Mailbag

‘Uncommon pushback’

Sept. 6 I enjoyed the articles on school reform in your “Back to School” issue. You reported that the Gates Foundation used its money and influence to help the Common Core avoid the usual testing on small groups of students before it’s widely implemented. If we allowed drug companies to use untested drugs on people, we’d have a lot of trouble or many dead people, yet we do this with school curricula. —J. Draplin, Canton, Mich.

‘A matter of seeing’

Sept. 6 Marvin Olasky suggested that Christian education is a “matter of seeing.” That is also true of the Christian life. As one hymn puts it: “Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.” Another says: “Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.” Now that is a vision for this fallen world and a theme for every believer’s spirit. —B.J. Kirkwood, Nathrop, Colo.

‘Public school @ home’

Sept. 6 This article mentions the company I represent, K12 Inc., America’s largest provider of online learning for students in kindergarten through high school. Online schools are a relatively new model, which explains some early growing pains, and while some students have found success, they are not the right fit for every family. —Jeff Kwitowski, Senior Vice President, K12 Inc., Herndon, Va.

‘A little religion’

Sept. 6 I appreciated that Janie B. Cheaney distinguished between nominal Christians and practicing Christians regarding divorce rates. Recent research shows that among born-again Christians who get premarital counseling in the church, attend church regularly, and pray daily together, divorce rates are much lower than among the general population. I believe that the difference is praying together. —Dave Beckwith, Irvine, Calif.

Liberal states may have fewer teen mothers and lower divorce rates in part because they have higher abortion rates and higher levels of cohabitation. If babies are not born, there are no teen moms. Marriages that never take place cannot end. In other words, liberal policies mask those states’ disintegrating regard for life and love. —Emily Parke Chase, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

‘A community inflamed’

Sept. 6 Thank you, Angela Lu, for your restraint in reporting on Ferguson, and thank all who call for change in the culture of violence in our cities. To end prejudice we must stop teaching it to our children, media must exercise restraint instead of glorifying tragedies, and leaders must stop displaying their own prejudice. —Rich Thorne, Bettles, Alaska

Dispatches

Sept. 6 I attend Mars Hill Church. Whether Mark Driscoll comes back to the pulpit or not, please recognize that he has led thousands of people to Christ, not only in a secular place like Seattle but around the world. We know that it’s not about any one person but about Jesus, pure and simple. —Kathy Connors, Medina, Wash.

‘After the day’

Sept. 6 Megan Basham caught the brilliant, endearing way Robin Williams lived for the day and the sadness of what he missed. What if instead of Carpe diem his legacy had been Carpe aeternitatem: “Seize eternity”? —Eileen Fritz, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

‘A novel recommendation’

Sept. 6 I finished Daniel Silva’s The Heist just before reading your recommendation. I hope it will help others see the book as an excellent way for older teenage boys and girls to experience the fact of evil and realize that we must not ever give up the fight against it. —Bruce W. Dandom, Abingdon, Va.

‘Green light, red alert’

Sept. 6 This article focused on only one side of the issue, the one-third of drugs approved in an expedited process that have to be withdrawn or restricted. But two-thirds of those drugs helped people. We need to accept some risk, especially when the possible benefits are significant, even life saving. —Roger S. Rutter, Owego, N.Y.

‘Birth is just a start’

Aug. 23 Life should not get easier after we begin to walk with Jesus, although some look at Him as “insurance” instead of as our “assurance.” Thank you for an inspiring column. —Rick Ols, Strongsville, Ohio

I love WORLD. It gives me the opportunity to pray for the people and situations that I would never hear about otherwise. —Donna Adamski, Schaumburg, Ill.

‘Rhythm and rhyme’

Aug. 23 This heartfelt column brought me warm memories, and today Frank Sinatra’s croonings are running through my mind. —Martha Ball, Pittsburgh, Pa.

‘Clouded judgment’

Aug. 23 Olasky gave a much-needed reminder of the arrogant stupidity that produced World War I. But may I suggest that using the impersonal term soldiers allows us to distance ourselves from such atrocity. Those 150,000 men were sons, brothers, fathers, uncles, friends, and neighbors who were mercilessly butchered on a battlefield at the behest of feckless leaders. —Bruce Falt, Basking Ridge, N.J.

‘Allotted boundaries’

Aug. 9 By any standard I’m blessed in every way while countless millions suffer. The Scriptures are clear I don’t deserve it, so I feel guilty. But that isn’t scriptural either, so Andrée Seu Peterson’s admonition to ask Mordecai’s question is very helpful. I shouldn’t try to imagine myself in any situation other than where God has put me. The Lord knows I’m not really made of the stuff of martyrs—not right now, anyway. —Malcolm Powers, Ann Arbor, Mich.

‘Deadly business’

June 28 I loved Mindy Belz’s column on how books get much-needed truth to the world. But books can work for great good and for great evil. As someone once noted, the horrors of the concentration camp arose not in the military halls of Berlin but in the minds and pens of philosophers such as Nietzsche. —Dick Muller, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

‘Repeated exposure’

June 14 This was an excellent column about asking the wrong questions. I have had the pleasure of knowing some kind and gentle gay men, but being a decent person who cares about the elderly and is kind to children doesn’t make immoral behavior moral. —Lori Parziale, Cambridge, Wis.

‘Something about the name’

May 17 I can relate to the obstacles that Robin Bartlett Frazier encountered in Maryland. Some of the leaders of our community chorus recently squashed the use of “the Name” in public prayers at our concerts out of fear of losing financial support from the local arts council. Thank you for reminding us of the precious Christian heritage we have in our Founding Fathers. This is not a time for Christians to cower in corners. Was there ever such a time? —Kay Edwards, Waynesville, N.C.

‘Set adrift’

April 5 News sources should report on patriarchy without naming the sexual sins of men like Doug Phillips and Bill Gothard. Their sin does not prove that the ideas are wrong; patriarchy has serious problems whether or not those who teach it have messed up. —Barbara Thompson, Campbellsville, Ky.

Clarification

The large tomb recently uncovered in Greece is unlikely to be that of Alexander the Great (Dispatches, Sept. 6, p. 18).

WORLD Around the World

Caraballo, Dominican Republic Submitted by Kim Newhouse

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