Mailbag

‘An electric atmosphere’

Nov. 3 On election night, my husband and I joined our local rescue mission in their nightly worship service. When we left, we turned on the car radio and didn’t like what we heard, but our hearts were still ringing with Scripture and praise. The perfect way to spend election night was to focus not on the president of the United States but on the King of the universe.—Susan H. Aaron, Las Vegas, Nev.

‘King’s crisis’

Nov. 3 I commend WORLD for exposing what Dinesh D’Souza was doing regarding his personal life. And thank you for the prayer from your board of directors, published on your website, expressing your heart and concern for the integrity of our Christian witness. Your handling of this situation speaks volumes and glorifies our Lord.—Thomas W. Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

I suspect a hidden, liberal motive in running this article about D’Souza. I suspect this is retaliation for the movie 2016. Please cancel my subscription.—Linda Bowling, Camden, Ohio

D’Souza suffers from the same nonsense that other male Christian leaders suffer from: unaccountability. It is an epidemic in Christian leadership circles. —Bill Devlin, New York, N.Y.

Both D’Souza and WORLD taint the image Christians are supposed to present to the world.—Rachel Binney, Ebensburg, Pa.

After reading online many negative comments about the D’Souza story, I am more concerned than ever about the state of the church. The allegations that WORLD has some sort of vendetta against D’Souza are unproven and have nothing to do with the facts of his behavior. I admire WORLD for reporting this and think you did it very professionally.—Janet van Graas, Dayton, Ohio

You’ve done a great job in the past but this piece on D’Souza looks like terrible judgment.—James & Janell Hersey, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Please cancel my subscription. You ought to be ashamed for your actions!—David Harris, Cumming, Ga.

D’Souza should consider how God’s grace can restore a broken relationship. It is ironic that a great apologetic, the idea that our marriages represent Christ’s love for the church to the watching world, is missing in this great apologist’s arsenal. He is certainly in our prayers. —Wendell Cantrell, Denton, Texas

‘Troubled ministry’

Nov. 17 Sovereign Grace Ministry leaders provided biblical guidance and spiritual direction to those who requested such. This care was sought confidentially. Asking judges and juries to decide how pastors should provide care could hinder, not help, families dealing with trauma related to sin including child sexual abuse. We grieve deeply for any child who has been a victim of abuse. We want to minister the love, grace, and healing of God to any who have suffered this horrific act. SGM is committed to integrity and faithfulness in pastoral care, and it encourages the pastors of its associated local congregations to do likewise.—Tommy Hill, Director of Administration, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Louisville, Ky.

‘Electronic delusion’

Nov. 3 Electronic media can indeed be a distraction. Before long, priorities start to fall out of place, identities become more abstract and vague, and truth harder to find. Social media are not only a delusion, they turn people away from the things that matter in life in favor of a world that steals time, thoughts, and opportunities. —Sophia Ridgner & Jazlyn Goodwin, Chicago, Ill.

‘Cheer fear’

Nov. 3 Wow—public-school cheerleaders displaying Bible-verse-filled banners at high-school football games! So often I read of Texans pushing back at our anti-Christian culture. I’d pack up my family into our Honda “Mayflower” and sail to Texas if there weren’t a dire need for Christian pro-lifers in the Northeast. —Bob Brown, Bel Air, Md.

‘Not forsaken’

Nov. 3 I was impressed that resourceful churches in Syria, Egypt, and Iran continued teaching their members through satellite television after their Bibles were confiscated. Knowing that Christians in Syria prayed for strong faith, rather than freedom from persecution, humbled me and encouraged me to pray for a stronger faith.—Amanda Wilson, Newport Beach, Calif.

Quotables

Nov. 3 Certainly we disagree with certain candidates, but the man caricatured as a clown in that cartoon is not merely a political candidate but our president. We are called to pray for our leaders, not ridicule them. —Katherine Ashbaugh, Clover, S.C.

‘What they believe’

Oct. 20 Having come to Jesus at a Friends Sunday school, I disagree that Friends are “outside the pale of orthodox Christianity.” Almost all the Friends I have known would say “Jesus is Lord” and they have salvation through Him because of God-generated faith. Richard Nixon may not be the best example of Quaker faith.—Larry Marsh, Colton, Ore.

‘Not having what it takes’

Oct. 20 WORLD continues to help me maintain some hope in the middle of all this political muddle. Neither candidate fully was fit to serve us well. Now we believers must confront the reality that our image is not great. Perhaps our own rhetoric can be more thoughtful now so we are not labeled as backward, archaic, judgmental, and bigoted.—Roberta Simmons, Kingston, Tenn.

It’s too bad those 10 people Joel Belz interviewed, and too many others, weren’t aware of what the stakes were in this election. Far too many Christians think, like the world, that what you see is all there is, but what’s unseen is also real. —Kathryn Lee, Indianapolis, Ind.

‘Blocking the shots’

Oct. 6 I cannot rule out that immunizing children might be the best approach. However, as a physician I take the position that there are equally scientifically sound reasons to say that the risks equal or are greater than the benefits. Other effective treatments exist including, for example, vitamins A and C for measles. And I don’t buy, in most situations, the idea that Christians should support immunization simply to help protect others. If vaccines work as well as some say, then for the people who get them it does not matter whether others have gotten them. —Mark A. Sherfey, Monterey, Tenn.

I was disappointed with your treatment of vaccines. Sometimes experts are wrong or change their minds. As for being considerate neighbors and citizens, sure, we should consider the societal impact of not taking vaccines but we should not treat the risk of autism lightly. —Brian Schwartz, Portland, Ore.

‘Psychology today’

Sept. 8 Thank you for reminding us to pray for graduate students at secular universities. They truly need our prayers and God’s guidance. WORLD does a great service by reminding us about the good happening in education in addition to the difficult, problematic elements. Teaching at a community college in a fairly rural, economically depressed area has helped me to see some of the joys and sorrows of our current educational system. —Maryellen Harman, Trenton, Mo.

Clarification

In a statement Sovereign Grace Ministries noted, “The lawsuit does not allege any act of child abuse by a pastor or staff member of SGM or of an associated church” (“Troubled ministry,” Nov. 17, p. 72).

Correction

In the movie Argo, the Iranian protesters who stormed the U.S. Embassy chanted in Farsi (“Spy game,” Nov. 3, p. 29).

WORLD Around the World

Omaha Beach, Normandy, FranceSubmitted by Mark Heredia

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