Art appreciation

I really enjoyed the new look of the Sept. 6 issue. The changes in formatting and layout improve readability and allow quick access to each section. Your art team is top-notch! - Elisia A. Harvey, Grand Island, Neb.

Chief Justice Moore is not pushing at envelopes, strategizing, or choosing the most advantageous ground. He is simply giving God His due on the ground allotted to him. Mr. Olasky realizes Justice Moore is not using government power to force others to conform to biblical truth. But I hoped Mr. Olasky would recognize that Justice Moore is a Daniel who continues to honor God while in office, though it is forbidden. - George S. Whitten Jr., Greenwood, Miss.

I would say we are living in a new Israel but under a U.S. Constitution redefined by liberal left-wing revisionists. The original intent of the Founding Fathers was to avoid a state church, but they did honor the Creator as "Nature's God" in all aspects of their lives including government rule. Our Founding Fathers would not have tolerated the last 50 years of abusive redefining of our freedoms and laws but would have said it is our right and duty "to throw off such a government." - David C. Keim, Dalmatia, Pa.

I, too, believe the courts should allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in the Alabama courthouse. But there are many more strategic places to display the Commandments, such as where we work. "You shall not steal" should be on every ledger sheet we touch. We ought to place a stone sculpture of "You shall not commit adultery" in our bedrooms. How can we litigate so passionately in public when we love so passively at home? And "Honor your father and mother" should be in the center of our kitchen tables. Our TVs would be a good location for "You shall not covet." Protesting and picketing will ultimately accomplish less than confessing our greed to God. - Bob Rasmussen, Turlock, Calif.

We have no business tolerating this type of judicial overreach. If this turns into an absolute challenge of judicial authority, let it be. Judges have no constitutional right to judge laws; our elected officials should be the guardians of the Constitution. - Kerry Dougan, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Off the mark

As a Christian and Chinese expatriate, I found "The China syndrome" (Sept. 6) off the mark. Instead of focusing on the state of the church in China with its unique challenges and opportunities, the article depicts China as a failure of the spread of Western civilization. Admittedly, many problems do exist in the transformation process of Chinese society. However, we, as Christians, should learn something from Robert Morrison, who adopted traditional Chinese dress and lived like the Chinese, as opposed to judging another culture and nation from the perspective of Western chauvinism. - Xiaosong Xu, Ambler, Pa.

Milk money

After reading about the Harvey Milk homosexual high-school scandal ("Harvey wallbanger," Sept. 6), I must ask why aren't more high-profile Christian leaders, teachers, and preachers calling for believers to pull their children from this ever more pagan public-school system? Are leaders from the pulpit today reluctant to offend high-tithing or influential members of the congregation who work in or support it? - Bernie Diaz, Pembroke Pines, Fla.

I am a Christian who homeschools all six of her children. Most times we don't have two pennies to rub together, let alone gather $200-$300 for our total curriculum. Imagine my outrage that New York uses the tax monies of people such as myself to fund such a school. What I couldn't do with $19,000. - Cindy Y. Zimmerman, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Priest no more

I do not appreciate your references to John Geoghan, the pedophile recently murdered in prison, as "priest" since his defrocking eliminated that identification ("Man knows not his time," Sept. 6). The title "Rev.," used several times, is also incorrect. I find it interesting that when writing about legitimate clergymen you use "Mr.," yet when reporting about a criminal who disgraced his church you use a title that denotes respect. - Paul Kampa, Mifflinburg, Pa.

Holy daze

A double standard on art is not the only or most blatant example of the hypocrisy of the civil-liberties crowd ("An offensive work of art," Sept. 6). They want to ban God from every public place while they turn a blind eye to the National Parks Service policy of turning America's first National Monument (Devil's Tower, Wyo.) into a pagan religious shrine. NPS discourages climbers and other visitors during the "Native American" "holy days." - Allen Brooks, Sheridan, Wyo.

Aiming high

If Baylor is even modestly successful in becoming a university where the Christian worldview is taken seriously in teaching and scholarship and where truth is pursued without ideological hindrance, it will provide an enriched and intellectually stimulating environment and Baylor will contribute in a unique way to the body of Christ, to cultural dialogue, and to public policy discussions in America ("An improbable dream," Aug. 23). Baylor 2012 is attracting top Christian scholars from the best universities in the country who want to participate in this exciting vision. Mr. Olasky notes that Baylor is unlikely to be recognized as a tier-one school, even if it merits such a ranking, but such affirmation by the secular academe is the least important dimension of Baylor 2012. - Walter L. Bradley, Professor of Engineering, Baylor University Waco, Texas

Corrections

The middle initial of famous Indian author Naipaul is S (Sept. 6, p. 64). Charles Bronson's Death Wish series of movies had five installments (Sept. 13, p. 19). SIM missionary David Jaeger formerly taught at Tahn Bible School; Liberian Christian radio station ELWA, founded by SIM, broadcasts in 10 languages to the West African region ("Liberia: How to survive the peace," Sept. 13, p. 22).

Some are apparently worried that the protests will turn off more people than they will convince. I doubt unbelievers will fall on their faces in repentance if we quietly go home and remove ourselves from public engagement, relegating our lives and beliefs to the "cage" in which the ACLU would put us. - Randy Beck, Collierville, Tenn.

"Reasoning together" brought a little sanity and balance to the debate on whether believers should applaud Judge Moore's actions. The issue is not his motives but his methods. Another pertinent point: Is rendering unto Caesar in this instance tantamount to not rendering to God? Christians on either side of the evangelical aisle should be able to disagree with one another on this issue and not be castigated. - Garry Fulton, Greenbrier, Tenn.

We are not living in a "new Israel or a modern Babylon" but in the most miraculously conceived and founded Christian nation of all time. The fact that God has entrusted us with this great experiment ought to give us pause, and we must not take it lightly. - Sally Noran, Lake Toxaway, N.C.

Forests for all?

Logging is not the only answer to saving old-growth forest; controlled fire protects older growth while reducing the risk of catastrophic fire ("As the West burns," Sept. 6). If the purpose of a National Forest is to preserve forests in a natural state, timbering is anathema, and burning can showcase the natural order. But if it is to manage federal resources so all benefit, timbering can be one of many management tools. But the public blurs these two missions; most now see the forestry and parks departments as providing space for recreation. - Laura Hill, Roseville, Minn.

"As the West burns" misses the point that "green policies" did not create the Western forest fire problem; it was created by the exploitative policy of putting out every forest fire by noon the next day. The "green policy" would have been to let small fires burn to reduce fuel load and prevent major catastrophes. - S. Luke Flory, Bloomington, Ind.

Moore reasoning

Mr. Olasky asks, "How can we best proclaim the gospel of grace?" ("Reasoning together," Sept. 6). True, Paul and Peter told Christians they should obey ungodly rulers, but Mr. Olasky forgot to mention Paul's bold legal stands: "They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned" (Acts 16:37) and "I appeal to Caesar" (Acts 25:11). Judge Moore, believing that he has been misjudged by a progressive judiciary, has appealed to the Supreme Court. We should give him the benefit of the doubt whether he, like Paul, can acquit himself well to the glory of God. - H. Eugene Eslinger, Green Bay, Wis.

Montgomery also has a huge monument to Themis, the Greek goddess of morality and law. Paid for with tax funds, it dwarfs in size the Ten Commandments monument, and it still sits outside of Judge Myron Thompson's federal court building, imposing and prominent on government property. What hypocrisy for a federal judge to rule in the manner Judge Thompson has done! - Malcolm A. Cutchins, Auburn, Ala.