[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, submitted by a verified resident. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The B-Town Blog, nor its staff:]
Keep the Church and State Separate
Burien City Council candidate Martin Barrett says he wants to establish God’s kingdom in Burien by discipling, or mentoring, city government to follow the example of Jesus.
This is a very bad idea and it is unconstitutional. The word, God, is not in the Constitution and we have had a functioning government at the state and federal level for over 200 years based in part on the separation of church and state. Given the plurality of religious belief, this is a critical part of our form of government. No form of Christianity or other religious belief speaks for all Americans or even all Burien citizens. We are a diverse collection of peoples from all walks of life. We are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, agnostic, atheist, and likely many more varieties of religious or non-religious belief. No one of us speaks for all of Burien. How arrogant!
“God is very interested in government,” Barrett says in the video after referencing Matthew 28:18-20. Well, government and society today are vastly different from government and society 2,000 years ago and Barrett has a lot to learn about today’s reality. Given that Barrett is a 26-year resident of Burien, with no government experience and limited life experience, and wants to transform Burien into his version of a Biblical village, he is not remotely qualified to speak for Burien.
I will vote for a candidate with a realistic sense of self and others, who is comfortable living and working in a pluralistic society, who doesn’t have all the answers, and is willing and able to listen to other citizens and accept input and counsel where valid and appropriate. I will vote for a candidate who will govern based on evidence and science, not on ideology. I will vote for a candidate who looks to our emerging future, not some distant past.
– Dr. David Gould
Burien
EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have an opinion you’d like to share with our highly engaged local Readers? If so, please email your Letter to the Editor to editor@b-townblog.com and, pending review and verification, we may publish it. Letter writers must use their full names and cite sources – as well as provide an address and phone number (NOT for publication but for verification purposes).
