Debate about separation
The selection of an ultra-Christian House speaker, second in the line of succession to the presidency, has reignited an ancient debate about the separation of church and state.
Ardent supporters of Mike Johnson insist there is no Constitutional guarantee of separation, pointing to Jeffersonian arguments exclusive of the Constitution.
Indeed, an examination of the First Amendment exposes a lack of clarity, insuring only the freedom “of” religion, not freedom “from” it. This prepositional difference creates a documented justification for a Christian nation.
Beyond documents, however, the real world danger of religious governments becomes obvious. The current Israeli-Hamas war is, on its surface, a territorial dispute, but like most Middle-Eastern conflicts, religion is at its root. The world’s three Abrahamic religions share a bloody history before — and after — the Crusades.
It is no surprise then, that our Christian founders, born almost three centuries ago, were ambiguous about the importance of separation. It is also no surprise that there are Christians willing to capitalize on this ambiguity. But it is surprising they are not willing to heed the words of their Bible, Christianity’s foundational document.
“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s,” Jesus tells the Jews in Mathew 22-21. While this quote has been nuanced and manipulated to serve various arguments, it remains clear that Jesus wanted separation. He even wanted separation from business, as proven by the upended merchant’s tables in the temple.
Mike Ruskovich
Grangeville
Thumbs up to Avista
Five thumbs up go to Avista for its handling of the natural gas pipeline breach disaster.
I wish to thank all the troops on the ground, who worked long days and nights so we could get our lives back to normal. I’m especially grateful to the workers who left their homes and families in distant places so they could help get us out of this mess.
And, let’s not forget the Avista bigwigs, who acted quickly and decisively to get things moving and get this huge job done. Thank God a bunch of government bureaucrats weren’t in charge.
William Furstenau
Lewiston
Name-calling
Having been called a name that includes me in an honored group of men and women who loved their home country, I feel blessed.
“Vermin” is what Donald Trump’s Führer called patriotic Jews and others and what the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini called patriotic Italians. And now Trump, in honoring his idols, has called me — and all Democrats like me — the same, in addition to being called fascist, communist, evil. Oh, I feel gloried.
Even having served my country in 1966-69 and spending a year in South Vietnam — my last month being Tet 1968 as I served in the 1st Infantry — pales in demonstrating my love of my country to being called such honorific names by our vainglorious wannabe dictator.
Though Trump had five deferments during the conflict in Vietnam, I am proud to know that he has the courage to stand up in front of a horde of his worshippers in an Adolph Hitler-Mussolini-inspired “rally” in New Hampshire on Veterans’ Day and overlook my being spat on in the terminal at San Francisco International Airport when I came home in my uniform, March 1, 1968.
All that guilt, all that shame wiped away in one wonderful word used by two of the world’s greatest dictators — and one wannabe: “vermin.”
Thank you, Mr. Trump, for allowing the world to see who you are, who we are and how much you love our country.
D’Wayne Hodgin
Moscow
My God is accepting
Nick Hasselstrom, my question to you is who is “our” God in your letter to the editor of Nov. 11? It appears as if it is “your” God.
My God is an accepting and loving God for all persons — gay, trans or otherwise — on this earth. It seems as if you are confusing God with religion. There is a very big difference.
Mary Hites
Lewiston
