The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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I APPRECIATED Don Coldsmith’s thoughtful column in the June 11 Gazette. I, too, am very uncomfortable with the current movement by some to enact their personal morality into law, justifying their actions with the erroneous claim that America was founded as a “Christian nation.”

    As Mr. Coldsmith pointed out, the First Amendment specifically gives Americans the right to worship — or NOT — as we choose. The founders made sure to create a secular nation with this amendment. Only a secular society allows its members the freedom to pursue a personal spiritual quest unhampered by the restrictions of others’ beliefs.  Those who want to make their private morality the law of the land should take a minute to consider the possibility that those who share their beliefs will not always be in power. Imagine a society where no one can eat pork, or where everyone must engage in violent jihad against “unbelievers.”

As for the anti-abortion groups who are leading this charge to “re-Christianize” our country, I’ll take the sincerity of their stated belief that life is “God’s most precious gift” more seriously when every one of them has requested the privilege of adopting an unwanted child to care for until he or she turns 18. Until they are willing to make that commitment, all of the sanctimonious rhetoric is just hot air.

  Janet Brassart

Emporia