April 4

‘Cultural hardball’

Recently I asked a dear friend and minister if, with our culture in a slog toward Sodom and Gomorrah, I had wasted 20 years as a naval officer protecting our country and culture. He replied that we’re not in a slog, we’re running, and if Christians are true to the Scriptures we’ll be persecuted. There has always been a cost to discipleship, and our culture is raising the price.

Tom Gross on wng.org

This article underscores how American “culture police” promoting rebellion against God’s design for people are not materially different than the culture police in Middle Eastern countries like Iran. One intimidates in the name of “god,” the other in the name of opposing “hatred.”

F.M. Ramsey / Grants Pass, Ore.

We must stem the rising tide of angry, hateful opposition to freedom of speech and religion, especially that fomented by the gay pride movement.

Bob Meredith / Golden Valley, Minn.

‘The blink of an eye’

We must learn to weep for the redemption of sinners adrift without a Shepherd and not fall into the trap of treating others as one-dimensional persons. The battle will be won neither at the ballot box nor through cultural media. It will be won as individual Christians see their neighbors simply and awfully as sinners, like us, in need of the Savior.

J. Neal Evans on wng.org

This column is a severe warning to Christians. We’re called to love the sinner but hate the sin. That is much more difficult now that the balance of power and the law is with those who endorse homosexuality.

Ronald Class / Indianapolis, Ind.

I too lament these cultural changes, but I was shocked by the example of the teenage girl rooming with a lesbian peer on a school trip. Why isn’t that seen as an opportunity for the Christian teen to demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus? We have become the Pharisees.

Anne Davis / Ormond Beach, Fla.

I get the need to fight this stuff in court and fight for at least some measure of sanity, but we live in an increasingly secular, Jesus-hating world. We in the U.S. expect “fairness” and “freedom.” Well, that time is coming to an end. It’s time to respond with love and be shameless with our faith in awkward situations.

Daniel Derrick on Facebook

‘Mental blocks’

Andrée Seu Peterson’s eulogy for cursive writing suggests that cursive was employed for its beauty. I would argue that prior to the ballpoint pen, cursive was simply faster and less splotchy than print. Also, how is how one writes remotely as important as what one writes?

Michael Noronha / Tacoma, Wash.

Peterson didn’t mention how the loss of personal signatures will affect identity verification. But have no fear. Our government will think of something—perhaps mandatory fingerprinting of infants, fed into a national database.

Peter Kushkowski / Portland, Conn.

‘Parents vs. doctors’

This is where assisted suicide and other forms of euthanasia are taking us. If we do not stand against it, then the government will decide when to resuscitate.

George Ramsey on Facebook

‘Sudden departure’

The revelations about Rep. Schock may be a shock, but equally shocking is the idea that some want him to “weather the storm.” He should face charges. The Republican Party has to stop such behavior if it is to reach the standards it professes, or become something I want to be a part of.

Mark J. Anthony / Monument, Colo.

How many more like Schock are living the same life but simply haven’t been caught, or won’t be caught because of sympathetic media?

Mark Pichaj on Facebook

‘A bird in winter’

My wife and I have loved the Tippetts family since they served in our church several years ago. I so appreciated Mindy Belz’s kind and comforting words. Just as our God watches over the sparrow, He is certainly holding Kara.

Mike Lawing / Black Mountain, N.C.

Editor’s note: Kara Tippetts died March 22.

Dispatches

Two fraternity members at Oklahoma University received no second chance, justifiably expelled for singing a racist chant. But why isn’t OU and its president in big trouble for giving two talented football players second chances earlier this year after two separate assaults on women? I don’t condone either racism or hitting women, but how can anyone say that the fraternity members “hate” any more than the athletes?

Thomas Suffield / Houston, Texas

‘Ready to play’

If you home educate to keep your kids out of public school classrooms, why in the world would you want them in public school locker rooms?

Will Carl / Madison, Wis.

‘Idol inspection’

I loved the interview with Nancy Pearcey. Yes, it’s time to get off the fence and be a messenger for Jesus!

Paul Matlock / Pagosa Springs, Colo.

‘Constructed babies’

And so it begins: the opening stages of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The book described artificial wombs in factories producing slaves that were kept in a state of euphoria by a drug called soma. What hideous conditions will prevail if we continue to mess with God’s created order?

William Camp / Pike, N.H.

March 21

‘Acronym absurdity’

LGBTA-Z and you’re done. Everyone is covered. Society as a whole will one day tire of the whole thing.

Ginny Teague on Facebook

‘The kids are not all right’

Excellent article. In addition to homosexual parents, the three subjects had a parent whose sexual orientation changed as an adult. My own sister went through this transformation at age 50. How does that fit with the “born that way” position that sexual orientation cannot (and should not!) be changed?

Bruce Lindbloom / Eden Prairie, Minn.

‘Danger zone’

Thank you for covering the situation in Nigeria; they so need our prayers. My heart goes out to my missionary colleagues there who never know if they’ll be the next to catch a bomb blast but continue to minister all the same.

JennyBeth Alford on wng.org

I pray for these people. They are in a battle to the death with these demonic Islamic loons who do not hesitate to wipe out any trace of the living Word and His people.

Rob Fuentes on wng.org

‘Shot selection’

As a nurse, I believe vaccinations are in most cases wonderful, life-saving, preventative treatments, but the government should not make them mandatory. Once it starts, there will be no stopping it. And is it best to give so many vaccines at one time? I would like to know which diseases are most prevalent and threatening in my area and have my children receive their vaccinations on a modified schedule.

Shari Solberg / Malta, Mont.

Corrections

Malath Baythoon ended the Bible study with Hebrews 12 (“Starting over,” April 18, p. 38).

Jennifer Schoenrock has two grandchildren (“A clerk’s struggle,” April 18, p. 46).

WORLD Around the World

Yangshuo, China Submitted by Stuart Sinisi

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