Country not founded on Christianity
Upon reading Larry Anderson’s opinion, “Those those in public office,” on Christianity’s role in our politics, I must take issue with his ramblings.
That statement that the United States was formed on Judo-Christian values is simply not accurate.
Neither the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence or other relevant published documents mentions a Christ figure. This was by design. The authors, signers and cosigners elected to not include reference to Christianity or any religious organization to ensure quality and to avoid governmental endorsement. This is the core of our constitutional guarantees. Several signers were in fact, at the very least, questionably not Christians at all; rather Deists or Atheists. These include such major figures as George Washington, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Thomas Paine, Ethan Allen and Cornelius Harnett among others. The Deist philosophy, which was the most common in that group, questions and debunks biblical contradictions, miracles and mysticisms (which includes the story of birth and divinity of a Christ figure). Most did believe in a supreme being, however, they considered the Bible to be erroneous and therefore irrelevant.
Reference to God in these documents is not a reference to Christianity.
I could not follow the line of reason that democracy is an evil. To praise the creation of our “Divine Providence” government and yet take issue with the method by which it exists is puzzling. I don’t know where he was going here. We rebelled against a monarchial form of government in which individuals were not allowed free thought and had no say in how a nation should be governed. Democracy was the remedy.
To imply that we now pledge allegiance to a “socialist democracy” is an extremist political position that does not belong in a meaningful discussion regarding religion. There is and should be a separation of church and state and exploiting one to contradict another is not acceptable in a serious discourse.
Mr. Anderson could not be more wrong. His ability to voice his opinion is due his right of free speech and freedom to worship the church of his choice. This should apply to any and all denominations. No one; politician, store clerk or farmer can be thought of as non-worthy because of their faith or non-acceptance of Christianity or the lack of religious belief. It is arrogant and self-serving to think otherwise.
One last point: on the basis of his journalistic expression in this editorial I recommend that he makes sure that his free Bible law class is accredited.
Gary E. Jones, Grand River
