No coincidence

It is no coincidence that the battle for our minds and hearts is raging in the area of origins ("Land of Oz," May 21). Every decision we make is affected by how convicted we are about the existence of God and the authority of His revealed Word. I used to be a theistic evolutionist, but that was because I had compartmentalized my faith and my science. Only when I started to think things through did I realize how weak my convictions were. -Richard Dooley; Portsmouth, R.I.

If Intelligent Design is to become a legitimate scientific theory, its proponents must articulate a coherent natural history of the world that explains the observed evidence for evolutionary change, in addition to demonstrating evidence for design. It is philosophical naturalism that Christians must oppose, not the findings of science that are well-supported. -James D. Bentley; Ashland, Ohio

Darwinists illogically and arbitrarily exclude the possibility of purposeful design, embracing instead the atheistic dogma of time and chance. That's religion, not science. -Robert Bowie Johnson Jr.; Annapolis, Md.

Instead of debating the issue, Darwinists in Kansas notified the liberal media and made sure that ID scientists were "portrayed in the harshest possible light." They childishly refused to accept that they might be wrong. -Justin L. Ray, 16; Coral Springs, Fla.

Rather ironic

Janie B. Cheaney does an outstanding job of exposing the ways Thomas Frank misses the mark in What's the Matter with Kansas? ("Tinted glasses," May 21). It is rather ironic that, while arguing that liberal elitism does not exist, Mr. Frank's book exemplifies many of its characteristics: a condescending attitude toward the preferences of ordinary people, a drive to foment class consciousness, a penchant for believing the worst about business leaders, and disbelief that so many people could be duped by evil conservatives. -Jon Beutel; Camby, Ind.

Devoted to care

Lynn Vincent wrote that doctors and ethicists began debating medical futility "partly as a way to reclaim authority" ("When all's futile," May 21). As a medical student, I would say that this debate has much more to do with the dignity of the dying than with doctors reclaiming authority. Doctors are, by and large, devoted to the care of their patients and not the bolstering of their egos. -Guy Peterson; Tulsa, Okla.

Your article portrays doctors, backed by ethics committees, in a negative light when they refuse to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). But as a doctor I know that, contrary to its portrayal on television, CPR is unsuccessful on most patients, with the worst results on those with serious, progressive medical problems like the ones you described. Life at all costs is not the Christian way. -Alvin H. Moss; Morgantown, W.V.

Dead on

My applause to Marvin Olasky for his good interview with P.J. Hill of Wheaton College ("Unraveling the myths of 'cowboy capitalism,'" May 21). Prof. Hill's analysis of the free market as the only way to alleviate poverty was dead on. -Martin Kraegel III; Fort Wayne, Ind.

American values

I just got through reading "The rock that is higher" (May 21), and all I could say was "amen" over and over. Secular America does have its own absolute values, complete with the failings and hypocrisy that go along with trying to live by them. -Bill Thompson; Chicago, Ill.

Dog show

WORLD recently reported how abortion clinic workers denied life-saving treatment to a baby born alive ("Rowan's story," May 7). Then WORLD reported how a stray dog in Kenya found an abandoned baby in a plastic bag, picked her up and carried her across a busy road, through barbed wire, and placed her among her litter of puppies ("Mutt mom," May 21). Thankfully, the baby was found and taken to the hospital. The headline might have read: "Baby alive because canine displays higher ethics and more compassion than baby's parent." It is bad when animals outshine us. -Shawn Meyer; Albion, Ind.

Set like flint

As the widow of a pastor who spoke the truth at any cost, when I looked at the picture of Pastor Chandler and his wife my heart almost broke ("Teapot tempest," May 21). He looked slightly embarrassed but determined, and her face was set like a flint. God bless them. -Laura Stanley-Gehrke; Carson City, Mich.

From personal experience, I advise pastors to record pulpit messages. Misinterpretation by overly sensitive parishioners can cause havoc within our congregations and be readily exploited by anti-Christian media. -Rodger A. Schwind; Walnut, Ill.

Real remedy

I had to chuckle when I read "Nasal congestion" (April 23). Anesthesia is not the answer. Water leeches are quite common in the rivers of interior Borneo where we minister. Many years ago our young daughter got a leech up her nose and we did not know what to do about it because it is about impossible to pull out. But a village granny took a bit of shredded tobacco from her pouch, mixed a little water with it, then squeezed a drop of the juice into our daughter's nose. She sneezed and out flew the dead leech. Tell that to the learned doctors of Hong Kong. -David & Teresa Searcy; Pontianak, Indonesia

Disqualified

"Porn again" (April 23) seemed to propose rationalization and pity for pastors who practice porn. But pastors are instructed to serve and care for their congregations; when their hearts are controlled by carnal desires, it is impossible to obey Christ's mandates, and truth becomes meaningless. Scripture requires removal of church leaders from their positions when they live contrary to God's Word. Is the church courageous enough to do what God requires? -Kelly Faust; Wesley, Iowa

Corrections

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith is the sixth book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series (Bestselling Books, May 28, p. 15).

One-third of U.S. Marines landing on Iwo Jima became casualties; nearly 7,000 died and approximately 20,000 were wounded ("Caught by surprise," May 28, p. 21).

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception, as defined by Pope Pius IX, states that Mary was from conception "preserved immune from all stain of original sin" ("Quite contrary," May 28, p. 37).

Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii was most recently reelected in 2004 ("The Senate deal-makers," June 4, p. 19).

Malcolm Glazer owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ("Around the horn," June 4, p. 41).

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