is that the United States is, by far, the most religious nation on Earth.
6. “---the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles.”
Our Christian principles are clearly stated in the Apostles’ Creed, none of which are in our founding documents:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, died, and buried. On the third day He rose. He ascended into heaven; He is seated on the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.”
7. “Christian churches outnumber all others 175 to 1.”
At least in America, I think the more accurate ratio is 27 to 1, still a hefty number.
8. “Why is Christianity the only religion that must fight to practice and opine what we believe?”
In America you may “practice and opine” whatever you want so long as you harm no one and do not violate American laws. One thing no religious believers in American may legally do is force their beliefs on others.
9. “I was taught that my ancestors evolved from monkeys.”
You were incorrectly taught. It is more accurate to say that approximately 6 to 8 million years ago apes and humans shared a common simian ancestor that was neither ape nor human. It is scientifically proven that apes and humans share approximately 98.8 percent of their DNA, which is probably incorrect because it is obvious that some humans have more than 99.9 percent of an apes DNA!
10. “We humans are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek—“
a. “I say to you, do not resist evil. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Lk 6:27-31
b. “How many times shall I forgive my brother? Jesus answered, “Not just seven times seven, but seventy times seven.” Mt 18:22
11. “---while our courts work to strip us of our rights.”
Our judicial system is designed to guarantee the rights of all American citizens, not to take those rights away.
REFERENCES:
1. A DELUSION OF SATAN, The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials, Frances Hill, Doubleday, 1995.
2. BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND VALUES, Milton Rokech, Jossey-Bass, 1968.
3. COTTON MATHER ON WITCHCRAFT, Dorset Press, 1991.
4. THE HOLY BIBLE.
5. THE INQUISITION OF THE MIDDLE AGES, Henry Charles Lea, Barnes & Noble, 1954.
6. THE POPE AND THE HERETIC, The True Story of Giordano Bruno,Michael White, Harper Collins, 2002.
Clyde H. Morgan
Brandon
