Twice shy

The old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," expresses the feelings of many Arizonans like me regarding our senior senator, John McCain ("Not angry anymore," Dec. 1). I doubt he will carry Arizona in the primary because of the McCain-Feingold bill, Shamnesty, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts (before he was for them). Sorry, but I think McCain's reconciliation is just a political ploy. -Tom Troxell; Sun City West, Ariz.

Thanks for your article about the "Maverick man." He does not appear to be the sort of man who would win my vote because of, among other things, his contradictory views in supporting embryonic stem-cell research yet opposing abortion. -Joy Mueller, 16; El Cajon, Calif.

I am mortified that a Vietnamese prison guard treated McCain better than my brothers and sisters in Christ from South Carolina. Shame. -Josh Lunt; Newton, Mass.

Few to blame

In embracing the seeker movement with its teaching and worship style, the evangelical church now has few to blame but itself for its own problems ("Seeking but not finding," Dec. 1). On Sundays I often leave church with a giant craving for more depth. I became a Christian as a teenager because I saw a difference in the lives of the Christians at the church I attended. There was a lot of teaching of the meat of the Word. If I were a teenager growing up in many of today's churches, I don't know that I would become a Christian. -Karin Gilroy; Battle Ground, Wash.

Some megachurches admit that they are not producing mature Christians; we are not reaching the lost as we should; we are hemorrhaging our children to the world at an alarming rate; and we are not impacting an increasingly violent and wicked culture. It would seem that contemporary Christianity is a bit feckless. But not to worry-we are going to save the glaciers ("Role reversal," Dec. 1)! -Allen Brooks; Sheridan, Wyo.

Seeing the blind spots

I always appreciate Andrée Seu's thought-provoking columns. "Three-two-one" (Dec. 1) was particularly insightful concerning sins of ignorance or "blind spots." As we run the race with our Nikes on, Hebrews 12 reminds us to keep our focus on Jesus, who willingly endured much more than we will ever have to. -Beth Parkhill; Concord, N.C.

Sing a new song

As a Christian teen who loves musical theater, I passionately believe that a musical with a Christian message could have a big impact. That's why I fell to my knees to praise the Lord when I read "Broadway mission" (Dec. 1). It was so encouraging and exciting to know that Chris Smith is trying to take the gospel message to a place where it is desperately needed! -James C. Zeller, 15; Westcliffe, Colo.

Compared to what?

Mark Dean Schwab spent weeks planning his cruel and unusual punishment of 11-year-old Junny Rios-Martinez, binding him with duct tape and then raping and killing him ("Death penalty on ice," Dec. 1). Now the Supreme Court may deem lethal injection "cruel and unusual punishment"? It isn't at all, compared to what he did to little Junny. -Robert H. Bickmeyer; Troy, Mich.

Minister first

I have no problem with an evangelical voting for Rudy Giuliani in the general election, and I won't even pre-judge someone doing so in the primaries. My problem is with the public stamp of endorsement that a high-profile Christian like Pat Robertson gave to Giuliani because he is perceived as electable ("House divided," Nov. 24). I hope it does not present to the world a picture of Robertson (still dear to me) as a politician first and a minister second. -Nwokoma Opaigbeogu; Upper Marlboro, Md.

Cover story

Whoa! Thanks for putting the mailing cover on the Nov. 17 issue. With the picture of Hillary ("Most likely to succeed") there, I was afraid I'd have to hide the magazine during the holidays for fear of frightening away guests. -Christopher Cooper; Tucson, Ariz.

We don't have to rely on the news media or believe what candidates say in their stump speeches. If conservative Christians go out and vote knowledgeably in the primary, we can nominate someone like Mike Huckabee ("Huckabee season," Nov. 17). If Christians sit it out again, we will probably end up with Hillary in the White House. Do we really want four more years of a Clinton debacle? -Gail Blum; La Crosse, Wis.

As a Bible-believing Christian, I cannot in good conscience support any pro-abortion candidate even if it means a Democrat gets elected. Although some refer to this as "pouting," I call it believing through faith that God is in control no matter what the outcome. -Jeff Willoughby; Rio Rancho, N.M.

I am encouraged that Huckabee is moving up in the polls, but I am concerned that his electability and "nice-guy" image for a tough job may work against him in the presidential race. -S.M. Brown; Aledo, Ill.

While Hillary continuously reinvents herself, hopefully the voting public will not be deceived by her shameless posturing. The fact that she is willing to impose government control over our entire health-care system should motivate anyone to vote for anyone but her. -Howard W. Busse; Twinsburg, Ohio

In an article that shed helpful light in so many other ways, Lynn Vincent's opening shots at Clinton's fashion evolution seemed neither respectful nor fair. What other candidate has had his hair style decisions for the past 15 years paraded for our examination? Would you have printed such a thing about any of the men? -Frances P. Bennett; Stafford, Va.

Will history repeat itself, with conservatives again voting for a third party or staying home? We elected Bill Clinton in 1992 when we voted for Ross Perot. We should instead vote in the primary for one who can defeat Hillary Clinton and who upholds the Constitution. -Altheda Steinbach; Lacey, Wash.

People seem so concerned about electing a president with certain religious beliefs. I would rather vote for a Mormon than a Muslim, and I would rather vote for a Muslim than Hillary Clinton. -Bruce Anderson; Benson, Minn.

"Choice language" (Nov. 17) talks about Hillary Clinton changing her views on abortion. How do we know that she is not changing her language just to get votes from pro-lifers? I believe that once she is elected, she will denounce all that she said. -Austin Eldridge; Hernando, Miss.

The day the 2004 election was over I started praying that Mike Huckabee would run for president. I believed then, and I believe now, that he is a man of integrity who would represent the people well. How can so many Christian leaders be afraid of endorsing a candidate who truly will represent positive spiritual values just because they think they have to go with a front-runner to win the election? -Ginny Shaffer; Lincolnton, N.C.

Support the senator

Thank you for "Not private now" (Nov. 17) about Sen. Grassley's investigation into the financial practices of the ministries of Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, and others. I support the senator in this effort, having read elsewhere about the misuse of donor funds by most of these people. -Curt Karg; Idaho Falls, Idaho

Hole filled

As an impressionable teen, I considered Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged the epitome of everything I considered noble and righteous ("The hole in her universe," Oct. 27). I had no idea of where true righteousness came from or of Him who paid the price for it. Thanks to John Piper for the trip of correction down memory lane. -Craig Pruitt; Texarkana, Texas

Choose wisely

Thanks for your timely piece on the earnings of college presidents ("The new robber barons," Nov. 24). As a parent of a 17-year-old son, I will petition God for wisdom as to which presidential candidate to support with my vote and which college president to support with my wages. -Marcia W. Myers; Nixa, Mo.