James N. MacIver of East Windsor, N.J. Says:

Oliver Thomas’ piece asked an ironic question. Thomas said we should look to faith to bring us together, even though faith has caused the division. It’s like saying the best way to treat a gunshot wound is to pump a few more rounds into the victim.

Religion is the most divisive, destructive force in history. If a way of thinking could bring people together, it would be humanism, a philosophy where people work toward peace and harmony, guided by reason. It’s time for the world to decide whether to be ruled by mysticism or reality.

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Stan Hrincevich of Littleton, Colo. says:

The Forum pieces evaluating the impact of religion, faith and conservative politics on the outcome of the presidential election and how the country might be “healed” through faith reveals the arrogance of yesterday in trying to solve today’s problems (“GOP’s path to victory still goes through God,” On Religion, Dec. 1).

The conservatives and the religious right continue to believe (or hope that voters will believe) that God, gays, guns and abortion are the issues that matter most, affecting the quality of life.

Mix these issues with a political platform that pushes prayer and belief in only a Christian God as solutions to problems involving education, infidelity, terrorism and more, and you have a political party’s platform that, thankfully, no longer works or is believed. The voting public awakened and no longer wants a country of “them” and “us” that is based on this dogma.

Religious beliefs and “solutions through prayer” are personal and comforting ideals, but real solutions must come from institutions, laws and leaders who improve the quality of everyone’s lives.

The conservatives and the religious right must look no further than into a mirror to identify the reason that they lost the presidential election. Case closed

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