First amendment provides for religious freedom

James A. Haught’s commentary titled “It’s a crime to trust God” (Cheney Free Press July 22) shows a deep misunderstanding of both the Constitution and Christian values.

The misrepresentation of the First Amendment directive is rampant. Nowhere do the words “separation of church and state” appear. Instead, the specific wording is, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” That’s it.

In other words, it guarantees freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.

For all the examples of supposed “abuses” that Haught aligned to...