2026 college essay contest: 7th place — Sean-Patrick Dulcio
Greatness does not require religion
FFRF awarded Sean-Patrick $750.
By Sean-Patrick Dulcio
I was frustrated when President Trump stated, “You cannot have a great country without religion.” As a nonbeliever, his comments made me feel left out. Comments from leaders about believing in God are often interpreted as if being able to make good moral decisions, being patriotic and making positive contributions to our communities are mostly reserved for believers. I completely disagree with that point of view. The history of the United States, current U.S. society and the principles of the United States Constitution clearly show that the greatness of a nation depends upon its freedoms, equalities and sense of social responsibility — not on religion.
Trump continues to associate success of nations with religion. At a 2024 presidential campaign rally, he said, “You simply can’t be happy without religion — just believe.” Although some people find comfort and purpose through their beliefs, suggesting that happiness or national success depend on believing is dismissive of tens of millions of compassionate, ethically driven and contributing citizens who do not follow religious teachings. Morality belongs to no one faith or to no faith at all. Honesty, compassion and respect can also come from many sources, including family, education and experiences throughout life.
In fact, many of the most powerful nations in the world are also those with lower levels of religiosity. Countries like Japan, Denmark, Norway and Sweden have all been ranked highly in areas of quality of life, education, health care and personal safety, yet they have large numbers of nonreligious citizens. These countries demonstrate that social trust, well-functioning institutions and respect for human rights can be greater contributors to a nation’s success than religion.
Trump’s comments regarding his view of faith and patriotism also create confusion about the limits of faith in relation to the government. The founding of the United States was based upon the concept of religious freedom, therefore, there exists the right to choose whether or not to have a faith. The First Amendment prohibits the government from giving preference to one religion over another.
In describing this concept, Thomas Jefferson referred to it as “a wall of separation between church and state.” When political leaders suggest that being a good citizen or being “great” requires belief in God, then it can create divisions among the people who do not believe. Hearing Trump make these types of comments makes me as a nonbeliever feel as if my values and contributions mean nothing. I am hard working, I am committed to my community, I treat others with kindness and respect and I try to be ethical. None of those things require a faith system. To say so would continue the unnecessary divisions in our society at a time when we are already divided enough.
One of the greatest strengths of America is that it is made up of individuals from different cultures, backgrounds and belief systems. There are Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostic, etc., all coexisting within the same constitutional framework. While faith has been an essential element in many people’s lives and in much of America’s history, no faith system should ever be seen as a prerequisite for citizenship or for being morally responsible. A country that is truly great will protect the freedoms of conscience for every individual, no matter what they may believe.
Sean-Patrick, 20, attends Florida A&M University with plans to major in accounting.
“I used to play football in high school, where I learned important qualities like discipline, diligence, consistency and teamwork,” he writes. “I come from a family-oriented background with a lot of support from my mom, dad, sister, aunts, and cousins. I became a member of Progressive Black Men Inc., which works to improve the image of Black men through volunteering and uplifting the community.”
