This is one of the letters that appears in the July 24, Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era :

‘Why I protested the church-bulletin discount’

“You should really thank me for being the cause of the many letters that filled your paper. Evidently, I hit a nerve in Lancaster County for having the audacity to suggest that church-going may not be the greatest thing ever.

“My take from the negative and even vicious letters is that I did not make my points clear. Let me try to state them here. But then again, maybe I am not being misunderstood at all.

• I am at least as good a person as the average churchgoer. Much better, in fact, if you include all the devout child-molesters, their enablers, embezzlers and hypocrites.

• A restaurant should not use religion to advance its business. It should not promote church attendance over non-religion.

• Personally, I do not care one bit about any discount. If the Prudhommes want to increase traffic on Sundays, they should give everyone a discount without forcing them to pick up a church bulletin.

• I do believe, however, that this use of church-related discount is illegal and I brought the complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission because a phone call and letters from Freedom From Religion Foundation to the restaurant brought no solution. I do agree with one letter-writer who criticized my use of the word “snotty” when referring to Sharon Prudhomme. I should have said “snippy.” Precisely because this is America, a restaurant has to obey laws, all the way from food handling to those regulating civil rights and public accommodations.

• I have no animosity at all toward the Lost Cajun Kitchen or the Prudhommes. I wish them well if this publicity improves their business.

“Beyond that, however, I have been surprised by the nastiness of the letters in the newspaper as well as by mail and phone calls I’ve received. All the letters and tracts except one (just enclosing a bulletin) were anonymous.

“One, enclosing a bulletin from the Calvary mega-church just down the road in Manheim Township came with a handwritten note with a swastika and calling me an a-hole.

“My point exactly: church-going does not make you a good person.

“This flap is really insignificant. However, it shows a need for a better understanding of our Bill of Rights which prevents the majority from imposing their will on minorities. More importantly, it is related to religion-based laws that affect us all and are serious business. Such as taxpayer-funded vouchers for religious schools, restrictions on contraception and health care, proclamations honoring the Bible.

“I have always felt a duty to support local community businesses and charities. I have to tell you, however, that after this outpouring of hate locally, I will reassess my priorities.”

John Wolff, Manheim Township