I am deeply troubled by the recent letters to the editor indicating people seem to think the United States is a solely a Christian nation. This is not and never was true. I would like to have people check out the Treaty of Tripoli. If that doesn’t convince them, it’s hard to see what would.
This is a nation of many Christians, but it is not a Christian nation. People seem to think the Founding Fathers (many of whom were not Christian) just forgot to include Christians in the Constitution. Christians were not included in the Constitution because the Constitution is a political statement, not a religious one. If it were a Christian document, the U.S. could not have fought in any war (turn the other cheek, love thine enemy) or freed any slaves (slavery was a given in the Bible).
Capitalism is a secular idea also. Jesus advocated selling all you own and giving it to the poor, and don’t forget some teachings that show God thought some genocide was certainly acceptable. Haven’t you thought about what you believe? Top-down arguments are not at all feasible unless you keep your eyes firmly shut against the truth.
Michelle E. Lundberg
Vancouver
