Do not fear

When teaching our children what persecution means, on occasion we have shared with them WORLD's timely accounts of the reality of being Christian. Your recent story about fearless Jeremiah Neitz ("Gunpoint evangelist," Oct. 9) spread the word that this is for real: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." God gives the words to say when faith is on trial. We appreciate WORLD's relevance. Keep following Jesus so we may hear of His work and be encouraged. - Patricia Maurer, Ridgecrest, Calif.

Keep it open

When I was a graduate student teaching one course, I had an older social-work student who had been charged with rape by one of his clients. The charge was later proven false, but it taught me that I ought to keep my door open when with female students, for my own protection. I am glad I learned that lesson 33 years ago. I hope Gary Bauer ("No fire, but how thick the smoke?" Oct. 9) has also learned that lesson. - D.J. McCready, Waterloo, Ontario

Smacking of gossip

I think WORLD is the best, but I felt like I was reading National Enquirer when I read the front-cover headline, the full-page editorial ("Beyond rumors," Oct. 9) and the full-page article about Gary Bauer. It smacked of gossip to me, and what you thought was enough was way too much for me. - Luetta Sandquist, Lincoln, Neb.

Our turn

Thank you for your excellent, restrained, and even-handed coverage of the controversy surrounding Gary Bauer. Now it is up to us, the readers, to exercise restraint and avoid over-speculation or gossip on our part. - Karen Pyros, Winter Park, Fla.

Know thy voters

"Hard sell or selling out?" (Oct. 9) sneers at the "so-called Republican Promise," an attempt to modify the image of Republicanism with the help of market data in order to win next year's elections. How long will conservatives wreck their own cause by creating a false dichotomy between moral principle and audience awareness? Conservatives should remember that even conservative icon Ronald Reagan made heavy use of Dick Wirthlin's polling services-the very same consultant who arouses Mr. Jones's disdain. - Wayne Joubert, Los Alamos, N.M.

Campus needs

Your Oct. 9 array of articles on the un-American and un-Christian radical faculty and curricula on American campuses was a bull's eye ("Can we recapture the ivory tower?" "College conundrum," "Expensive free speech," "Harvard vs. education"). Mr. Veith is correct that the time is right for Christian colleges, and not just for ministerial studies. Brothers, we've got to get organized. - Frank Vosler, New Albany, Ohio

You'd like him

My little brother, Joey, is 9 years old and has Down syndrome. He is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. He is my pride and joy, my little sweetheart. You can imagine how I felt after reading your article about professor Peter Singer ("The marvelous and atrocious age of biotechnology," Oct. 9). After the initial shock and sorrow, I became extremely angry. What right does this man have to tell me that my little brother might have been better off dead? I pray for my generation, and I mourn that so many of my peers will grow up with this form of anti-education. I just wish that all of America, and Peter Singer, had the opportunity to meet my brother. - Sharon Nelson, 15, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Sabbath

My husband and I were so thankful for William Smith's article, "Watch and warn" (Oct. 9). Our church is part of a group of churches that emphasize Sabbath-keeping. Although it has been a blessing, we sometimes feel like we are on the "lunatic fringe." Thank you showing us that there are other Christians out there trying to keep the Sabbath holy. - Martha Gardner, Cary, N.C.

Gospel and co-dependency

I question Mr. Smith's conclusions about "aggressive" psychology. Insights about co-dependency need not be in conflict with the gospel. Psychology's danger is not in providing insights into human relationships, but in blinding us to our ultimate need for the gospel of Christ to reconcile us to God and to each other. - Linda Shrewsbury, Tulsa, Okla

Contradictory living

Sen. Santorum stated that it is impossible to believe in God while rejecting moral absolutes, to be both a postmodernist and a traditionalist ("The necessity of truth," Oct. 9). The senator is mistaken. I have met a great many people who do both every day, refusing to think deeply enough to see the inherent contradictions that Sen. Santorum quite rightly pointed out. This fuzzy thinking is the intellectual gasoline that cultural arsonists use to torch the moral structure of our society. - David Farmer, Minden, La.

Twisting truth

I appreciated Mr. Veith's article, "Hollywood goes spiritual" (Oct. 2). I certainly agree that the current emphasis on the occult in today's films shows a hunger for something beyond the elevation of "good" bad guys. Such is the problem of the human heart that many in Hollywood twist truth and make good into evil and evil into good. Oh, for a return to the days of the B westerns, with Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and others, when you knew who the good guys were. - LeRoy Judd, Windhoek, Namibia

Maybe the last

I was struck by Mr. Olasky's statement that today's students have "lived their whole lives in a pro-choice environment" ("It's not beanbag," Oct. 2). What effect will this have on this next generation? Are they ever going to choose to have less choice? Or in this age of postmodernism are they going to feel that making such distinctions for others is wrong, even if they can understand that some of the choices being made are intrinsically wrong? My hope is that we are not the last generation to remember when human life was protected in the womb. - Becky Elhardt, Maple Grove, Minn.

Try books

Regarding "It's really happening" (Oct. 2), which suggests that computer technology will make education more efficient, some research can indeed be done more easily on the Internet, but in many cases books give faster, more accurate results. Emphasizing research skills before students have mastered reading, math, and an understanding of history seems likely to increase our society's fascination with "trivia pursuit" at the expense of true knowledge and wisdom. Computers are quite easy to learn and students can be introduced to them in high school or college and be proficient for the job market. Grade-school computer usage has few benefits, it seems to me, and is far too likely to take away from more basic classes, dumb down what is learned, and restructure the curriculum based on what computers do best. - Cheryl Dunlop, Chicago, Ill.

Pointless

Sen. Brownback and his supporters for a new cultural committee have good intentions ("Congress' culture cops," Oct. 2). But we deceive ourselves if we think that this "national conversation" will ever make any significant change in our culture, for it will avoid mentioning God or how the USA long ago abandoned His commandments. - Henry Schuyten, Brighton,Mich.

How it began

I was especially interested in the story about Galindo ("Terrific burden of violence," Oct. 2). My husband and I were missionaries in Colombia for nearly 40 years and evangelized on the Cauca River where the gospel had not been taken and where there were no schools, churches, or clinics. The authorities once told Gene not to go to Galindo because it was "too violent." But he went anyway, and a church and eventually a Bible institute were started. Remberto Berrios, who was mentioned in your story, and his wife were students of the institute. Many other students from those river towns who attended the institute are still faithfully serving the Lord. - Marjorie Whittig, Greenwood, Ind.

Still weeping

The Sept. 4 WORLD has been on my desk for over a month now and I still weep every time I see the cover photograph of the man carrying the dead child from the earthquake in Turkey. I have two children, ages 1 and 3, who are about the size of the poor child and every time I see that picture it makes me want to run and hug my kids. Thank you for such a gripping image that has made me appreciate all the blessings in my life. - Doug Schick, Minnetonka, Minn.