It’s odd the writer of “Wake up, America” (East Oregonian, April 7) chose faith in God as the litmus test for which political party to support. Guess how many times God is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution?

Zero.

The Constitution purposely takes no position on theological issues and insists governments should derive “their powers from the consent of the governed.” The Constitution seeks to “form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.” These are secular goals, and the Founding Fathers knew it was up to us to provide them, not God.

The letter writer quoted from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address. I’ll counter with his remarks to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association while campaigning in 1960. Addressing critics fearful his Catholic faith would dictate his decisions as president, Kennedy said: “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute — where no Catholic prelate would tell the president how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote.”

As for the writer’s diatribe on the evils of godless Democrats, I suggest judging the parties by their actions, not their words.

That Grand Olde Party (GOP) inflamed the COVID-19 pandemic by spreading lies, refused the results of a fair election and resorted to an attempted insurrection, pushed through extreme voting lows to disadvantage minorities and the poor, passed a tax cut that made the richest even richer and insists on controlling women’s bodies. They also denigrate anyone who has a different sexual or gender identity than they see as acceptable, held Ukrainian military support hostage … oh, and they want to end Social Security and Medicare (see Sen. Rick Scott’s proposed GOP platform).

The Democrats’ positions are the opposite and show much more so-called Christian charity.

Hal McCune

Pendleton