Recently, Mr. Erwin Boggs wrote a letter to this newspaper detailing the “attack” on “Christians, country, and Christmas.” I am here to denounce and rebut the claims Mr. Boggs made.
Let me begin with the issue of the nativity scenes in government establishments. We can agree that this is taking place on government property, which is funded through public tax dollars. These nativity scenes are purchased and maintained through public funds. Thus, the government is using public funds to support a religious cause.
Remember, the First Amendment of the Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law … regarding the establishment of religion.” You say, “But no law was passed here!” Well, in fact, a law was passed. That law being the spending budget.
It is voted upon by members of Congress as an appropriations bill, is signed into law by the president or by a two-thirds Congressional override of a veto, which then governs how public funds are spent. Therefore, the allotments for nativity scenes and other religious paraphernalia are unconstitutional, as they show a lawful support of a religion, a clear violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Next, we have the issue of prayer and displays of religion in school. Again, this is funded by the government, and any laws regarding schooling must remain secular. Contrary to what Mr. Boggs believes, prayer is not completely banned . There is nothing stopping a child from praying at any time during the school day. That would be “… impeding the free exercise of religion,” which is also part of the First Amendment. What is prohibited, is a mandatory prayer.
How would you feel if someone forced you to practice a pagan ceremony when it is clearly against your beliefs? The same feelings apply to those who aren’t Christian and would be required to support a Christian practice. And “holiday trees?” If you propose that Christmas trees be openly displayed, then so should Menorahs, flying spaghetti monsters, offerings to the god Saturn. This prevents the favoring of one religion over another, the establishment of a state sponsored religion, and would be in accordance with what the Constitution allows.
And let’s be honest. Christmas is not a holiday with any real significance to Christians. It comes from the Roman tradition of Saturnalia, which is a celebration of the god Saturn during the Winter Solstice. The tree, singing songs, exchanging gifts; all came from this pagan ritual.
When the Roman Empire was converted to Christianity by Constantine I in 312, he changed the traditional pagan holiday so that it could carry some Christian message, and yet still allow the Romans a festival during the solstice.
There is no description in your sacred text, the Bible, that says Jesus was born around the 25th of December.
In fact, scholars believe he was born in the spring. Notice that Luke 2:8, which details the travels of Joseph and Mary, says there were “Shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” when the angel visited them. Shepherds would not tend to their flocks outside at night in the winter due to the cold, and thus this must have taken place in a more temperate time of year for the nights.
When cross-referenced with more descriptions of what went on during their travels, Jesus’ birth is placed in spring, not winter, as he was born a short time after the angel appeared. Therefore, we can conclude that Christmas actually has no Christian significance whatsoever. Constantine I decided Romans should keep the holiday during the Winter Solstice, and moved the date of Jesus’ birth to suite his cause.
The Pledge of the United States of America is not under attack, it is simply being reworked to how it was before June 14, 1954. That is the year when Congress passed proposed to incorporate the phrase through a joint resolution. This was passed during a time of great fear and widespread hysteria to separate ourselves from the “godless Communists.”
However, this violates the Constitution’s Establishment Clause, and has come under fire recently as a growing number believe it is an unnecessary and unconstitutional practice. They are not destroying the pledge, but merely reverting it back to the one our country used before we got caught up in the Cold War and a battle with Communism.
You wonder where these “godless” government decisions come from? How about we look to our Founding Fathers. Yes, the great men who founded this country did so with the hopes that it would not become a religiously governed state so as to avoid persecution of those of different or no faith.
Article 11 of The Treaty of Tripoli of 1797, signed by John Adams and approved UNANIMOUSLY by the Congress of the United States declares that: ” … the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” From the very beginning, it was determined that the United Sates would not be a Christian nation. This means no state sponsoring of Christian traditions, beliefs, or practices. Yes, there are a large number of Christians who live here, but to make America solely a Christian nation would deprive this country of the diversity and tolerance it is famous for throughout the world. The quotes you used from Joseph Story, Justice Brewer, and even President Lincoln blatantly disobeyed the precedence set by early leaders in this country.
This is not a Christian nation, and I do not plan to play by your rules. I am a free individual, free to make my own decisions, celebrate my own holidays, and say what I believe because I live in the United States, where I have these rights. If this was the Christian nation, I would be persecuted and shunned for being an atheist, for writing this response in opposition to your position. But the founding fathers gave me those rights in our Constitution. For you to wish otherwise, is to deny me these rights they so boldly fought for over 200 years ago.
I know you know me, Mr. Boggs, and tell me honestly: Do you wish to deprive a colleague of his rights and liberties?
I bid you and everyone else in this country, a safe and happy holiday season.
Guest columnist Aaron Thomas Valenta is a lifelong Gilroy and is scheduled to graduate from the University of California at Davis in 2015. Anyone wishing to pen a guest column can email Editor Mark Derry at ed****@ga****.com.
