Secular nation, laws

Tue., Dec. 10, 2013

I would like to reply to Larry Treffry’s Nov. 24 letter. There are many or no religions in this country besides his favorite, but only one morality. Three-quarters of the world does fairly fine without it.

When I grew up in the 1960s, we were taught that we were a secular nation with secular laws, and that’s what made this country great.

As for checking writings and symbols in our revered government buildings; at the U.S. Supreme Court itself, Moses is only represented as one of several “exemplars of law,” along with Confucius and Solon, and surrounded by several allegorical figures representing a variety of legal themes.

Even the friezes on the north and south walls of the Court Room depict 18 great lawgivers and – (gasp!) here’s a shocker – include Mohammed. All of this is representation of secular law.

Gary Garoutte

Newport, Wash.

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