Disharmony in Religious Beliefs

* In these days when religious fundamentalism is on the rise, it is good to read an article such as “Heavenly Harmony” (Nov. 15), where Orange County people of different religious faiths get together in fellowship and harmony, tolerant of the beliefs of each other. That is what religious freedom in our country is all about.

However, this is not the same “religious freedom” that the growing Christian fundamentalist movement today complains about being lacking in our society.

What our fundamentalists want is the freedom to force their narrow Christian beliefs upon the rest of us by the use of government and our schools. Tolerance of other beliefs under their dogmatic Christian concept is not allowed.

In fact, if you watch TV evangelists such as Pat Robertson, you will see that fundamentalists pride themselves in being intolerant of other beliefs, since they zealously believe that their brand of Christianity is the one and only door to heaven.

One wonders how many of the Thanksgiving Choir Festival attendees realize what it would mean to them if the religious right is successful in their efforts to break down the wall between church and state erected by our forefathers.

In Colonial days, one could not be elected to public office unless he was a Puritan. In those days, nonbelievers and Quakers were often put to death for their nonconforming views.

Today in Orange County, we have fundamentalist churches putting out voter guides--an obvious attempt to return to the Colonial days. If voter apathy continues as it has in the last decade, it looks likely that true religious freedom in America will soon be a thing of the past.

JAMES R. GALLAGHER

Huntington Beach

* Once again, the myopic and self-centered worldview held by many Christians becomes painfully apparent in the Mission Viejo High Bible club’s equal-access lawsuit (Oct. 21).

The organizers, probably with the best of intentions, have created an exclusionary and divisive club--certainly the last thing that any high school campus needs.

I’m sure the Christian organizers will say that the club is open to any student, but they must ask themselves, “Would I join the Fellowship of Muslim Athletes?” I suspect not.

Students who do not follow the Christian faith must certainly feel excluded. Student Justin Vanschoick’s assertion that “It’s not a religious thing at all” is preposterous on the face of it.

If that were the case, why use “Christian” in the name of the group? These people need to wake up and realize that there’s a big world beyond predominantly Christian Mission Viejo that requires awareness and sensitivity to other beliefs.

They say they just want to get together and encourage each other to do community work. I would suggest these students rename the group “Inter-Faith Athletic Fellowship.” Then they should welcome students of all religious beliefs so they can discuss and implement the precepts of community service, which all religions share.

Apart from broadening the students’ spiritual perspectives, it might just get through the courts too.

DAVE WEISBART

Garden Grove