Mailbag

‘Federal Bureau of Intentions’

July 23 | FBI Director James Comey confirmed what everyone already knows: There are at least two sets of rules for the protection of classified information. One is for senior government officials and their hand-chosen favorites, and the other for everyone else. As a veteran with a top-secret clearance, I knew what “classified” meant. Apparently in Washington it doesn’t mean anything anymore.

—Joel Edward Gross / Deerfield Beach, Fla.

‘A daily massacre’

July 23 | The daily slaughter of the innocent reminds us of the culture of death from which many other atrocities grow. In a moral universe, under a loving and just God, one can only wonder how long this will continue.

—Steve Shive on wng.org

This is one sharp, poignant column. May the Lord God in heaven hear our prayers and bring an end to abortion in this land!

—Cal Beisner on wng.org

‘A matter of focus’

July 23 | This excellent column is a great reminder that you become what you look at. Thank you for deep, penetrating writing.

—Phil Roland / Sharon, Pa.

Although my heart has grown weary and perhaps even jaundiced of late, Andrée Seu Peterson used Scripture to nudge me to a renewed vision of the mountains full of horses and chariots of fire. Thanks.

—D. Wayne Bearbower on wng.org

‘Bloc by block’

July 23 | This story offers good advice for anyone who has neighbors. Just walk around a few evenings and meet people; quietly pray; engage in a ministry of presence. One of the great obstacles to knowing our neighbors is the garage door opener.

—Mark B. Blocher on Facebook

‘The importance of being’

July 23 | The phrase “identify as” betrays the falsity behind it. People are playing an elaborate game of pretend, like a 6-year-old boy pretending he’s a dinosaur, except this game has very serious implications.

—Charles A. Burge / Kaneohe, Hawaii

Excellent description of the blind pride of our sin. We all pretend we are like God, but death is always the consequence. As in the beginning, a substitute sacrifice is the only remedy for our lust to do what is right in our own eyes.

—Neil Evans on wng.org

‘Outrageous republic’

July 23 | After reading the Eric Metaxas interview, I feel vindicated for my early support for Donald Trump. As conservatives, our choice is stark. Those who can’t bring themselves to vote for Trump will help elect Hillary.

—Anne S. Johnson / Fort Myers, Fla.

Are we in a deep, dark hole? I know a lot of people who just want to pull the dirt in on top of them. America is in a tenuous state with huge debt and corrupt leadership. But we as Christians are supposed to trust in God without reserve, unwaveringly.

—Susan Neely on wng.org

‘Hiding in higher ed’

July 23 | Our kids are lost long before college. Parents still want to think that other schools, not theirs, are bending the minds of children toward godlessness. Until more parents are prepared to sacrifice to homeschool or send their children to Christian school, there’s little hope for change.

—Jeff Singletary on wng.org

‘Home bound’

July 23 | Homestretch’s program for homeless families is forward-thinking. Accountability, structure, guidance, and teaching in a safe, loving, nurturing environment bring results. Eventually the government will take a closer look at such programs.

—Maureen Kornowa / Buford, Ga.

‘Disappearing evangelicals’

July 9 | Joel Belz’s heartfelt column expresses the frustration that so many feel, but we cannot hope for a sold-out Christian to rise through the ranks of the world because he does not love the world; his first allegiance is to God, not a political party. Certainly Christians in elected office are salt that seasons the whole, but our hope is in the Almighty.

—Jim McGregor / Gahanna, Ohio

I largely agree with Belz, and would add that God is allowing poor candidates to float to the top as a judgment, so Americans get the government they deserve.

—Ted Browne / Martinsburg, W.Va.

The word evangelical now refers to so many within our culture who claim to be Christian yet do not read the Word, pray, or even go often to church. I wish politicians would stop using this term to define their Christian support base. A better term for an authentic believer would be born again.

—Todd Taylor / Riverside, Calif.

Thank you for your positive reporting of Christian values. While reporting on things that make me weep, you point us to eternal verities and the fact that we are not in our home but journeying toward it, and God will one day make all things right. This helps me relax on those sleepless moments when I cry out to God for our country.

—Dan LaRue / Lebanon, Pa.

‘Admission of function’

July 9 | When I first heard of “junk DNA” it struck me as junk science. From an evolutionary point of view, why would something so intricate create junk?

—Christian Von Schmidt / Las Vegas, Nev.

‘A man, a plan, a canal, Panama’

May 28 | This article on the Panama Canal reminded me that in the evolution/creation debate, the “settled science” cannot be questioned, but many scientists are playing the same part as Dr. Gorgas. I hope there will soon be a Teddy Roosevelt who is willing to get behind them.

—Kevin Altman / Winston-Salem, N.C.

Clarification

The drug naloxone was available as an injectable opioid overdose recovery drug when Sgt. Matt Baker’s daughter died. It is now available as a nasal spray. Most users of illegal opioids during any particular month are addicts, but we don’t know how many one-time users are scared straight. We do know that about 1,000 people in the United States receive emergency room treatment every day for opioid abuse (“Lonely fight,” Aug. 6).

Correction

A review of The Explorers Club alluded to the band Papa Doo Run Run (“Recent pop-rock albums,” Aug. 6, 2016).

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

‘Beastly analyses’

July 9 | I appreciate this article. Omar Mateen was a lonely, angry, violent man, but he was also a devout Muslim and pledged allegiance to ISIS three times during the attack. And people blame Christians for this? No. People can make Christians look guilty when the opposite is obvious, but the truth will remain.

—Jesse Huisjen / Vilseck, Germany

Why can't Obama or Clinton say that violent jihad is just plain evil? And why can't liberals admit that their "religion of peace" is anti-gay? It reminds me of Solzhenitsyn’s warning of a “tilt of freedom in the direction of evil ... evidently born primarily out of a humanistic and benevolent concept according to which there is no evil inherent to human nature.”

—Bill Taylor on wng.org