Covered

I love WORLD, but I found your cover illustration of "Osama bin Ashcroft" to be extremely offensive. To put a great Christian man like John Ashcroft anywhere near a murderer and terrorist like bin Laden is a horrible affront. - Richard Larson, Orland, Calif.

Thanks for the May/June special issue. It's a keeper. It would be interesting to hear John Ashcroft's reaction to the cover illustration. It is terrific. I particularly enjoyed the section on how conservative Christians should respond to media bias. - J.C. Stewart, Bartlesville, Okla.

Critical issues

Your special issue is outstanding. I intend to introduce it to my family in our homeschool. The historical information is highly relevant, stimulating, and important. It is critical that we teach our children the Christian worldview and the fallacy in the common argument that all religions are the same ("Misinterpreting U.S. history," "Misinterpreting Islamic history"). - Robert Silva, Folsom, Calif.

"How to respond" in the latest special issue is very interesting, but I believe the greater problem is to get conservative Christians to truly believe these ideas. Many who label themselves "conservative" Christians do not embrace the total depravity of man, are fighting the war against flesh and blood, are divisive (even among their own camps), and are often discontent and pessimistic. Until they recover the historical and biblical roots of their faith, any answers they give to the world will be mere fluff, no matter how eloquent they may be. - Stephen Dechert, Hooper, Colo.

I love WORLD, but the fact that the media and other elites continue to demonize fundamentalist Christians like Attorney General John Ashcroft is not news. The media will never treat Christians fairly. - John S. Adams, Cleveland, N.Y.

"The greatest spin ever sold" is a great article. Thank you so much for standing on godly principles. One of my family members gives me a subscription to Newsweek and I give him a subscription to WORLD. Keep up the good words. -Jeanie Pemberton, Lewisville, Texas

Your "Osama bin Ashcroft?" and "Clergy sexual abuse: the Protestant problem" (March 30) issues have been "light onto the darkness." I pray that you will continue to be so. These are the types of issues that make me continue to be an unpaid sales rep for World. - Waldemar Grafals, Little Rock, Ark.

Compassion in Clio

Thank you for pointing out the compassion of the Montague family in Clio, Mich. ("The other America," April 27). To see them not only care for their own son, but for others with cerebral palsy, is a great statement about what"s going on here in America. Thank you for speaking up for a whole group of people who serve Christ through helping people with disabilities. - William J. Amstutz, Union Grove, Wis.

Scriptural insanity

Andree Seu masterfully handled the issue of the insanity plea ("The insanity muddle," April 20). This defense is one of man's attempts to thwart biblical justice and to "free" mankind from personal accountability for sin. Man then becomes a slave to the passions doled out by his depraved soul. - Jon Whitmer, West Olive, Mich.

Andree Seu has done much splendid work, but "The insanity muddle" must be confronted. She writes that the responsibility for mental illness is with the person involved. This is like saying that a man with appendicitis is suffering because he did not read the Decalogue frequently enough. Some dear friends who have been my patients have done terrible things because of the all-pervasive reality of a delusional system. - Charles A. Neff, Lebanon, Pa.

Testing

I"m glad you published "Camping out" (April 20). We need to be kept informed about false prophets and their teachings, and test what radio preachers teach against the Bible. - Brad Vaughn, Cincinnati, Ohio

Front to back

From front to back, your May/June special issue, "Osama bin Ashcroft?" encouraged me. As a law student at a well-known East Coast state university, I weep daily in frustration and pain to see how out of touch and foolish some of our nation's brightest and most educated elite have become. Worse yet, they educate younger minds (like mine) into the same intellectual and academic dishonesty they have perfected. Christians or conservatives who want to engage in honest conversation or friendly debate over any of the current issues must be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." This is always difficult, but it helps to know some astute, godly people are watching and carefully reporting the same things I'm seeing. - Rachel Tripp, Glouster City, N.J.

Oddly encouraging

Thanks so much for an outstanding issue. I especially appreciated the timeline of martyrs ("The immortal blemish," April 27). Although graphic, it was oddly encouraging. My faith was built up by the many men and women who have died for Christ. Russell Board's excellent commentary ("Passing beauty") complemented an excellent special issue . - Abby Johnson, Powhatan, Va.

Les Sillars"s timeline on the persecution of the church in the 20th century was for the most part very edifying. As a Roman Catholic Christian, however, I object to his portrayal of Catholic persecution of Protestants in Mexico in 1952. No doubt Protestant Christians were persecuted and martyred, but to blame the Catholic Church is ludicrous. Moreover, many Catholics were martyred for their faith in Mexico during the 20th century. - David R. Kennedy, Wadsworth, Ohio

Your special issue regarding the persecution of Christians, both here and abroad, was a real awakening. - Bill Bader, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Fumble

I thoroughly enjoyed Joel Belz's column about how Stanford declined to hire University of Nebraska assistant football coach Ron Brown because of his Christian beliefs ("The other fundamentalists," April 27). Stanford may have missed a real opportunity to change the lives of their football players. - Mimi Frerichs, Kearney, Neb.

In "The other fundamentalists," one Stanford official said that the school is "very diverse" and the way Mr. Brown "would stand out that much is something that has to be looked at." In other words, "Because of our emphasis on diversity, we can't hire someone who is that different." These people aren't even subtle about their hypocrisy anymore. - Mark R. Hettler, Bordentown, N.J.

Design flaw

I was listening to Gulliver's Travels when I read "Full court press" (April 20). Justice Anderson reminds me of the "projectors" of Legato. Swift's wise sages are determined to improve every aspect of life, but their projects are based on faulty reasoning and invariably fail. This does not discourage them. Rather, they double their efforts and blame the failure on those trying to implement the project instead of the poor design. They condemn everyone who fails to join their projects as being against the public good. Judicial activism has brought upon us Roe vs. Wade and many other difficulties, but the projectors of our time, such as Justice Anderson, see the blame in the faulty execution of the mission instead of the flaw of the design. Would that they would re-read (read?) Swift's satire, though it is unlikely that they would recognize their own folly. - Clarke McIntosh, Asheville, N.C.

Lost souls

I would like to commend you for "Why so pushy?" (April 13). As a college student who waitresses part-time in the summer, I have experienced many people's reactions to religious conversations. To avoid discomfort I am sometimes tempted to be silent and allow witnessing opportunities to escape. Your article helped me to understand that the fight to rescue souls is neither a game nor a contest. Even if it feels uncomfortable, trying to rescue someone from the world's confusion is not wrong. I realize that if I value other people's feelings too much, I am ignoring the fate of their lost souls. - Nicole LeBlanc, Templeton, Mass.