Dear Editor:
"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
These words are word for word the First Amendment of the first ten amendments to the nation's Constitution, known as the "People's Bill of Rights."
It can be read forwards, backwards, upside down or through pink-colored glasses and still nowhere will you find the words "separation of church and state." Thomas Jefferson was the first to utter those words when he asked that they be installed in the Constitution. His suggestion was turned down then, which is proof enough that the Founding Fathers' intentions were simply to ensure that Congress would never make any group of the Judeo-Christian religion the national church, such as the Church of England. They plainly stated that this nation was established under God and its laws taken from the laws of God. If a citizen does not believe in God or wishes to practice some other form of religion his right is covered in the words stating that Congress shall make no law "prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
