In addition to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, there is much documented evidence that our founding fathers deliberately created a government that would work free from the interference of religion.
The only place in the Constitution that mentions God is in the First Amendment, which bars the government from establishing a religion and prohibits the free practice of one, and Article VI, which prohibits a religious test for public office.
At the same time, those founding fathers made sure the citizens of this country would not be told what to believe, how to worship or who would control their places of worship.
This country is not and never has been a Christian nation.
Those countries that have religious governments are authoritarian. Millions of people from all over the world have added to the warp and weave of the United States, holding to their own beliefs while maintaining civic and community involvement and leading law abiding, moral lives.
After reading Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope’s opinion piece, it appears he is unaware that there are many people in this country whose religion is an integral part of their lives but are not Christian.
Mr. Swope is free to practice his religion while others around him are free to practice none.
Mr. Swope also allowed his lack of knowledge to show with his statements about public school classrooms.
As every parent with kids in our public schools knows, those statements are far from reality. As someone who has spent 30 years in classrooms, it sounds as though from Mr. Swope’s comments that he needs to spend some time in a few public school classrooms, or at the very least, talk to those who have.
Jo Martens
Centralia
