Editor, Times-Union: I am confused as to why there is this “War on Christmas.” There was a story that was printed in many local papers about a town in Indiana that came under fire from “Freedom from Religion,” a group out of Wisconsin that is gutting the spirit of the First Amendment, and the meaning of Christmas. Let’s start with the First Amendment. The relevant part here is “Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting free practice thereof […].” One of the main reasons that Congress included this in the Bill of Rights was that there were many people who came to America to escape religious persecution (mainly from the Church of England). Europeans wanted a place where they could practice their faith freely and without scorn from government. After the ratification of the Bill of Rights, a few states had Official State Churches and one (Massachusetts) was funded by taxpayers until the 1880s. Today, groups like “Freedom from Religion” come along and scream at the top of their lungs, “Separation of Church and State!” That phrase comes from a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists over a New York law that they feared would hinder their right to worship freely. Jefferson, like the rest of the Founding Fathers, did not want the new Constitutional Government to have authority to create a National Church (i.e. a Church of the United States) that would be funded by taxpayers. Under the First Amendment, you have the right to worship as you see fit, and that includes rejecting religion all together. If you choose to reject religion and believe that God does not exist, that is your right, and as an American, and as a Christian, I accept your decision. I can’t force you to accept religion, but what gives you the right to tell me that I can’t express mine – or allow a municipality that votes to put a religious display on their property? A nativity scene on government property is not an establishment of religion – Christianity has been around for 2,000 years. It’s not like anyone is forcing people who don’t believe in God to participate in things like the Pledge, or moments of prayer. I am sure that many of us know people who believe that God does not exist. So, if there is anyone out there who does not believe in God – can they answer the question, what caused the Big Bang to happen? Something had to have set it all in motion. I believe someone set it in motion. “In the Beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). If you do not believe that there is a God – that is your belief, and your right. But the way I see it, who has more to lose if they’re wrong? My last thoughts on this earth will be the sight of seeing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, welcoming me home with open arms. My physical body will see my spirit leave and enter paradise. If I am wrong, what have I lost? If those who do not believe in God are wrong, what will they lose? Merry Christmas! Gary Eppenbaugh Warsaw, via email
