GOD: He's in our Constitution

I really can’t decide whether to laugh or to cry at the reactions to the City Council’s practice of opening meetings with a prayer.

The first amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” Nowhere does it say anything about God or prayer to say nothing of the obvious specific reference to “congress” while omitting reference to any other body, federal or otherwise, or to any activity other than making a law.

What has that got to do with a local council meeting? Additionally, what religion was the council respecting? Lutheran? Catholic? Islam? Do any two of them even practice the same religion?

The majority of the commentators were only revealing their ignorance of the writings and speeches of the founders. The letters page of The Press is not large enough to hold their references to God, the creator, the almighty and various other designations (and even to Jesus Christ specifically). Were these gentlemen simply ignoring the Constitution they had adopted?

Aside from the founders Lincoln in his first inaugural address specifically identified Christianity and reliance on God among the elements involved in making wise decisions. One might conclude that a secular-even atheistic-element in this country has been laboring for many years to eliminate God from any reference or recognition at any level throughout this nation. That was never the intent of the founders as indicated by their frequent and continuing references to Him in their public pronouncements.

PHILIP MEMBURY

Coeur d’Alene