‘Beach reads’

June 10 Thank you for recommending Herman Wouk’s wonderful novels, The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. My husband and I met discussing them over lunch in our college cafeteria in 1979. Also, Wouk’s delightful City Boy gives a glimpse of childhood a century ago in New York City, yet the similarities with today’s youngsters both stagger and delight. —Patrice Brink on wng.org

‘Heavy books, lifted spirits’

June 10 Thank you for my new favorite sentence, a great play on Eric Liddell’s beautiful line: “For many of us, God made us to love words. And when we read, we feel His pleasure.” —Deborah M. O’Brien on wng.org

‘Friends and enemies’

June 10 With every new issue my reading list gets longer. For every book I cross off, I have to add four fantastic-sounding books you recommend! —Laurryn P. McDaniel on Facebook

‘Not so quiet’

June 10 I appreciate Joel Belz’s kind words about President Trump’s selections of a running mate and a Supreme Court judge. Surely this hardworking president deserves more favorable coverage. —Tom Dressel / Oregon City, Ore.

Trump’s selections of Mike Pence and Neil Gorsuch will never undo the fact that he is morally, intellectually, and temperamentally unfit to be president. Belz’s neutrality and “just the facts” defense rings hollow. This is one of those times when neutrality is simply not an option and becomes immoral. —Darrell Lackey / Gustine, Calif.

With much of the media trying to force their opinions down our throats, it is nice to know that WORLD believes we can think for ourselves; all we have ever needed is the truth. —Todd Taylor / Eastvale, Calif.

‘Starvation economy’

June 10 Fantastic article on the problems in Venezuela. I find Democrats’ affinity for “democratic socialism” perplexing given the many examples that show it’s a failed economic model. —Todd Finch on wng.org

My husband is from Venezuela and many of his relatives still live there. It’s true: Even if you have money, you can’t buy what isn’t on the shelves. My husband has gotten packages of food and medicine through to his mother in the last year despite restrictions, so recently we started a drive among churches here to send food and medical supplies for churches to distribute there. It may be only a drop in the bucket, but we are praying for eternal results. —Sarah Sepúlveda / Milwaukee, Wis.

I felt a new thankfulness for life in America after reading this article. Americans may complain about government inefficiency, healthcare, and long lines at Walmart, but things are exponentially worse in Venezuela. I am 17, and the socialist leanings of many young people are concerning. —Noah G. Leraas / Hendrum, Minn.

It’s already starting here. The infrastructure is decaying, healthcare is a disaster, and government seldom works—what does Congress actually accomplish? —Ted Rice on Facebook

‘Lost in the celebration’

June 10 It’s about time someone wrote about how transgenderism affects families. Denise Shick’s father appears to have been hounded by demons and we can pity him, but his greatest sin may have been selfishness. He owed his wife and daughter everything, but he clearly cared more about his own desires. —Robert Wuster on Facebook

I have witnessed the incredible harm a person who “came out” did to the family. The children and spouse underwent years of counseling following the betrayal. The repercussions could last for generations. —Pamela Guinn Cate on Facebook

This article highlights a huge gap in churches’ education and discipleship. We tend to love those whose sins are “acceptable” or “normal” by embracing the sinner and not mentioning the sin. Yet with certain sins we inflate the sin and ostracize the sinner. I long for guidance on how to love all sinners and hate all sins. —Linda Busch / Wichita, Kan.

‘Why get married?’

June 10 No-fault divorce and the horror stories of women abusing the court system to get alimony and child support, literally making men destitute, have made many young men gun-shy of marriage. —Phillip Woeckener / Tallahassee, Fla.

When I asked someone why she was now marrying a man she has lived with for about 10 years, she was taken aback but said they wanted to have kids and marriage made more sense now. Cohabitation is now so ingrained in our culture that even to ask questions about it results in pregnant pauses, or worse. —Steve Shive on wng.org

‘Deadly D’s’

June 10 As you point out, one of the six D’s that led to World War II was Darwin, leading to the Nazis adopting the doctrine of the survival of the fittest. That doctrine also contributed to World War I. A popular book by a German officer in 1910, for example, called war a “biological necessity” and said the country must choose “world power or downfall.” The killing of Ferdinand by Serbian nationalists was just a small spark. —Gary Vander Hart / Orange City, Iowa

‘Your son, John Allen’

June 10 I loved this article. My son is a Marine and wrote letters to us regularly from Iraq, sometimes after horrific battles. He was going to be a computer guy, but after leaving active duty he went to seminary. He saw God in the middle of the horrors of war and needed to tell people there is a God. —Susan Stoddard / Monument, Colo.

‘Fault lines’

June 10 If I had lost a loved one in a train accident, the engineer’s criminal conviction and sentence would not relieve my grief. The philosophy that someone must pay won’t bring peace to the hurting person; it just feeds the desire for vengeance. —Holly McMillan on wng.org

Corrections

The lesbian women who encountered opposition when attempting to become foster parents are Amy Ford and Kim Rasmus (“Fostering freedom in Texas,” July 1, 2017).

Rep. Nancy Pelosi is a Democrat (“Selective science,” July 1, 2017).

The Day After was a 1983 made-for-TV movie (“Ready for the worst?” June 10, 2017).

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

‘No political home’

May 23 I am convinced that the body of Christ should look solely to Christ to provide instead of hoping politicians and political parties are nice to them. We must go and make disciples for Christ. —Jason Goodwin on Facebook

Americans gained freedom because we acted. We will continue to lose freedom as we cede control of the government, the culture, the media, and our educational system under the false notion that God does everything. —Tom Troyer on Facebook

‘Physicians, heal thyselves’

June 10 The American Medical Association is well-known to be liberal. My husband, a physician, left the organization and our auxiliary disbanded because of its political leanings. —Lori Lui on wng.org

‘Power and purpose’

May 13 Janie B. Cheaney's column was excellent. I learned the same lesson in 1958; when we left America to go to Sweden I was in seventh grade and practicing diving under desks in case of a nuclear attack. The Cold War was very cold and scary, but the Swedes didn’t seem scared. I concluded they believed that if Russia tried anything America would help them out. We don't have to be the world's policeman, but because of our strength and faith, we need to at least consider intervention when things are getting nasty. —Jim Richardson / Oro Valley, Ariz.