In reply to the letter, “Founders sought religious freedom,” concerning the “separation of church and state.” One of our founding fathers did write those words.
In Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, in discussion of the First Amendment, Jefferson wrote, “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man &his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, ¬ opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”
Mr. Jefferson understood that while we should be free to exercise our religious beliefs, our government concerns the laws of people, all people, regardless of their beliefs.
If you’re looking for a religion involved in politics and government, look to Iran.
Tom Griffin
Everett
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