Reverend Thayer Miller and Charles Callahan's recent letters to the editor both try to differentiate Christianity from Islam. Reverend Miller writes that Christianity is "the world's best standard for all that is good" while Mr. Callahan adds that when Christians utilize force "they are denying the teachings of Jesus Christ." What both letter writers fail to consider is that while the New Testament of the Bible may not overtly endorse force, the Old Testament decidedly does. While it is unequivocally true that modern Christianity has been tempered by Enlightenment influences while Islam has not, all religions have a propensity for violence because they all eschew reason leaving force as the only means to adjudicate differences. Evidence of this trend was illustrated by the events, reported in the Butler Eagle, in Mount Vernon, Ohio where a Christian teacher allegedly branded his student with the sign of the cross. It is because of this trend that I am extremely troubled by State Representative Daryl Metcalfe's comments elevating Christianity to the de facto national religion and am encouraged that his challenger in the election, John Olesnevich, has decided to hold a rally in opposition to the events surrounding Rep. Metcalfe's comments.