In Mike Epstein's bashing of the Jesus basher, Steve Humphrey, he asserts that St. Augustine argued God allowed Rome to become a great nation and did the same for the U.S. Neither Epstein or Augustine nor anyone else can prove this. It is merely Augustine's and Epstein's belief that this is so, not empirical fact. Therefore to call Humphrey "stupid" and "uneducated" is to open Epstein himself to the charge that he is also "stupid" and perhaps brainwashed as well by religious dogma that has no basis in fact.
"Easter" celebrations, really festivals honoring Spring, existed in many forms and civilizations long before the alleged existence of Jesus Christ. Mr. Epstein exposes his "stupidity" in asserting that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are "god-driven." The word "God" does not appear in the Constitution. The Pledge of Allegiance" did not contain the word "God" in it until conservatives in Congress during the Eisenhower administration changed it. As a kid in school in the late '40s and early '50s I learned the old Pledge that ended, "one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all." God was not mentioned.
As for the U.S. being a "Christian Nation" that is simply Christian Taliban revisionist history. Most of our Founding Fathers were Deists, including Washington and Jefferson who could never get elected today because Deists deny the divinity of Christ, his mythical miracles and indeed, religion itself. Washington refused communion on his deathbed. So Mr. Epstein before you label people "stupid" maybe you ought to examine your own level of enlightenment. But bring a very strong microscope, it's going to be difficult to detect.
R.T.Tihista, Bend
