Letters to the Editor - May 31 2006

Online responses to cover story “Armageddon for the religious right?” by John Sugg, published May 25, 2006.

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RE: ARMAGEDDON FOR THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT: This was a very interesting piece and excellently highlights what I believe is the significant danger to America posed by those religionists who so eagerly yank on the levers of power. I use the term “religionists” quite deliberately as the overarching theme I see at work here is a group of people who have taken their innate discontent with certain social changes in the American landscape and legitimized their fear with a candy coating of their particular interpretations of Holy Scripture. For example, it’s quite common for people to express hated of gays without a coexisting belief in God. Unfortunately for them, that view can easily be dismissed as mere opinion. However, if you can point to a set of writings revered by millions of people and torture out of those texts a justification for your fear and hatred then you can recruit others who share your anxiety and weld them into a worldly political force. The notion that Jesus of Nazareth, who was murdered by the power-elite of his time, would concern Himself with the tax structure and foreign policy of one small, young country is simply ludicrous.

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-- Diana Powe

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Religious Right: A highly observant and alarming article. Anyone with half of an opinion could have followed this trend coming for the past 6 years. Unfortunately, the attitudes cannot be stamped out — this country was founded by Puritan principles. Separation between church and state can be accomplished, but it will take a lot of work; we could always look to our hated ally France to see a model of how they maintain secularism.

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-- Ray

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