Absolute separation

To the editor:

The selection of Michael Johnson as speaker of the House of Representatives marks a dangerous turn for America. Religion, evangelical Christianity in particular, has been imbuing itself into our government for decades. Now, we have an evangelical speaker.

Johnson has erroneously cited homosexuality as a cause for the fall of ancient Rome and has promoted debunked “conversion therapy” as a treatment. He has proposed a “religious test” for elected office and a 10-year, hard-labor sentence for women who have abortions, under all circumstances. Johnson also went so far as to say “it’s a central premise of the Bible that God invented civil government.”

What makes America a great nation was, is and must always be that our government is secular, completely separate from religious influence. When John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960, he was repeatedly asked whether he or the Pope would dictate public policy.  

On Sept. 12, 1960, JFK answered this way “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.”

Individual freedom can only be possible under secular rule. When religious zealots, like Johnson, rise to take the helm of our ship of state, we are headed for troubled waters. Democrats must regain the House while holding the Senate and presidency if America is to remain the free nation JFK so eloquently described over six decades ago.

Joseph Cannisi