A taxpayer-fueled debate over nothing

The April 8 article, "Group wants House prayer to stop" puzzled me. The Freedom From Religion Foundation "claims the prayers violate the U.S. Constitution because they alienate non-Christians and nonbelievers."

First, if they don't believe that God exists then they must believe the House is praying to nothing at all. If one is excluded from nothing, how can one feel alienated? How ridiculous the exclamation, "I feel alienated from nothing."

Second, if the title of the group is indicative of its aims, then perhaps the group is actually unconstitutional. The Bill of Rights, Amendment 1 states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

This is freedom of religion, which is exactly opposite freedom from religion. It seems to me that as Illinois faces a budget shortfall, our elected officials might be allowed to pursue more important business than wasting time and taxpayer money over nothing.

Brian Van Dine

Carol Stream