Every law establishes a certain

moral position as a social norm. Every society must establish and implement

legislation that defines what is right and what is wrong. Whether it is

from the Bible or elsewhere most of our nation's laws are rooted in the

Judeo-Christian religion.

For instance, the Bible says,

"thou shalt not steal." Should we get rid of the laws against

stealing because they impose a Judeo-Christian morality? Should we invalidate

every moral standard that is founded on religious principles? Is not the

right to life a moral issue?

Virtually every significant

document of the United States is based on moral principles that define

our values as a nation. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect

that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.

Laws related to church and

state were intended to assure freedom for religion, not freedom from religion.

Neither the words "separation of church and state," and the

concept as we now know it are found in the Constitution.

Religion's waning influence

on our society directly accounts for the moral deterioration threatening

our nation's future. Can we afford to forget the essential connection

between a society's morality and its religious beliefs? It is time that

we remind our state and federal legislators and our jurists of their responsibilities.

It seems that there are many that have forgotten.

The Rev. Mr. Tom Zaworski

Pastoral Assistant

St. Gabriel Catholic Church