Mailbag

"Long hours and little thanks" (Dec. 18)

At a conference I attended many years ago, missionary doctor David Thompson told how after one of his patients died, the village ignored his message to retrieve the body. In anger, he loaded it into his own vehicle and drove to the village, fully prepared to bury the patient. En route, he told the Lord he was angry because "I'm a doctor, and doctors don't bury their patients." The Lord responded, "Oh no, David. You have that all wrong. You are My servant, and you do whatever I tell you." Kathryn Lee; Indianapolis, Ind.

"Pushing back gently" (Dec. 18)

Excellent column. One of the most significant challenges for Christians is to harmonize standing against immorality and injustice with remaining in love and forgiveness. Greg Johnson; Newark, Del.

Thank you for this beautifully written essay. It is a necessary reminder for me that freely I have received and freely I should give. Jenni Davis; Madison, Wis.

Good column. The efforts to advocate for just policy positions and just legislation may or may not be directed at anybody personally. The efforts to protect traditional marriage or preborn life in law may originate from an attempt to be faithful to a loving and biblical worldview, not animus toward political opponents. J. Chang; Riverside, Calif.

"On Dealey Plaza" (Dec. 18)

Joel Belz doubted whether the Kennedy assassination generated any new laws or regulations. It took until 1968 to pass the Gun Control Act, but that legislation began the landslide of regulations that threatens to bury the Second Amendment. Ken Lockwood; Marysville, Mich.

"Drawn by grace" (Dec. 18)

Thanks for that encouraging article on the Chinese church in America. As the English pastor at a predominately Chinese church, I know many plodding visionaries working quietly night and day to build up the church here intending also to build up the church in China. When we hear how the Holy Spirit is moving with such power across the world, it's like the book of Acts never ended. Matt Connally; Princeton, N.J.

"Pro-Christianity atheist" (Dec. 18)

S.E. Cupp seems closer to faith than many who profess it. The side benefits of a relationship with our Maker are a life after death that is more than "nothingness," as she put it, yet full of the peace she seeks, and a reliable way to address that "curveball" she mentioned-one that is sure to come. Brian Broberg; New Freedom, Pa.

"Left out" (Dec. 18)

I am a first-generation Chaldean-American. Those are my people being killed and pushed out of Mosul and the Dora district of Baghdad, among many others. I remember the day here in El Cajon when Saddam's statue fell. There was a victory parade in our streets and thousands celebrated the milestone. It hurts to think of the broken expectations years later. By God's grace many have fled, but my heart breaks for those who have died without their plight and voice being heard by political authorities. Rafee Jajou; El Cajon, Calif.

Human Race (Dec. 18)

I have not yet decided if I'm happy Tom DeLay is on our team, but your small item on his conviction for illegally funneling corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002 left out many important facts. This verdict is so controversial that even The Washington Post agreed with DeLay in calling it a "criminalization of politics," and noting that at the time of his actions "the state's general conspiracy statute did not cover election law violations." Vic Tripp; Tucker, Ga.

"Treading carefully" (Dec. 18)

I didn't fully agree with your review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We were very disappointed with it. They basically rewrote the entire story. While Aslan was in the story, he was played down and this removed most of the book's spiritual emphasis. The movie really felt empty and void of all the meaning in the book. Amanda Scheidler; Ballantine, Mont.

I appreciated your review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I'd like to add that the scary scenes can be extremely frightening for young children, 3D adds nothing to the movie except the cost, and Reepicheep is extremely good except for some smart-alecky remarks that do not befit a knight of Narnia. Stephen Lehman; Midland, Mich.

"Tis the season" (Dec. 18)

You mention the Christmas billboard posted by American Atheists that states, "You know it's a Myth." I'd like to point out that the billboard is in New Jersey next to the Lincoln Tunnel. On the New York side of the tunnel is the Catholic League billboard that encourages Catholics and other Christians to keep Christ in Christmas. Wendy Lovetro; Queens, N.Y.

"Called to a community" (Dec. 4)

Timothy Dalrymple expressed my heart and passion much better than I could have. I appreciated the tough lesson that "when we joined together for the fellowship and worship and service . . . we were already living the life for which we were designed." His question of whether "our calling to particular careers trumped everything else" struck me in the chest. Having recently graduated from college, I have been looking for local church jobs while not wanting to take my wife and myself away from the church we have come to cherish. Joshua Burba; Nashville, Tenn.

As a college student I too regarded my vocation as something that would begin later in life. Now as an inmate in a maximum security prison, "trapped in a kind of endless present," God has brought me and a small band of Christian brothers to discover the "four walls of our new freedom." Thank you for the column that put this amazing reality into words. Edward Brown; Menard, Ill.

"Deep or broad?" (Dec. 4)

My vote: Do both. Keep going deep and have articles that are attractive to seekers. It's almost like preaching Christ. We can never have too much of Him and He is food for the seeker and the one who has long rested his soul in Him. WORLD helps shape my worldview, providing philosophical perspectives and facts that help me view life more biblically or challenge me to do so. Steve Burlingham; Fair Oaks, Calif.

"Working for good" (Dec. 4)

I very much appreciate how Tony Woodlief addressed careers in the church in a new way. Most job advice in the church seems to be, "Stop complaining and be joyful." It seems we have a generation of men who are discouraged, feeling emasculated because their "secular" work is not affirmed, or, just as bad, they never pursue the way God created them to live. Brad Norcross; Waco, Texas

Quick Takes (Dec. 4)

So President Obama sent a comforting letter to a woman who lost her job, and she sold it for $7,000? There, a new government benefit program for the unemployed that costs the taxpayer only the price of stationery and stamps! Some economist would no doubt argue that flooding the mail with these letters will devalue them. Nonsense. It's just another form of "quantitative easing," a financial policy the Obama administration clearly backs. Russell Board; Saitama, Japan

"Never let me go" (Oct. 9)

Thanks very much to Sam Thielman for his movie review of Never Let Me Go. Because of it I read the book instead of watching the movie. The book is indeed a masterpiece, one that left me feeling chilled and aching on the inside for our broken world. Meredith McLinden; Colorado Springs, Colo.

"Daniel of the year" (Dec. 18)

We've been friends with Dr. Richard Bransford and his wife for 30 years. We just visited them in Kenya this fall. If the 2011 editions of WORLD magazine were completely devoted to testimonials, there would not be enough space to hold all the letters from people whom Dick and Millie have impacted.