In 2008, Barack Obama claimed Americans frustrated with the economy and feeling antipathy toward those unlike themselves took refuge in guns and religion. So where does someone with antipathy toward religion take refuge? Thanks to Steve Nelson’s Oct. 2 Sunday Valley News column (“You’re Not a Victim if You Discrimininate”), we now know. He advocates that religion be neatly compartmentalized to an hour or two a week within the walls of a church, synagogue, temple or mosque. He, like many others in post-modern America, exhibits appalling ignorance of the true nature of religion and its proper place in society.
The word “religion” seldom appears in the Bible. Perhaps its best-known appearance is in the James’ epistle, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious but does not bridle his tongue and deceives his own heart, that one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit widows and orphans in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Examples abound of useless, hypocritical religion in the world, mainly in those who compartmentalize religion to a nominal hour of “worship” which scarcely affects their lives the balance of the week.
Fortunately, many Christians, Jews, Muslims and others do practice what they preach. We see it in action with relief efforts following Hurricane Matthew. Faith-based organizations freely dispense aid without regard to race, religion or gender identity of the recipients. Many hospitals trace their origins to Protestant, Catholic and Jewish benefactors. Faith-based groups are leaders in establishing orphanages and child-placement agencies throughout our country and are the driving force behind many charitable outreaches in America today, because they love God and people and aren’t merely seeking to justify tax-exempt status.
In recent years we’ve seen the rise of quasi-religious movements, related to issues such as climate change, gender equality, reproductive freedom, globalism and evolution. Adherents preach their messages with pseudo-religious fervor and passion. Therefore, I’m putting forth a modest proposal. These belief systems should be subjected to religious tests based on “establishment” and “free exercise” clauses of the First Amendment. Their adherents should be limited to practicing and promoting them an hour or two each week in a cloistered setting with only like-minded people present, instead of propagating them in the public square and the media or imposing them on the impressionable minds of children in classrooms.
I fully expect my notion to be laughed off as absurd, but it’s no more absurd than Nelson’s purportedly rational assertions.
William A. WittikHartford
A recent Forum letter lamented about being afraid to walk around New York City these days. I have to ask, “Have you visited it lately?” Modern-day New York is a far cry from the city depicted in 1970s films like The Warriors. I know, because I was just there with my family for Columbus Day weekend. We were aware of being in a major city, but we weren’t afraid as we walked all over. We walked around Times Square, we walked back to the hotel after a show on Broadway, we walked through Central Park and all round Midtown. We took the subway to Brooklyn to tour a college. We walked on the Brooklyn Bridge and then over to the 911 Memorial. We walked from Downtown through SoHo, Greenwich Village, Chelsea and then on to the Highline, where we enjoyed the view of a booming economy creating so many new and interesting high-rise buildings with our fellow Americans of all backgrounds and visitors from all over the world. We walked to dinner in Hell’s Kitchen and mixed in with costumed fans having fun coming back from Comic Con at the Convention Center.
We saw people of all shapes, sizes and colors enjoying the city and enjoying life. Afraid to walk around New York City? I don’t think so.
Edward FieldingEtna