Secularism and the New Year…1797

The following is an excerpt from a treaty with Tripoli drafted in 1796 under Washington and signed by Adams in 1797:

“As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Musselman; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

How times have changed and religion has mutated into the oracle of wisdom for this nation. I hope this New Year brings with it more secularism, of the kind seen by Adams and Washington’s wisdom.