Your Opinion: Response to Smith on Christianity

Dear Editor:

Of all the things Mr. Smith is or is not, I am surprised that he is also clairvoyant. He said in his Oct. 26 letter, something about me and my goals, that even I didn't know about myself! If that isn't clairvoyance, then what does the word mean? He is so far off base that I can't explain why he said what he said about me.

The quotes that I have used were not taken out of context, but were used to show that our founding fathers wanted our nation founded on the Christian beliefs. They, nor do I, want a state religion of any brand. Remember that is one of the reasons people left European countries, as those countries had state religions and for the most part, still do today. Under the principles of Christianity, on which our country was founded, we find that every religion has the freedom to practice their beliefs.

Look for a moment at Middle Eastern countries. In Israel you are allowed to vote even though you are not a Jew. Even the Palestinians can vote if they are citizens of Israel. How is it in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait, Libya, or any other country that the Muslims control? In Iran, the government wants to kill a Christian pastor only because he has converted from Islam to Christianity. In Saudi Arabia, women can't even drive a car by themselves. Doesn't sound as though they have the love, which a few letter writers to the News Tribune's Your Opinion page, espouse.

Mr. Smith listen well, this is my goal and make no mistake. It is to ensure that people still believe that our country was founded on Christian beliefs and that we were formed as a Christian nation. Not that we have or want a state religion called Christianity. This is a unique country where the individual has the freedom to practice the religion of his choice or even to start his own religion and still get an IRS tax free status as a 403.c.3 entity.

As a Baptist, one of our distinctive is the separation of church and state. As I remember, the only colony, of the original 13, which had freedom of religion was Rhode Island, which was founded by Roger Williams a renowned Baptist preacher, who had to leave Massachusetts because of his beliefs.