Handshake heritage

Your cover picture of Ted Kennedy and President Bush shaking hands ("Crossing borders," June 23) was a masterful symbol of the power of free speech in our country: two political opponents working to find solutions to one of our national problems without threat of assassination, bombs, or riots. The heritage of our Christian foundation still has its effect in our society. -Robert J. Hughes; Monroe, N.C.

I can't remember being more disappointed with an article in the magazine. I object to the characterization of the proposed legislation as aiming to provide "a compassionate but sensible regularization process." The bill was massively influenced by many of the usual suspects on the left, and it bears all 10 fingerprints of Ted Kennedy. The Democrats designed this bill to do two things: increase the Democratic voter rolls and hang yet another albatross on the president if it fails. -Medwyn Sloane; Denver, Colo.

A harsh reality

A heartfelt thanks for Warren Smith's "Cut off" (June 23), which reported discrimination against Arab Christians in Israel. Treatment ranging from inconvenience to abuse is a harsh reality for Palestinian believers. On a recent trip to the West Bank I met an articulate and dedicated Arab evangelical pastor who cannot leave the eight-mile circumference of his West Bank city without being interrogated at an Israeli checkpoint, for example. We brothers and sisters in the faith ought to be doing much more to support them. -William Broughton; Centerville, Va.

In God all things are possible as this hero, Salim Munayer, has demonstrated by his faith to believe that Jews and Arabs who trust Christ can live in peace. Christians are called to support and pray for Israel and all Jews because they are our fathers in the faith and God's chosen people and our destiny is tied up in theirs. Christians must not close their hearts to the Arab civilians in the crossfire. -Rachel Mathew; Citrus Springs, Fla.

Persecution is churches being burned and a nun being shot because someone didn't like what the pope said, or three men in Turkey being murdered for distributing Bibles. The article gripes about inconveniences, petty hassles, bureaucracy, unfairness, and hurt feelings-not persecution. -Peggy Swassing; Edwards AFB, Calif.

As one who lived three years in Israel, I was shocked to see WORLD give a platform to Salim Munayer. The Arab refugee problem stemming from the 1948 war occurred because the five Arab armies that surrounded Israel instructed Israeli Arabs to leave their homes while they drove the Jews "into the sea." Since then responsibility for the plight, poverty, and squalor of the Palestinian people should be laid squarely at the feet of terrorist Palestinian leadership and the willingness of the oil-rich Arab nations to exacerbate the problem. -James M. Hutchens; Great Falls, Va.

Back to back

I deeply appreciate WORLD. Your cover story on immigration and the back-to-back articles by Lynn Vincent on abortion ("Conflict of interest," June 23) and Jamie Dean ("Doctors' orders," June 23) were outstanding, in terms of both coverage and perspective. Also, I and my wife savor the musings of Andrée Seu and Marvin Olasky. -Glenn Harris; Birmingham, Mich.

Separation of perps and state

Brilliant work on Planned Parenthood in Missouri: a separation of perps and state schools. Truly, a "Conflict of interest" has been revealed and aborted. God be praised. -Brian Heersink; Livonia, Mich.

We agree with your column about the apparent demise of The Wall Street Journal ("Living color," June 23), one of the very few worthwhile newspapers out there. Still, there are bright spots and WORLD is one of them. We appreciate articles, such as the one on Planned Parenthood, that never get into the mainstream media. -Barbara Mutch; Lakeville, Minn.

A better method?

Re: "Doctors' orders": Will someone please tell me why execution by lethal injection of the perpetrators of brutal murders constitutes "cruel and unusual" punishment? -Joseph M. Hopkins; New Wilmington, Pa.

"Doctors' orders" got us to thinking about science coming up with a better method of execution. There are a few already used every day that could be employed, such as saline burning, D&C, or punching a hole into the skull and sucking out the brain. But we think that science has come up with the quickest, least expensive, and least painful way in the bullet. And since most of the murderers used that method, there should be no objection. -Bill & Doris Heyns; Cape Coral, Fla.

The sedate and the stirring

Well done ("Holiday and heaven," June 23). There is a time and place for both the sedate and the stirring. Proponents of each should not despise the other. Also, potential dangers exist at both extremes. Worshipping God with emotion can turn into just worshipping emotion; worshipping God without emotion can turn into non-worship. -Kevin Miller; Winchendon, Mass.

Interesting that Andrée Seu, who is now such a stickler for head coverings because she believes that's what God requires, cheerfully describes the defenestration of the Regulative Principle in Worship, which simply means that we should worship God as He requires, not however we desire. -Aaron Hoak; Bremen, Ind.

One of the things I really enjoyed about worshipping with my brothers and sisters from Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, and other African nations while in international churches in Italy and Greece was their desire to sing before prayer. One explained to me that just as they would not go to church without preparation, they prepare their hearts to approach Almighty God by singing His praises. There is a lot to learn from our fellow believers; none of us have it just right. -Ginny Fischer; Nezperce, Idaho

Glimpses into reality

As Marvin Olasky said, we are certainly not "Marionettes of helplessness" (June 23). We have been given glimpses into objective reality and we are responsible for what we see and do. The fact that we are not more concerned about education and doing the right thing in both large and small contexts should humble us and drive us to seek the only One who can give us more glimpses into reality. -Dick Friedrich; Caledonia, Mich.

Freedom only works when it's practiced as responsible freedom. Responsible freedom only works when a society corporately provides a working definition for what responsible freedom is, and ostracizes or in some way penalizes those who don't comply. -Monte Wiens; Dallas, Ore.

Intolerable

I am encouraged that WORLD is devoting more space to news on Sudan ("Breaking ranks," June 23) and the problems there. We need to make our politicians aware that we will not tolerate mass killing, rape, slavery, and religious persecution regardless of where it happens. We must also hold them responsible for the promises of help that they make. Hollow sanctions by the U.S. government are not enough. -Christian Tracy; Keller, Texas

Chips estranged

"Chips off the old blocks" (June 23) featuring Cecil and Prince Fielder was interesting but didn't mention that the father and son are estranged and have not spoken for three years now. -John Mizerek; Sylvania, Ohio

Woefully amiss

When the account of Noah and the cataclysmic flood is reduced to a child-friendly American comedy in Evan Almighty ("Animal planet," June 23), something is woefully amiss. How could sensible Christians stomach the trivializing of God's greatest judgment ever? -Paul Laman; Bloomingdale, N.J.