Settlers came to escape persecution

In his July 12 column (“Resolving pledge issue”) Bill O’Reilly stated that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. All one has to do is look into some simple middle school history to dispel that falsity. In reality, many of our early settlers came to America to escape religious persecution from Judeo-Christian governments. It is for that very reason our Constitution prohibits the integration of church and state, so as to prevent a foundation for extremism and persecution (the Taliban, for example). Our nation was founded on liberty and justice, and that’s what the original Pledge of Allegiance stated – a Republic with liberty and justice for all – before it was muddled with the words “under God.”

As to Mr. O’Reilly’s only valid “fact” when he cited the word “creator” in the Declaration of Independence, the founders specifically chose “creator” rather than “God.” They intentionally wanted to avoid referring to anything specific, such as “God,” which refers specifically to the Judeo-Christian God.

The pretense that “God” exists in the Judeo-Christian context is a belief neither proven nor held common among the rest of the world. The words “under God” excludes all but those part of Judeo-religions, not just atheists. One can even make the case of Islam being excluded. If you do not believe the words “under God” refers specifically to the Judeo-Christian God and violates the Constitution, then let me ask you this question: Would you feel that being forced to recite or listen to the phrases “One Nation under Allah” or “One Nation under no God” is a violation of your Constitutional rights?

Everett

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