Monday letters
Atheists, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice and public debt in today’s letters to the editor.
Pick of the day: Slaughter of innocents should wake us up
Having had the opportunity to serve in the mental health response to the Virginia Tech shootings, I found no meaning in the search to discover the “why” that resided only in Seung-Hui Cho’s mind. We will never know whether it was the existential/spiritual concept of evil, or simply the paranoid torment of a sick mind.
It makes little difference. Sadly, it will happen again.
It is nearly impossible to predict any person’s potential for perpetrating this kind of horror. The successful rarely give cues that are recognized with the necessary understanding and gravity.
Implementing new and more stringent gun laws, increased security and new approaches for evaluating risk in the mental health arena are important, but until we find a way to change our society in some way that we have not yet discovered, we will continue to relive this experience.
We seem to have found a way to tolerate the killings of those who have lived beyond their youth. Hopefully, the incomprehensible slaughter of true innocents will drive “the people” to action: as families, as communities, as a nation.
We cannot allow them to have died in vain.
JIM SIKKEMA
BEDFORD
December 31, 2012 - 6:15 AM
In reference to the Athiest billboards,It reminds me of the old college professor joke that dared God to knock him of his stool. Since God was busy with protecting our nation and Military he sent a Marine to put this Professor in a coma with One punch. So to all that have been sent to defend God, by way of turning Dont believe in God signs to Do or Believe in God, I say keep up the great work. I will just turn a blind eye.
I am sure that pleased you and you felt moved to share Herb, but that is offensive to God on several levels. It also defines why people do not like Christians.
Well, shoot. Accidentally posted this on the wrong thread:
No, Christ would not have sanctioned destruction of property, even for those who did not follow Him, any more than He sanctions killing doctors who perform abortions. While He abhors the murders those doctors do, and while He mourns the lost atheist souls, He teaches that hearts are to be won through love, not violence.
Tough. So I guess Joshua and Noah were offensive to God when Noah wouldnt let others on the Ark or when Joshua destryoed Jericho.
The only ones that has to like me is me. That all I care about.
@4 Herb says, “The only ones that has to like me is me. That all I care about.”
I’d say congratulations. You seem to be well on your way to meeting that goal.
4 – Joshua and Noah were not Christians (think about it…)
#6…what.. ok they were israelites…Gods chosen people..Jewish…Still in same relm as a christian.
7 – no, Herb, God sent His son with a promise of redemption that specifically replaced the redemption requirements of the Old Testament (the sacrifices and offerings, etc.). So Christ taught love and forgiveness to replace the Old Testament vengeance. So when a group of people vandalizes, destroys, kills, whatever, in the name of Christ, they are acting completely in opposition to Christ’s teachings. They may justify themselves via the Old Testament…but that would mean they are ignoring (not acknowledging) Christ and what He taught…which makes them either misguided Christians or Jewish. In neither case are they Christian.
7 – and to be clear, Christ died for Israelites, too…he just did it a few thousand years after either of them was alive (so they could not have been Christians).
I agree 89..but what about the temple where Christ turned over the tax collector tables…I believe God is Love, but he still asks us to do things today.
I’m pretty certain it was not Christ himself who defaced those signs.
He does not “ask us” to do things like that vandalism. He just doesn’t.
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone,” Colossians 4:5-6
“Don’t repay evil for evil, or insult with insult, but with blessing repay the evil cast at you” 1 Peter 3:9
“Do not let any corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” Ephesians 4:29
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15
If you claim to be Christian, the only One that has to like you is God. And He demands you read and follow that Bible not thump it.
If I correctly remember, Christ tossed the tax collectors because they were sullying the temple, not because they were tax collectors. A billboard its not the same thing a temple.
And Christ does not send Marines to assault professors or deface billboards.
#14…How do you know ?
I know a godless ex-marine. He’s the leader of SW Virginia Atheists. You can find them via Meetup.
I strongly suspect he’d have cheered the professor on.
@14 Mr. Doto, Ms. Saunders knows the same way both Herb and 89Hoo know.
They don’t.
You should strive to be even handed as well as logical and ask the same question of 89Hoo and Herb.
Arguments over what a person’s god would/would-not do always devolve into what that particular person believes their god would do. And it’s funny how they always line up with that person’s particular feelings on the subject.
If you read and believe the Bible, Jesus NEVER sent anyone to harm, denigrate, harass or defame another being. He was the “turn the other cheek” teacher. He was the “dust on your shoes” leader. It is hubris in the extreme to believe Jesus serves as man’s “retribution on earth”. That is NOT what the Bible teaches. Man can project all sorts of their low behaviors onto Christ. The Bible makes it clear they are wrong to do so.
Scott, I am used to the very selective “call outs” here. But thanks for noticing!
I’m not sure what objections Scott has to what I wrote, but Sandi said it very well.