Open mind to truths about our nation

On Nov. 11, Charles Danyus wrote a letter that in sum praised Donald Trump and Boris Johnson for trying to preserve national identity in apparently godless England and the U.S., noted that China and Russian will "fight and kill" to maintain their respective national identities and used a volley of labels like secularists, globalists, atheists and Islamists for those who think otherwise. A few points please:

1. Such religious-based fervor and the persecution it can and does lead to is precisely why our Founding Fathers put separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution.

2. A separation of church and state does not mean there are religious persecutions here. We are free to worship as we please or to not worship if we believe otherwise.

3. Yes, Russia and China have tried to kill and have done so. Religion is persecuted in those countries, especially China. Chairman Mao was responsible for the deaths of 30-60 million people and it wasn't for preservation of national identity. It was for the preservation of himself. And do you need reminding of how many Russians have been killed or imprisoned to preserve the many premiers whose sole purpose was to maintain their own power?

4. Danyus notes that the churches and palaces in the UK show connections to spiritual men. The point about connection to spiritual men can be debated, to say the least. There are also politics involved and the means to build such structures was often paid for by plunder and robbing from conquered nations that became colonies. If you see God in them, then look deeper to see the looting from subjugated nations.

5. We have cathedrals, churches, temples and mosques, too. They are all around us. Just open your eyes and dare I say your mind.

Lawrence Kopp

Schaumburg