Persecution in China

I greatly appreciated your article, "Remember the suffering saints" (Sept. 21). In July of this year I visited the tiny home of Alan and Alice Yuan in Beijing. He said then that he would never join the "Three-Self Patriotic Movement," the government-controlled registered church organization. Alan described the pastors of the registered churches as being in one of these categories: (1) good men willing to work under severe restrictions as to what they might preach; (2) men who consider the pastorate as just a job; or (3) men who are government agents. Alan has survived more than 21 years in prison for his faith. He is not afraid to speak out for the thousands of house church leaders now facing severe persecution throughout China. - -Robert M. Farra, Lansdale, Pa.

Other media won't touch it

Your cover story, "Hughes to blame?" (Sept. 14) is a tremendous illustration of why your magazine is so valuable. I don't think you'll find the mainline media exposing Hughes Network System's vile dealings with the butchers of Beijing. Now if every evangelical Christian in North America would boycott all General Motors (Hughes' owner) products and send a letter to GM explaining why they do so every time they purchase a competitor's product instead, perhaps GM will decide that it is not profitable after all to do business with those who persecute and murder Christians. - -John Tors, North York, Ontario

Dole is no gnostic

Richard Ring's report on American futile political gnosticism (Sept. 21) inspires me to comment. I do not share his cynicism regarding the Republican National Convention. I was impressed by Bob Dole's acceptance speech, especially when he said he knew he was a child of God and responsible to him. This is not gnosticism; it is faith in the God who made him. In this age of the "dumbing down of morality," even in high places, we must remember that God will use our willingness to do good. And while our political candidates may only be human beings with feet of clay, and they will be until the return of Jesus Christ, we must just do what we know we should do and leave the rest in God's hands. My opinion is that on the Day of Judgment we will all be held accountable for every vote we did or did not cast. - -Mary E. Traeger, Forsyth, Mo.

Smoke detector

As a follow-up to Joel Belz's editorial, "Two kinds of slavery" (Sept. 14), I would like to thank Al Gore for his passionate speech at the Democratic National Convention. Let me see if I have this straight: We are declaring all-out war on the tobacco industry while remaining relatively silent on the issue of rising drug use among teens. While Al Gore was busy removing ashtrays from White House offices he must have missed the Secret Service report that nearly 40 of the White House staff had used drugs. Why is this administration so passionate about a smoke-free America but silent about the thousands of alcohol-related deaths that kill hundreds of teens in the prime of life each year? Is the liquor industry the next target for the Democrats? Perhaps the answer to teen smoking is the same approach this administration has taken toward sexually transmitted diseases that threaten our children's health: We could pass out cigarette filters in school! After all, we know kids are going to smoke anyway, why not let them enjoy safe smoking? Never fear, the Clinton administration will protect our kids (except for the first nine months when they are the most vulnerable). - -Gary Brandenburg, Tyler, Texas

Clapping and applause

The Sept. 21 Mailbag proved very interesting. It contained a number of responses for and against William Smith's article, "Hold your applause" (Aug. 31). What was striking about the letters against Mr. Smith's statements was the assumption that clapping and applause are synonymous terms. This is not always the case. Applause is a response to a performance commending one for a job well done. Clapping can be applause but it is biblically defined as an element of worship to God in Psalm.47:1 (although it is difficult to discern just exactly what this clapping involved), and it is also used in personification of God's creation praising him (Psalm 98:8 and Psalm 55:12). Does Scripture use clapping as a response to an anthem by the choir? No. Psalm 47:1 is the only reference to God's people clapping their hands, and it is in a call to worship, not as a response to a performance. It is never a good idea to build a principle of doctrine on a single text of Scripture. Mr. Smith has it right: God wants exuberant joy (Psalm 100:1-2) and reverent awe (Hebrews 12:28-29). Let us be about worshiping God within the bounds of his word and allow those guidelines to give us true freedom in our worship of him. - -Joseph A. Thacker, Jackson, Miss.