A Christian Nation

William F. Youngman's lament that God has been expelled from the public schools reinforces the misconception that our government should adopt Christianity as the official state religion. I have even been informed by friends that our Constitution mandates that this is a Christian nation. Had they read the Constitution, they would not have embarrassed themselves with that statement.

Christianity not only is not mentioned in the Constitution but neither is it in the Declaration of Independence. The mistake comes from thinking the word God, or Deity is exclusive to one's particular denominational interpretation of God. What the 1st Amendment to the Constitution does say is this: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

I certainly value and believe in the spiritually inspired message of the Holy Bible, and practice my Christianity with zeal and reverence. I do not, however, think the Jewish or Christian Bible should be used as a religious indoctrination in government-supported institutions like the public schools.

I do see a value in the Bible being studied as literature or used in courses of comparative religion. The place for an evangelical approach to Bible exogenesis is the church and Sunday school of your choice to be certain children will receive a moral platform from such teaching, but it is a mistake to think that morality is not taught outside of the Christian faith.

Nowhere on earth has religious choice been more honored than in the United States, which has separated church from state. It is understandable that Christians want to share the good news that they so fervently believe in, but instead of asking our government to adopt their beliefs in some kind of theocracy, they should instead in the words of the Master Christian, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Phillip Pluta
Sebring