Let the facts speak about Christian origins

A reader's Nov. 19 letter is titled "Challenge what you read." I accept the challenge.

She first attacks the notion that our nation was founded as a Christian nation. She quotes a statement she attributes to John Adams.

Actually the quote is from a treaty that the United States made with some Muslim nations with whom they had been at war. These nations were established as Muslim nations. For our country to state that we were founded as a Christian nation would have foiled the attempt for peace here. The war resumed again later anyway.

Being founded as a Christian nation would have meant that we had a national church as they have in Europe. But they spoke often of the need for religion (specifically Christianity) and morality as essential for a nation's happiness and health.

But as for our Christian founding, the First Congress proclaimed a day of prayer and thanksgiving to begin its term. It published Bibles to be used in all the public schools. It established a chaplain who would pray before sessions of Congress paid for by tax dollars. The Capitol building itself was used as a church for a hundred years after our nation's founding. And Thomas Jefferson asked Congress for funds to help evangelize the Indians.

The reader then proceeds to criticize Republicans for several things, the big one being the amount of money that has been spent by the committee investigating the events at Benghazi. I would only note here that the biggest reason for the huge expense is the almost complete lack of cooperation from the administration and the State Department.

After about two years, the committee still doesn't have all the documents they have requested from both.

Larry Craig

Wilmette