Your Letters

Try Googling God

Editor's Note: Due to an incorrect word that was included by the author, he requested that the letter be rerun.



Both Norm Shroll and Dawn Doyle need to go back and re-read my letter. They missed the point.


First, Ms. Doyle, I respect your beliefs no matter what; try to respect mine. The people who read their Bible (the Koran) and did Sept. 11 interpreted their Bible with hate toward Americans; that is fanaticism. That's what my letter cited.


The Bible you and I read (King James edition of the New Testament) is an accurate historical biography of the life of Jesus. In politics, we can all three sit in the same room and watch our president make a speech. We could watch it on Fox, MSNBC and CNN. An hour later we could discuss the speech. I'm willing to bet none of us would agree on what he said. Adding a 2,000-year-old text to this will clear already muddied waters right up, I'm sure. That's scarcest, Ms. Doyle, don't mistake it.


Mr. Shroll states that "In God we trust" and the word "god" have been removed from our courthouses, schools and currency. Wrong.


In the early 1990s, the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed suit to remove the words "In God we trust" from currency. It was dismissed by a federal judge on grounds that it is not a religious phrase. The foundation appealed, but in 1996 the Supreme Court refused to hear it, claiming the issue was de minimus.


In 2000, Michael Newdow of Sacramento sued the local school district for removal of the words "under God" from the pledge. Initially it went his way, but in 2002 the
Supreme Court ruled Newdow "lacked standing to sue because he didn't have custody of his daughter on whose behalf he brought the suit." He has brought suit again, but nothing has been ruled, so the words remain.


The ACLU is suing courthouses on a case-by-case basis, to remove religious articles based on the First Amendment with success.


The word "god" is sectarian with respect to Christianity, Judaism and Islam. In theory, if we named God "Bob" or something, no problem would exist.


Try Google.

Brad Gates
New Castle

Tired of being force-fed religion

This is in response to Charlene Sherman's Aug. 24 letter, "Interpretation of God a choice."


First I must say that we need to separate church and state. The last time politics and the church joined forces people were burned at the stake. Second, I do believe the song you are referring to is the song written by Samuel Francis Smith, known simply as "America" (notice no mention of God in the title). The melody being derived from the British national anthem, "God Save The Queen." Everyone knows the lyrics.


Everyone has the right to their own beliefs, and we do not need unpatriotic religious tyrants changing the words to our country's songs and pushing religion down our throats.


Tim Danley
Silt