Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

U.S. Constitution, Amendment I

These sixteen words are some of the most important words ever written in this country. The people who settled this country left England to escape religious persecution at the hands of the State. They wanted to be free to worship as they chose. Mindful of their past, the Framers of the Constitution wanted a government free from the entanglement of religions.

As a result, Americans are free to worship as they choose. The State cannot endorse a religion. If you go to church on Christmas, remember that in some parts of the world, people are not free to worship openly. In other countries, the State mandates the religion for the people. But, in the United States, you are free to be Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, agnostic, or atheist, to name a few. I believe in the secular state and the freedom of religion. As Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Give to God what is God's." Amen to that.