Learning disabled

I wonder if the Republicans have learned anything through this election ("GOP downfall," Nov. 18). I fear they have not. If they think they can win votes in the future by moving to the center, they will fail again and again. They lost this election because they did not uphold the conservative agenda, and now they are talking bipartisanship. We need new conservative leaders who will go to Washington with better ideas to defeat the liberal agenda. -Jim Thompson; Portage, Ind.

These so-called "conservative Democrats" are the reason I say it's stupid to vote for the person instead of the party. Did these "conservative Democrats" vote for Pelosi for speaker? The most important issues in Congress are the speaker's gavel and committee chairs. I'll believe these folks are conservative when they buck the party on these things. In the meantime, they're just bait. -Stuart W. Fraley; Indianapolis, Ind.

Upon hearing the election results, I felt very disappointed. When we repent of our sins and begin to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will again see the blessings of God poured out upon this nation. -Melodie Adams; Hillsboro, Ore.

We cannot save our nation by sending good people to Washington; our hope lies in bringing bad people to Jesus. -Paul Trey; Gallatin Gateway, Mont.

Voter wrath

After WW II the unimaginable happened when the British rejected Winston Churchill at the polls. To the suggestion that this was a blessing in disguise, Sir Winston responded: "If it is a blessing, it is very well disguised." The conservatives along with their leader did not come back into power for six years. When will elected officials learn that voters become fatigued by the business-as-usual attitude ("Throwing the bums out," Nov. 18). -Winfried Schroeder; Roscoe, S.D.

What's missing

The revelations about Ted Haggard are another loss of credibility for the church ("Out of the dark," Nov. 18). This should not be about Haggard's future, or about how his family is handling the revelations, or about the political impact of the transgression. What's missing from a heavily publicized scandal about the sin of a very public Christian minister is a very public confession of sin and acknowledgment that he "hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." -Johnny Babb; McDonough, Ga.

I was disappointed in the secular news coverage of the Haggard scandal because it wasn't as extensive as I thought it would be. It is no longer a "man bites dog" story for church leaders to fail. That saddens me. Christianity doesn't have nearly the public relevance in our culture as we sometimes think it does. Even in the church world many of the blogs and denominational websites gave it cursory treatment. I'm usually an optimistic person, but this is further proof that we have lost much of our saltiness in the culture. -J.L. Rivera; Orland Park, Ill.

Red-state readers

Tim Lamer attributes the decline of newspaper subscriptions to increased internet use ("Stop the presses," Nov. 18), but I wonder how much of it has to do with left-leaning newspapers being thrust upon red-state readers. -Taylor Nakamoto; Montrose, Colo.

Work there, work here

I applaud (and whoop and holler, too) Uganda's adoption of an abstinence-only program ("Taking pride in purity," Nov. 18). I am a member of my state's Governor's Program on Abstinence. If abstinence programs succeed in Africa, I feel encouraged to do my part to make abstinence education succeed closer to home. -Sarah Peshoff, 14; Ruston, La.

Inspired

Russell Board's column ("Today's the day," Nov. 18) is one of the finest, most inspiring I've ever read. Thanks so much. -John L. Gruender; Chesterfield, Mo.

Go Bears!

Your article about the Miami Dolphins beating the Chicago Bears stopped short (Around the Horn, Nov. 18). The rest of the story is that in January 1986, the Bears won the Super Bowl. Will history repeat itself? Go Bears! -Alice Ortner; Wentzville, Mo.

At, not of, the movies

A recent letter writer canceled her subscription over your movie reviews. I, for one, enjoy reading your take on an industry that influences the world I live in. I was always told to be "in the world, not of it." Doesn't that involve understanding what other people are thinking? Why else would you subscribe to a weekly newsmagazine? And although you may not have the same moral belief systems as some movie characters, you can still learn from these storylines and, more importantly, strengthen empathy for our brothers and sisters. -Victoria Folkerts; Hoboken, N.J.

Open wide

"Shake hands with an old enemy" (Nov. 18), about Daniel Ortega's return to power in Nicaragua, reminds me of High Noon, where the judge admonishes Marshal Kane: "In the fifth century b.c., the citizens of Athens, having suffered grievously under a tyrant, managed to depose and banish him. Yet when he returned some years later with an army of mercenaries, those same citizenss . . . opened the gates for him." -Al Shumard; Radford, Va.

What we deserve?

Ordinary mortals share many of the same goals and values we as Christ-followers are quick to claim as our very own. So it sounds pompous when we make assertions like, for example, Joel Belz's comment that "common grace is primarily an undeserved spill-over benefit for those who reject God Himself" ("Deceptive truths," Nov. 11). No wonder they don't like us-are any of us getting what we deserve? -Arlene Huie; Mission Viejo, Calif.

Uncounted murders

Regarding violent crime stats, about how St. Louis is both home to the World Series-winning Cardinals and the most dangerous city in the country (The Buzz, Nov. 11): Does the data also include the murder rate of unborn babies? If not, shouldn't it? -Mark Hissong; Kingsport, Tenn.

Standing up

I think it is great that Lisa Thompson is standing up against the abuse of women and girls ("The abolitionist," Nov. 4), especially when it is a topic that most people avoid or aren't aware of. -Kirsten Guz-Montgomery; Winchester, Va.

More common sense

In summary, Joel Belz's "Common-sense solution" (Nov. 4) is "roll out the welcome mat" but then deny illegal immigrants the necessities of life. I think I need to look up the definition of "common sense." Really, wouldn't it make more sense and be more humane to erect something at the border to prevent them from endangering their own lives and getting into this mess? -Walter Stansbury; Boyne City, Mich.

This column makes my intellectual blood boil. Tanksley argues that the border cannot be physically secured and then makes the case for law enforcement in the areas of transportation, housing, and employment. But communities have already shown a logistic inability to enforce these issues. We have the resources to secure the border; we should do so, then offer the ultimate amnesty program: All people illegally in the United States must return to their country at their own expense, with no lingering malice from America, and then begin the process to immigrate legally and assimilate into our culture. -Lawrence German; Louisville, Ky.

Causality

I agree with "Causes and effects" (Oct. 21) wholeheartedly, especially the last paragraph about whether a particular chemical "causes" cancer, and whether the "causes" of sin are things other than the human heart. I think most people do not want to look within themselves and truly find fault. They want a bandage to help the hurt, and they just keep on going, doing the same things over and over until the bandage needs serious attention. -Jolene McCord; Lampasas, Texas