Check Federalist Papers

Re: Christina Wilson's July 4 commentary, "Founders and religion: Is this what they had in mind?":

I can tell she has never studied philosophy because almost all the enlightened philosophers had their ideas taken, or transferred, into our republic and the documents that established it.

I can tell she has never read the Federalist Papers. These were written by the Founding Fathers in an effort to refine and perfect our founding principles. This is obvious by the opinions she expressed.

In the Federalist Papers, Thomas Jefferson opines that having your own personal worship system is a wonderful thing but that no one ever has the authority to make someone else "bend a knee to the other man's system of belief."

I would say Wilson is only partially aware of Jefferson's writings. She is wrong in her attempt to rewrite his opinions, through omission, to support her particular religiosity — even if Jefferson, too, was Christian.

This is a free country. If she wants to say the word "God" in school, she should get a teaching job at a religious-based school. Then, she can start each day saying to the students, "Praise God, let's learn." She can even lead students in prayers during English and social studies if she wants. She would then be allowed to teach these incorrect principles about Jefferson and pray again.

It's a free country for me, too, though; please keep that in mind.

— Steven Westberg, Ventura

All are free to pray

Re: Christina Wilson's July 4 commentary, "Founders and religion: Is this what they had in mind?":

Many times, I have searched for words to express my sadness and even depression as our country continues its downward spiral into lawlessness, permissiveness, insensitivity and especially immorality. Wilson ties it all up neatly as the effect of forgetting our Christian heritage. We must pass that heritage on to our children, in our homes and in our schools.

No Christian I know wants America to be run or controlled in any way by Christians. It's OK to be any religion or sect because our Constitution says government shall not pass any law that restricts a religion. But we are allowed to worship freely as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or any other religion only because our forefathers were guided by Christian principles drawn from the Bible. As we worship in a temple, mosque or schoolhouse or don't worship at all, let us be thankful for those Christian principles.

Let us Christians be allowed to express those principles, as others are permitted to express theirs as each of us understands them, without restricting them anywhere.

May God bless the likes of Christina Wilson, and may God continue to bless America.

— Roger Muir, Ventura

Let parents teach religion

Re: Christina Wilson's July 4 commentary, "Founders and religion: Is this what they had in mind?":

I don't understand where Wilson obtained her information about prayer not being allowed in public schools. There is no restriction, nor is it unconstitutional, for a child to pray in a public school. The only restriction is that it not be led by a teacher or administrator. A child can pray all day, including during class, as long as he/she does not disturb the class. To say God has been taken out of school is a deceptive measure used by the extreme far-right religious.

If this is a Christian nation, Wilson is making everyone who is not Christian — atheists, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. — a second-class citizen. There is a private school system in this country, where Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other religious child can pray, read the Bible or anything else she wants.

George Washington was very concerned about this country becoming a theocracy, which would have been similar to the theocracy established in England then. Wilson should read the Constitution. God is not mentioned in it, except to state there is no religious test to hold office. If Wilson considers there are school districts predominately Muslim and her children attend this school, I doubt that school will be reading and teaching the Christian Bible. Thomas Jefferson was a strong proponent of having a wall for separation of church and state.

What is wrong with the current public school system where children are taught mathematics, English, science, which are basic to our society, and then have them go to church or temple Saturday or Sunday? It is the responsibility of the parents to teach the children religion, not the public school system.

— Donald J. Katz, Newbury Park

Nation's heritage is Christian

Re: Christina Wilson's July 4 commentary, "Founders and religion: Is this what they had in mind?":

Aah-meen. (Arabic for "amen.")

Wilson is correct when she says: "Our country's roots are steeped in the Christian religion. To erase this fact from our nation's heritage is to erase the very character of our nation itself. And a nation without a heritage, without a genuine history, is a faceless nation, a weak nation, a nation that places itself in grave danger of losing the very freedoms and liberties our Founding Fathers fought for."

This is not to say Americans who do not adhere to Christianity are not welcome in this country. Nor does it mean their rights are not protected. Our Constitution and our Founding Fathers made sure citizens' rights are protected. And the "separation" between church and state is a well-accepted principle.

We refer to the college where we learn as our alma mater; and it becomes like a mother to us. And we speak of patriotism when we want to express our love to our country; thus, it is like a father to us.

In neither instance do we abandon our parents. And in respecting the Christian heritage of this country and even celebrating it, we are simply showing a sign of respect to our founders and our history; we are not abandoning our individual identity.

As a Muslim, and a naturalized U.S. citizen of 27 years, I feel more welcome in this country than in the one of my birth, and I certainly have more rights. I am convinced that the environment created by our "Western Christian culture/heritage" is what makes this welcome and embrace possible.

God bless America.

— Moustapha Abou-Samra, Ventura

Don't forget practice of slavery

Re: Christina Wilson's July 4 commentary, "Founders and religion: Is this what they had in mind?"

While we are restoring our founders' religion and moral principles, whether they be Christian, deist or atheist, let's not forget to restore their practice of slavery.

— Mel Lowry, Thousand Oaks