Mailbag

"Deep waters"

(Oct. 8) Thank you for your extensive, compassionate, and accurate coverage of northeastern Japan. I was born and grew up in the home of missionary parents in Tohoku and Sendai, the largest city close to the earthquake's epicenter. Christians should pray for the restoration of this beautiful land and her precious but lost people. Jeanne Benson Chissus; Naperville, Ill.

"Holding translators accountable"

(Oct. 8) Wycliffe needs to be encouraged to hold firm to the true rendering of "Son of God" for our Muslim brethren, perhaps with explanation, and leave the concerns about readers' perceptions to the Holy Spirit. Kathy Nomura; Greeneville, Tenn.

For Briarwood Presbyterian Church to withhold translators' support seems high-handed and self-righteous. Those translators are highly trained. Let them do their work as unto God, not Briarwood or the PCA. John Allen; Norcross, Ga.

I have worked "in the field" in North Africa for around 30 years. Large numbers of workers from many nationalities and organizations have never liked this attempt at changing Scripture. I have seen many Muslims understand about Jesus being the Son of God by simply having them read in Luke 1, where Mary asks the angel about the fact that she's a virgin. We need to trust the Lord that His Word is "living and active and sharper than a two-edged sword." Al Stahl; Algeciras, Spain

Having been a missionary for 41 years, I have some understanding of contextualization, but I don't understand obscuring theology to avoid "offending" the sensibilities of those who violently disagree with the clear teaching of the Bible. The cross is also very offensive to many people-will that be next? Frank Allen; Wixom, Mich.

Because of their sacrifices, their love of Jesus, and translating His word, I will continue to support Wycliffe as I have for the last 35 years. James F. Snider Sr.; St. Augustine, Fla.

"Confidence game"

(Oct. 8) Joel Belz's column on President Obama was good enough to have earned the "Emperor Has No Clothes" award. Now I hope that other reporters on the sidewalk will take off their rose-colored glasses and admit the truth that has been under their noses for a painfully long time. Russ Wahl; Cut Bank, Mont.

I thought this column was too critical of the president. I am not defending bad judgment, but suggesting the Obama administration may be "dumb by design" is close to calling the president dumb. Linda Hopson; Norwich, N.Y.

Belz really hit the nail on the head. His assertion that we elected a child as president to do a man-sized job is a perfect portrayal of how I view this president and his administration. Tom Burley; Alto, Mich.

"Road test"

(Oct. 8) A friend and I have this disagreement over how angry one justifiably can be toward "bad" drivers. In his mind, they're being unsafe and endangering other people. I'm much more on Andrée Seu's side, but I don't think she went far enough. Whether or not you assume there's a reason people seem to be acting badly, you should extend grace regardless. Sarah Hartman; Chattanooga, Tenn.

Thank you for Seu's reminder that we so often do not have all the information when someone else's behavior lights our fuse. The last time I saw someone "texting in church!" it was actually the Bible app on his iPhone. Elaine Neumeyer; Big Canoe, Ga.

Having my son in the front seat when I drive him to school has become to me a mirror, showing a self-absorbed, competitive, unforgiving, and never-wrong dad of whom I am completely ashamed. It's a good thing he knows something of God's forgiveness. David Dileas; Amherst, N.Y.

"Online Mormons"

(Oct. 8) This article on "Mormon mommy bloggers" presented Mormons whose flair and style is coveted by others. The last two sentences tried to articulate some priority, but unless the readers are aware that Latter Day Saints are a cult truly not committed to Christ as the only way of salvation, then it simply presents the Mormon way as a good lifestyle. Mike Fast; Burns, Ore.

"Rough justice"

(Oct. 8) So many prominent commentators, Christian and otherwise, misinterpreted as blood-lust the audience reaction to Rick Perry's execution remark at the Oct. 22 Republican debate, but Janie Cheaney got it right. She correctly interpreted the audience reaction as a yearning for justice within a system of justice, so-called, run amok. Peter Kushkowski; Portland, Conn.

Christians have forgotten that we are called to "hate what is evil." To forget this is a perversion of the truth. This column does an excellent job of reminding us that good and evil cannot coexist. Kathleen McClellan; Sikeston, Mo.

"The Palestinian blunder"

(Oct. 8) Mindy Belz's take on "The Palestinian blunder" reminded me of why we value this magazine so highly. Nowhere else have we read such profound, clear, and concise explanations of the real background of major events in our wounded world. Bill Swenson; St. Louis, Mo.

"A dream deferred"

(Oct. 8) I'm grateful for this thoughtful and balanced article on the challenges facing young people brought illegally to the United States by their parents. I used to believe that illegal immigrants should go back, wait their turn, and come back legally, but after becoming an immigration counselor I've learned that there usually is no legal way for immigrants to come and no line to wait in. We need comprehensive immigration reform, making it harder to enter unlawfully but easier to enter lawfully, and giving those like Carlos the chance to earn the right to stay in the United States. Matthew Soerens; Wheaton, Ill.

Houses of God

(Oct. 8) Thanks for choosing my father's church, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, for your Oct. 8 feature. It might interest your readers to know that the huge blue dome that spans the building is not attached to the building but rests on ball bearings in a track that extends around the perimeter. Koula Hazell; Durant, Okla.

"Loving their enemies"

(Oct. 8) Thank you for this article on the work of Shevet Achim. I found it very uplifting. Living in Israel, I completely agree with Miles' conclusion that the New Testament is the only possible peace treaty and that "the conflict in the Middle East is spiritual at its core." Judy Pex; Eilat, Israel

"The red (state) scare"

(Sept. 24) This column described McCarthyism as associated with a "paranoid style," but as Paul Kengor pointed out in Dupes: How America's Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century, during much of that era, anti-communist investigations were led by Democrats as vigorously as by Republicans. The opening of Soviet archives after the dissolution of the USSR and the release of the Venona transcripts demonstrated that much of the 1940s-1950s "red scare" was well-founded. Paul Bellamy; Woodland Hills, Calif.

"A place forgotten"

(Sept. 10) Thanks for the 9/11 anniversary issue. As I read about the passengers on United Flight 93, I was moved to tears. It was about real people and real lives, and the photos-it was almost more than I could process, but I'm glad I tried. Thank you for remembering and, by doing so, honoring the thousands of ordinary people who died that day or whose lives have been forever altered. Emily Boersma; North Royalton, Ohio

Correction

Minors in the United States illegally can be deported under current law-but that is not a priority for immigration officials ("A dream deferred," Oct. 8, p. 56).

WORLD around the world

Papua, Indonesia Submitted by Jason Mellinger

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