Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-03
Secular Point Of View

II MS NCLer punLShed recently, Col.
A. 9. Mckinley suggests congressional
reamrmation Of religious liberty In
order to reassure Moslems, Hindus. and
other nome Christians and to help con-
vince them of the dangers to them of
atheistic Communism.
But that is not enough. We must
also reaffirm our traditional and con-
stltutional separation Of Church and
State. TO Moslems and Hindus, this
means the separation Of our govern
ment from the Christian religion which
IN turn is based on Jewish religious ira
ditions and which they consider to be
more anti Moslem and more anti Hindu
even than the professed atheism Of the
Communists.
The non-white, nom Christian ma
jority OF the worlds peoples know, the
long history Of imperialist oppression
inf1icted on them by white Christians.
Can we now overcome their prejudiceS
and convince them that our Govern
ment is any less proc Christian than the
Communists are pro-atheist? Recent
manifestations OF Church-State Coop
Grafton might make it dificult.
For instance, in Saturdays Star we
saw the Archbishop Of New York in
clerical garb reviewing our soldiers,
after attending the white House
Mess" Having been criticized for lack
OF religious Affiliations during the cam
paign, our President now makes a great
show every Sunday of his newly-ac-
quired PreSbyterianiSm. We still carry
religious mottoS on our coins and have
recently added them to postage stamps
that go all over the world. We still have
religious chaplains for our armed
forces and enforced attendance at
chapel at West Point.
We still open our legislative and ju-
dicial sessions with prayer and recently
even our cabinet meetings. Although 1t
is unconstitutional, the Christian Prot
estant religion is still taught widely in
public schools, including those of the
District of Columbia. Isn't the Church,
namely the Christian church, becoming
less and less separate from the Govern
ment?
On the other hand, the worlds nom
Christian majority knows that the Com
munists are not opposed to making
peaceable arrangements with existing
religious faiths. They have done so all
over Europe, including Russia itself. AS
The Star reports in the issue con-
tanning Col McKinley's letter, religion
has made such strides in that country
that Pravda is shocked by the neglect"
by peasants of their work on the harv-
est in order to attend three-day re-
ligious ceremonial.
Pravda is opposed, just as our Govern
ment would use its influence against
the ideas on religion that the Commu-
nists hold. But Pravda does not urge
suppression of the rites. only that Com
munists "show these people the error
of their ways" And it urges that this
be done without insulting the feelings
of believers"
suggest that Congress reiterate, to
the world at large, the assurances given
by our very religious President John
Adams. with the consent Of q very re-
ligious Senate, in solemn treaty with
Tripoli in 1897 as follows: (a) That,
1.-THE Government Of the United States
is not, in any sense, founded on the
Christian religion; (b) that ut has in
itself no character of enmity against the
laws, religion, or tranquility of MuSsel-
men" or other non Christians: Co that
mo pretext arising from religious opin-
ion shall ever produce interruption Of
the harmony existing" with such nom
Christian nations.
propose that we abide strictly by
these principles, leaving the job Of pro-
noting Christianity where 1t properly
belongs, In the churches. which then will
have such religious freedom as they
never can have in alliance with
worldly government. Then, and not till
then, can we point a finger Of criticism
at Russia for its meddling in religious
affairs.