This letter is in response to Timothy L. Eshelman’s recent letter to the editor about Greater Media Newspapers columnist Greg Bean having his facts and logic wrong about Gov. Chris Christie being on the wrong side of marijuana legalization and the same sex marriage issue.
Sorry to say, but Timothy, you have your facts wrong when it comes to marriage, God and our founding fathers. Our founding fathers were mainly Christians, I will give you that, but they made it a point to make sure there was a separation between church and state.
If you actually go read the Constitution, there is no mention of God in this document and no mentioning of Christian values/principles.
The Declaration of Independence does mention God, but this is not a legal document, it was to make a moral case for dissolving legal ties with the colonies and Great Britain. The sentiments expressed in this document do not support the principle that government should be guided by any specific religion or by religion in general.
The Bill of Rights also does not have God in it and the First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law representing an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” And the statement “In God we trust” which is the motto of the United States was actually designated by an act of Congress in 1956.
People who use religion and claim the United States is a Christian nation and should follow Christian principles really need to go read these documents again, and even the Bible. We should not be taking the Bible literally anymore because if we did, we would still have slavery, women being inferior to men, marriages that could include polygamy, a rapist marrying his victim if she was not married, and other types of marriage that just does not fit into our society anymore.
And marriage should not be controlled by the church. There are many people who do not believe in religion and do not get married in a church. A marriage is something between two people who love each other regardless of race, color and sexual preference. How do gay people marrying affect your values?
You can believe what you want and practice any religion you want, that’s what is great about this country. But do not infringe your beliefs on me. The laws should not be made based on religion and what God might think.
What right do you have in denying gay people their happiness of marrying their partner? If you do not believe in it, well then don’t do it! And don’t tell other people they can’t because that is what you believe. God will judge them when their time comes, not you.
And no, Timothy, I am not gay. I am a very happily married woman who believes in equality for all and the pursuit of happiness. I was also raised with Christian values and the most important values that I retain are compassion and respect for all living things, as it should be. You may be surprised what the majority really thinks.
Wendy Beyda
Marlboro