I must comment on Ambrose Flynn’s Nov. 13 letter regarding separation of church and state. Religion is important in many peoples’ lives, but should not be used to influence legislation.

The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly against welding them together, especially in schools. Everson vs. Board of Education 1947, Engle vs. Vitale 1962, Abington vs. Schempp 1963 and Stone vs. Graham 1980, all reflect the make-up and attitudes of individuals in our country.

I think it’s wrong to impose beliefs on people that subscribe to other possibilities. Some say you lose national morality when you reject principles of the Bible, which is simply horse hockey.

Morality deals with principles of wrong and right, virtues, nobility and ethics; all which stand on their own and remain independent of any religion. A religion may adopt and abide by these principles but these principles do not adopt any one religion.

Two issues that make clearer the need for separation are the religious right’s takes on gay marriage and abstinence only sex education. “Abstinence only” teaching, with no mention of safe-sex alternatives, only postpones sexual activity for a short period of time and can lead to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Their argument that gay marriage hurts families and diminishes “traditional” marriage ignores the fact that heterosexual couples have ravaged this institution.

There is no argument that the founding fathers were Christian men, but their belief in personal freedoms supersedes their religious backgrounds.

Michael Johnson, Windham