(Nov. 4, 2008) — And God said, “Let there be light,” and it was good. These are some of God’s more famous words, spoken approximately at the beginning of the universe. Whether you believe the speaking of these words really was the catalyst for the formation of the planets and stars or not, the fact is we live in a country where many people do. Freedom of religion is one of the founding principles of this country, a principle that gives people the right to believe whatever they want about how life began. Just as important, if not more important, is separation of church and state. This ensures that no religion is in control of the government. If religion is supposed to be irrelevant to matters of the state, why do certain ignorant citizens choose to condemn Barack Obama out of paranoia that he is a Muslim? Economic policies, stances on key issues and leadership ability are the things that should affect a voter’s choice. Some might argue that because the founding fathers of this country and most of its citizens today are Christian, it makes sense to integrate what the Bible says into our laws or policies. History shows us that a government can’t make laws based on certain religious beliefs and still be a government for the people. Take for example England under King Henry VIII. Being both the king and the head of the church made the concerns of his people the least of his worries. The decisions made by a government must be based solely on cold fact and what is most beneficial for the country itself. Since there is no way to prove that anything written in the Bible is fact, is it really wise to base legal decisions on “the word of God?” Just take a look at our president for the last eight years. George W. Bush has said that God spoke to him, guiding him in his decision-making. Maybe we would be in better shape right now if we had a president who was better at keeping his religious and political lives separate. There’s nothing wrong with believing in something, but the church is the house of God, not the White House. One nation under God? Let’s pray we never become that.