This morning I learned about an event taking place this summer in Port Angeles called the “Northwest Colonial Festival.” I was at once excited about such a thing, as those of us living in what would have been “Parts Unknown” in the 18th century have very little access to colonial history, unless an exhibit of some kind travels here.

So I checked out their website. It looks to be fairly small scale, with some actors in costume, and a daily reenactment of the Battle of Lexington-Concord. An army of uniformed redcoats in wigs, and some militia in common clothing. In other words, the familiar grade-school story of the Revolution that takes place in New England. Sigh.

I also found out that the event is sponsored by the George Washington Society. Oh, what’s that? I wondered. Well, it’s a group dedicated to preserving the Christian faith in the United States government, just like George would have wanted — except for that is completely untrue. Don’t you love how religious groups pick and choose and interpret the writings of the founders to suit their own agenda? Oh, me too!

Here are a couple things Washington said about religion:

“Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.”

“For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.”

He was a devout Christian, but he well understood that religion did not belong in the government. I do not think he would support his name being given to this “society.”