The Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to show disrespect for the founders of our nation in their protest of a court ruling that attempts to enforce the separation of church and state by removing the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

On June 10, 1797, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution stating, ". . . the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on Christian religion . . . ." In 2002, the Senate unanimously voted to support the inclusion of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. This reflects a 180- degree reversal of an important founding principle of our nation.

One of the many reasons that our founders insisted on freedom of religion and the separation of church and state is that they were not Christians but lived in a nation of Christians. Most Americans are unaware that many of our early presidents, such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison and George Washington, as well as great patriots such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen, did not consider themselves Christians. Their views often were carefully camouflaged in public for fear of reprisal but quite clear in their private correspondence.

Adams once wrote Jefferson that "This would be the best of all worlds, if there were no religion in it." (Letter to Jefferson, April 19, 1817). Adams explicitly argued against any reference to our government being "under" the influence of "heaven." ("A Defense of the Constitution of Government of the United States of America,'' 1788).

Many of the founding fathers were persecuted for their stand in support of the separation of church and state. The main criticism lobbed at Jefferson in his successful campaign for president was that he was an atheist. Paine died in poverty, primarily for statements such as, "The most detestable wickedness, the most horrid cruelties, the greatest miseries that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called revelation, or revealed religion." ("The Age of Reason ,'' 1794).

Probably the most explicit of the early "Deists" who fought for religious freedom and the earliest fighter for separation of church and state was Jefferson. In his private letters, Jefferson made it clear he did not accept Christianity. "The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, the Supreme Being as his father in the womb of a virgin, will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter." (Letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823.)

While many religious groups have suffered discrimination, such as the Jews and, today, Muslims in America and Europe, the group who has suffered the longest and most generic oppression is of those who reject religion. In the past, those who openly challenged religious beliefs faced having their tongues pierced with red-hot irons (British law), or long imprisonment, banishment or torture and death. When Jefferson first dared to question religion, the law was death for holding the views he advocated.

The Green Party, for which I was the gubernatorial candidate, understands why many people who are repelled by the crass materialism that dominates our culture, turn to religion as an antidote to our mania with money. Greens also recognize the personal sacrifice and contributions made by religious people to global peace and social justice.

Greens, in fact, favor total religious freedom -- including the right not to believe in god(s), the devil, hell or purgatory. Such freedom can only exist when church and state are kept completely separate.

Your religion is your private business. It has no part in government, in the Pledge of Allegiance, or in U.S. currency, or our public schools if we are to remain a free people with "liberty and justice for all."

Peter Miguel Camejo was the Green Party gubernatorial candidate in the 2002 and 2003 elections.

©2003 San Francisco Chronicle

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