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Tax credit for your coal-fired furnace

Patricia Bertrand's letter of Sept. 27 criticized a comment from Hillary Clinton in which she stated that "Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will, and deep-seated religious beliefs have to be changed." Clinton was not attacking religious liberty, she was simply elucidating one of the core principals of our constitution, the separation of church and state.

Our founding fathers did not create some kind of sacred theocracy based on the Christian faith - in fact, just the opposite is true. They had been informed by, and in some cases witnessed, the centuries of war and chaos that ensued in Europe when monarchies clashed with religious interests, and they wanted none of it.

Also, many of them were deists who found human experience and rationalism to be better guides than the mysteries of faith. The constitution is not based on Christianity or any other religion. It protects religion, all religions equally, and the free expression thereof, but it does not permit any of them preferential treatment or any role in governance.

By separating religion from governmental affairs, it guarantees the safety of both - a concept that is sadly lost on many religious zealots in this country. Christianity isn't under attack, but rational thought, scientific inquiry, diplomacy, compromise and political statesmanship clearly are, and Donald Trump and the Republican Congress are leading the charge. When President Trump starts converting churches into casinos, and gives you a big tax credit for installing a coal-fired furnace in your home, perhaps you'll understand.

William S. Hicks

Carpentersville

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