Express tolerance for all viewpoints

It's too bad that Chris White was offended at Steve Smith's sign giving thanks to God for Christmas.

In his letter he commented on the intolerable display of a sign on, as he admitted, Steve's own property, that acknowledged that Christ is indeed the reason for Christmas. He affected offense for apparently all the Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Native Americans and assorted others in our community. Just as he said that Steve doesn't speak for all of Sandpoint, neither does he.

If he is so offended by a sign not too distant from the supposed symbol of "tolerance" in our community, I would encourage him to put up his own sign on his own property paying homage to whatever "higher consciousness" he likes. As far as Jesus' resistance to being called Lord, I count more than 100 instances in the New Testament where He was called by that title and he was never offended.

Frankly, if Mr. White knew Steve as I do, he would hopefully rethink his prejudice since Steve is probably one of the finest citizens Sandpoint has and his character is modeled after the very Lord that Mr. White objects to acknowledging. Steve is not Congress and is not "mak(ing) (a) law respecting an establishment of religion" and since there is no prohibition of the free exercise of religion as yet, a sign on one's property thanking God is still allowable and those offended by such a sign should in the vernacular of the day "get a life."

CORNEL RASOR

Sagle