The letter, “Christianity bludgeoned by church-state concept” (Star-Advertiser, May 22) showed us the reason why separation of church and state is so important.

The writer said that “government should not be able to impose restrictions on any religion, especially Christianity.” That kind of thinking is precisely why we need separation of church and state.

Christianity is not our national religion, as the writer strongly implied. The writer’s assertion that the founding fathers “strongly supported” Christianity is inaccurate. The Founding Fathers, in fact, feared the church of England and specifically wrote a constitution to prevent America from elevating any one religion above another.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were not Christians. They were deists. They believed in God but did not believe in the principal tenants of Christianity: the virgin birth, the holy trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Elevating any one religion above another is un-American. The Declaration of Independence says that “All men are created equal.” So are their faiths — as long as we maintain a strict separation of church and state.

Sidney Goldstein

Chinatown

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