Printed in USA Today May 23, 2005

Your cover story "The gospel of Billy Graham: Inclusion," tells a lot of about why so many Americans, now define themselves, as "spiritual, not religious."  Religion should unite, not divide, yet this County may be more divided than it has been in years, largely because of the judgmental fury of the "religious right."  I am lifelong Catholic, but have not been to church since last year after the Archbishops in my state got directly involved in the election process and told us very specifically how to vote. Many people, like myself, have come to believe that social issues like abortion, gay rights and premarital sex, are largely irrelevant to the balance of democracy.  Those issues fuel intolerance which seems to have been redefined as a "value."  Moral issues like war, health care, economic disparity, employee rights, the environment and union busting do not lend much concern to many mainstream churches. Those issues are far more important.    

 

What we have to ask is: Should faith be a dividing line? Should the "moral issues" be defined by only those in power?  To those people who suggest that politics and elections will continue to be about morals and ethics, I can only say, you bet they will.  I hope more Americans come to realize that our nation could be in danger of slowly becoming what we claim to be fighting against. I fear living in a place where people so rarely question their own beliefs. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Timothy D. Allport