Mailbag

‘School choice’

Aug. 25 The education articles in this issue are worth the subscription price, from the piece on the obvious discrimination against Mark Regnerus to the article dealing with the school choices available as alternates to our degraded public-school systems. Also, the interview with Ben Carson brought tears to my eyes. The profound influence on Dr. Carson by his young, uneducated mother is a lesson to us all. —Richard L. Kennedy, Penney Farms, Fla.

‘Into exile’

Aug. 25 In researching my book I came across a number of academics who experienced the same intolerance of Christians as Bob Woodberry. Favorite countries to immigrate to included Korea, Chile, Slovakia, Poland, Russia, Canada, Mexico, and South Africa. I will now add Singapore to my list. My career in sociology ended even before I could complete my Ph.D. I wanted to study the creation movement but saw the intolerance and moved into the medical field. —Jerry Bergman, Archbold, Ohio

‘Soaping the slippery slope’

Aug. 25 As a third-generation Wellesley graduate, I appreciated the article on once-Christian colleges. Until I came to Christ I had no idea that my college’s motto, “non ministrari, sed ministrare,” came directly from the words of Christ. I believe that Darwinism has been a far more poisonous influence even than Marvin Olasky’s article suggests. For respected Christian leaders to embrace evolution when the evidence far better fits Intelligent Design theory is to me baffling, maddening, and desperately sad. —Lynn Barton, Medford, Ore.

I graduated in 1972 from Cincinnati Bible College, now Cincinnati Christian University. I am convinced that Bible college founders made a major strategic error: They set up their institutions to train preachers and missionaries but abandoned the rest of higher education. After World War II they had little to offer those who were not going into professional ministry. I am afraid their tunnel vision helped lose the culture to unbelief. —Phil Hawkins, Indianapolis, Ind.

‘School choice surge’

Aug. 25 I see one insurmountable problem with school vouchers: Government money eventually leads to government control. It would be only a matter of time before federal or state governments attempt to dictate what can be taught in schools that accept voucher money. —Peter Broda, North Charleston, S.C.

‘Vanderbilt squeeze’

Aug. 25 The story was very one-sided. Vanderbilt University’s policy simply requires all groups that receive funding and free space on campus to allow any student to join and run for office, but the membership is still in control of who they vote into office. It seems only Christians want the right to discriminate at student expense. —Terri Lynn Merritts, Nashville, Tenn.

Perhaps conservative Christians should use the tactics of liberals and start seeking positions of leadership in groups whose views are diametrically opposed to their own. That might open the administration’s eyes to the folly of its current approach. —Neil Golan, Auburn, Wash.

‘A ready harvest’

Aug. 25 As a teacher at a Christian school serving many low-income families, I was greatly encouraged by your article on the three Teach for America teachers here in Nashville. I particularly appreciated Fuller’s emphasis on mentoring. I’m encouraged to return to school tomorrow with a renewed desire to make a difference. —Joshua Burba, Nashville, Tenn.

‘He meant what he said’

Aug. 25 Even scarier than President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” statement is the sentence before it that talks about “somebody” helping create the “American system that allowed you to thrive.” He is destroying that very system by helping take our society from a “can-do” attitude to an “entitlement” attitude. Very sad indeed. —Cathy Dunham, Anchorage, Alaska

Joel Belz spends the bulk of his column explaining why what Obama said seems to be based on a good, logical, even moral premise, but then dismisses his comments as a thinly veiled endorsement of socialistic restructuring. Belz shouldn’t be so suspicious. —Tim Rodkey, Chester, Pa.

I enjoyed this column and would add that governments need private businesses to design and build all that infrastructure (some worthwhile, some not). Also, governments can do nothing without the revenues that private sector entrepreneurs, workers, and consumers produce. Ultimately, government alone doesn’t provide this environment; citizens through elected officials create it with the private sector’s financial contributions. —R. Theodore Roth, Monument, Colo.

I watch keenly the political drama unfolding in our southern neighbor. It is sad to see such a great country, founded on God’s laws and principles, following Canada down the tubes especially on social issues. The situation in the United States has a huge impact on us because our economies are inextricably intertwined, especially if Obama and the Democrats continue to govern and bankrupt the country. But God is still in control. —Terry Hyde, Chestermere, Alberta, Canada

‘The David Barton controversy’

Aug. 25 I too have checked source material and agree with Glenn Moots that Jefferson was not even close to being an orthodox, creedal Christian. However, Jefferson’s actions in favor of churches and missionaries often contradicted his non-Christian words. I am not impressed with the sniping of those criticizing Barton’s Jefferson. —Clif Springer, Clarksdale, Miss.

I commend WORLD for a balanced piece about David Barton. I think that he is generally truthful but perhaps guilty of exaggeration of certain points. His critics focus upon the details but not on his main arguments, and Barton does qualify many of his statements. He has done a great service in presenting Jefferson as a great American and someone who should be emulated. —William A. Carlson, Lincoln, Calif.

‘Of things and men’

Aug. 11 Excellent column. I work in a large corporate bank and company management is like a parallel world to government. A tangle of rules, processes, controls, and administration by the “experts” have dramatically decreased productivity and thoroughly demoralized employees just trying to do their jobs. Thankfully, our company genuinely seeks employee feedback. I intend to forward this column. —Darin Tosse, Rochester, Minn.

‘Out of Darkness’

July 28 When you review movies with defiling content you should provide complete and descriptive warnings. Park near a theater some afternoon and watch the stream of wide-eyed adolescents pouring into movies that “would have made a sailor blush” 60 years ago. The shepherd king of Israel, the divinely declared “man after God’s heart,” said it simply and succinctly: “Blessed are the undefiled.” —Robert E. Carpenter, Kerrville, Texas

2012 Books Issue

July 14 Now that I own a Kindle, WORLD’s book issue is quite dangerous for my bank account! And every time I search on Amazon.com for a book you suggest, the list labeled “Customers who bought this item also bought” includes numerous other books you’ve recommended. Thank you for your continued excellent recommendations. —Amy Medina, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Clarification

Christians make up about 10 percent of the entire population of Syria (“Surviving by serving,” Sept. 8, p. 37).

WORLD Around the World

Senegambia, the Gambia Submitted by Michael Thorsland

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