Monday Forum: Nothing wrong with Haley’s call to prayer

It was the religious convictions of our founding fathers that led them to hammer out our religious liberties, so Rev. Neal Jones seems to be biting the hand that feeds him (“Haley crossed line in calling Christians to day of prayer,” May 18). Thankfulness would seem more appropriate.

With the parade of fallen public officials, we need more government and other leaders standing up to pray. But prayer and good character should travel together. It seems disingenuous to oppose Gov. Nikki Haley’s open prayer when opponents push an anti-Christian agenda in Congress and state governments. They teach atheistic Darwinism to captive children in government schools. Does Rev. Jones want it both ways?

The idea of a “separation” of church and state has no basis in our Constitution. Our nation is in a tragic slide of thankless, anti-God, flesh-driven immorality.

Removing godly influences can bring impoverished, atheistic misery (China, North Korea, the former Soviet Union).

Rev. Jones’ Unitarian Universalist group is equally free to have its own meetings involving government leaders.

Jones ignores generations of public officials’ prayer and religious involvement: Thanksgiving, Christmas tree-lightings, religious services, Supreme Court and congressional prayers. Freedom of religion is not freedom from religion.

West Columbia