Nat: In what way has our government established an "official religion"? I think a government "of the people, by the people and for the people" does honor some of the wishes of those people. So, allowing "God" to appear on money or other public spaces simply reflects that most Americans believe in God, be they Christians, Jews, Muslims or what have you. That isn't establishing an official religion . . those are different religions. And designating a holiday time in late December doesn't establish an official religion, as Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanzaa are celebrated around that same time, it doesn't signify just one religion (Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar, so the dates change -- but Muslims are free to schedule time off from work as they wish, and their willingness to work throughout December could be seen as a plus to organizations that must maintain staffing daily).
So, what is so hypocritical about any of this? The Constitution states that there will be no establishment of an official religion, and none has ever been established. Allowing people to follow religious teachings or to abstain from such is not establishing an official religion. It is simply being tolerant of differences and respecting diversity, is it not? Respecting the beliefs of others is part of respecting diversity.
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