Nowhere to live

[ Feb. 2 ] Milton Hershey founded a town to provide workers in his chocolate company with affordable housing and entertainment. And he lived in the town, not some walled-off compound. Modern titans of industry should do the same thing. Faith motivated men like Hershey to care for their employees, but faith may be lacking today in Silicon Valley. —Andrew Brackbill / Lititz, Pa

Thank you for this timely article. The term “affordable housing” can be a bit of a lightning rod. I teach economics in a Florida high school, and this article will help my students wrap their heads around the problems and some possible solutions. —H.A. Smith on wng.org

I live in Seattle, where we face some of the same housing issues, so I get that the choices are hard. It’s not just teachers; middle-income earners of all walks of life struggle to afford housing. But once a city starts subsidizing one group, like teachers, why stop there? And who gets to decide? —Jennifer Murray on wng.org

I appreciate how Sophia Lee gets into the middle of issues and presents the complexities, giving the reader a new understanding. It’s so refreshing compared to journalism today that is often just propaganda. —N. Brooks on wng.org

California house prices are extremely high in the big coastal cities and Silicon Valley. But in the inland areas housing is much more affordable, about $250,000 for a new home where I live. —Ted Mackey / Brawley, Calif.

The fight for Chinese rights

[ Feb. 2 ] The whole article is both troubling and inspiring, but one quote nearly took my breath away. “Are you willing to experience the trials and ridicule that our Lord faced on this earth?” I have never heard words like these at any baptismal service. We can learn much from our Chinese brothers and sisters. —Marlene Gardner on wng.org

Thank you to June Cheng for this excellent piece of reporting. Those willing to face trials and persecution for the sake of our Lord gave me great hope for the Chinese people. May we lift up our brothers and sisters in prayer. —Holly McMillan on wng.org

In China, the state is suppressing citizens’ rights; here LGBTQ activists and others are imposing control through our courts, supported by a secular media propaganda machine. While we focus on securing our border, we are being conquered from within. —Wayne Kaminski / Cuero, Texas

Past its prime

[ Feb. 2 ] I wonder if our postmodern mindset is also a factor in the decline of the history major. My history, your history—we all have our own version of history. —Rebecca Linscott Wallick on Facebook

As a sophomore English teacher, I constantly see students who lack a larger perspective. Many do not want to ponder questions in short stories about love, contentment, sacrifice, and forgiveness because they are addicted to convenience and amusement. Christians can best restore a thirst for wisdom by standing for Biblical truth. —Chet Baumgartner on wng.org

Liberal arts and social sciences departments have for years taught that there is no absolute truth, so now students believe that history isn’t really true anyway. Why would they waste their time? —L.T. Jacobson on wng.org

His mighty acts

[ Feb. 2 ] Thank you so much for Joel Belz’s excellent piece on looking for God’s memorable deeds. Since then I have been pondering that message and looking for His works. —Lizzie Kiesle / Temple, Texas

TVs at my local gym always have on the Weather Channel, ESPN, and sensationalist quacks like Dr. Oz. It’s all fear-mongering, trivia, or idiocy. And then there is the gospel! I agree with Belz; good and accurate news is hard to come by, but WORLD is where to get it. —Steve Shive on wng.org

I am writing a long letter to my granddaughter to let her know all the things the Lord has done in my life, from the miraculous to the mundane. This column encouraged me to get it done. —Shirley Fox / Springfield, Mo.

‘The love is here’

[ Feb. 2 ] Wow! Our churches are filled with people with some connection to the raging opioid epidemic. Recovery House of Worship offers a great model for dealing with them. We all crave acceptance and purpose; this place gives it to them. I’m adding it to my yearly donation and prayer lists! —Rexann Bassler on wng.org

A tale of two books

[ Feb. 2 ] Wayne Grudem always delivers solid, Biblically based instruction. Thanks to Marvin Olasky for pointing to two sources that reveal clear distinctions between law and grace. —Mark B. Blocher on Facebook

Good news wins

[ Feb. 2 ] Thank you for this wonderful column about finding beauty in the midst of ugliness, joy in suffering, and ministry amid pain. We all should think this way. —Kathryn M. Lee / Indianapolis, Ind.

Cost analysis

[ Feb. 2 ] I was disappointed in William Inboden’s comments. I fought with the Army in the first Iraq war and contributed to the planning of the second. Invading Iraq was definitely the right course. If we had not gone in, both Iraq and Iran might now have nuclear weapons. The sacrifices of thousands of soldiers were not a mistake, and those who change their positions in hindsight do them a great disservice. —Paul J. Perrone / Springfield, Va.

More equal than others

[ Feb. 2 ] Ray Hacke is right. The NCAA’s willingness to overlook a lesbian athlete who crowdfunds her education is secular, self-righteous hypocrisy. Clearly it is time to pray, for we live in a very fallen world. —Charles Robbins on wng.org

Quotables

[ Feb. 2 ] Rep. Steve King is a good man and a trusted conservative. The way he was treated after he was quoted in a New York Times interview is outrageous! Why would WORLD pile on? —Jeff & Vicki Taylor / Watertown, Tenn.

On the Basis of Sex

[ Feb. 2 ] I’m glad the reviewer highlighted the way the movie depicted the Ginsburgs’ marriage, a sweet personal story parallel to the courtroom drama. —Rosa Edwards on wng.org

More letters, emails, and comments we didn’t have space for in the print edition:

‘Trump of the Tropics’

[ Feb. 2 ] This is fascinating. Thank you for your thorough report. —Katie Powner on wng.org

Empathy and understanding

[ Feb. 2 ] Black History Month should remind people that, just prior to the Civil War, the slave population was growing so rapidly that Democrats demanded protection where slavery existed and the right to take their “peculiar property” into the territories and across state lines. Southerners realized they were being overrun by their “property.” Today the black community votes for Democrats by huge margins; yet if they hadn’t embraced its sacrament of abortion tens of millions more black Americans would have been born since 1973. So where are the benefits for blacks for over 150 years of enriching their Democratic slave masters’ political status? —Nolan Nelson / Eugene, Ore.