Letters to the Editor 11-28-2006
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- War - Don't Be Sheep - Dead Dog - Advent
War
Editor, Times-Union:Re: Leslie E. Swanson
War isn't a spiritual battle. Spirits don't shoot bullets. It doesn't take much of a thinking cap to figure that out.
Jesus should pat you on the head for reciting all those Bible verses. I'd do the same thing for my dog if he'd just deliver my house slippers.
What matters to all you corporate harlots is all those foreign investment opportunities, which for obvious reasons always seem to be somewhere just beyond God's golden shore.
Patriotism, leave it or leave it. Treason seems to be the reason for the season. Merry Christmas, girls.
Steven R. Frantz
Warsaw
Don't Be Sheep
Editor, Times-Union:In response to SFC. Denny J. Harlen I would like to comment on the inference that people like me somehow do not support military personal. You are right, I do not blindly support anybody or anything.
The assumption that dying in Iraq has something to do with the deaths in the Twin Towers is totally false. Iraq had nothing to do with the Twin Towers.
You don't need 180,000 troops to catch one Bin Laden. If the Special Forces, Marine Force Recon and Seals can't handle it, we better quit. Too many cooks spoil the soup!
General Schmedly Butler, a highly decorated U.S Marine general, once wrote that war is a racket. In my adult lifetime I have seen three wars that were part of the racket. Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq are part of the corporate racket.
Our founding fathers hated empires, and they hated democracy. They established a republic in case everyone has forgotten.
It's not the country anymore. It's a far-flung economic empire with troops garrisoned worldwide. I know, I was in the Army and saw foreign service.
The sinister politicians and transnational corporations cleverly cry "the sky is falling" and cloak it with national defense. A large number of citizens are stampeded into supporting such insanity and then are held hostage to the slogan "We must support all troops."
The best way to support the troops is not to agree to send them at all without a thorough examination of the facts and not just hysteria. The money that's been spent in the Middle East could have refurbished the railroads, the highways, schools and most of all secured our borders completely.
When will the taxpayers get the message? This money is borrowed money from other countries' treasuries and they are getting tired of financing our drunken sailor attitudes. As I speak, the dollar is on a slide and a crash could happen at any moment.
In the meantime, all you hawks, when's the last time you visited a VA hospital and made the rounds of all the paraplegics and troops with severe brain damage as a result of Bush's madness?
Tom Metzger, via e-mail
Warsaw
Dead Dog
Editor, Times-Union:This afternoon I discovered something that made me very sad. I opened a dumpster behind a Warsaw shopping center and was shocked to find the body of a magnificently large dog - so large that I thought it was a deer.
I called the animal shelter and left a message informing them in case someone had lost a dog like this. If someone abused and killed this magnificent creature - yes, created by our Creator, I would love to be present to see the vengeance God will mete out to this inhumane so-called human. God saw he or them do it, and vengeance is God's to render. If this dog was hit by a car and killed (I saw blood, but not at his mouth), the body of this dog, out of which exceedingly far more love flowed while alive than flows from any 50 people who live in this city, deserved far more respect than it received. Shame on you who did this.
I find far nobler qualities in my furry friends than in most people whom I see.
Chuck Orlando, via e-mail
Warsaw
Advent
Editor, Times-Union:We come to the beginning of the Christian year called Advent this Sunday. We, who are Christian, are reminded of the coming of Jesus Christ by His birth into the world at Bethlehem. This is the season of a spiritual preparation for the hope that God gave to us in sending Jesus as Savior to us for our sins. Then 33 years later on the cross, He gave Himself to die in our place, giving us the freedom to choose Him as our Savior. If done, then He promised an abundant, joyful life on earth, and the life eternal in Heaven when life here is over.
Turning from these promises to today's media, we read of, and hear of Black Friday sales in the stores being good since Thanksgiving already. Computer sales are predicted to be above expectations. People seems happy, but are they?
Jesus asked some of His day, do you want to be happy and have joy? To a wealthy young man He said, sell what you have, give to the poor, come and follow me. The young man chose not to. Another time Jesus said, happy, blessed, are those who have the hope of Heaven and eternity with me. Again, He said seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and you shall have joy today and forever. Matthew 6:33. A present-day wag wrote, if you seek not the kingdom of God first all other things will be subtracted from you. Your possessions and mine provide a test and determination about our future.
The apostle Paul wrote to a young man, "Those money-rich, proud of their bank accounts will lose it, unless they trust in God and use their money to do good works by sharing to those in need. Those who do share will know and have joy and God's blessing." I Timothy 6: 17-19.
We read of compromises made for money. A TV program "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire" received 3,000 applicants who would do so. Fifty were chosen, and wore bathing suits so the millionaire could make his choice. The winner went on the honeymoon, and days later admitted making a big mistake and sought an annulment.
Closer to some, us church people is the truth that too few of us show joy in our Christianity. Children in some so-called Christian homes see little evidence of joy in the Lord. They see it in our excitement about a ball game, watching television, or in a scene of nature, but see little to attract them about Christianity at home or for sharing in the life of the church. They soon get the idea that our Christian life doesn't mean much to us. Our children will not be attracted to Jesus if we make Him seem dull. Our attitude does register to our children.
Advent is a time for us to seek and do the personal spiritual disciplines of: faith and obedience to Jesus; show love towards others; and honesty with ourselves.
Then we will have Christian joy, as we bow at the manger of Bethlehem, Dec. 25, and welcome anew the baby Jesus, our Savior!
C.L. Hendrix, via e-mail
Winona Lake
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- War - Don't Be Sheep - Dead Dog - Advent
War
Editor, Times-Union:Re: Leslie E. Swanson
War isn't a spiritual battle. Spirits don't shoot bullets. It doesn't take much of a thinking cap to figure that out.
Jesus should pat you on the head for reciting all those Bible verses. I'd do the same thing for my dog if he'd just deliver my house slippers.
What matters to all you corporate harlots is all those foreign investment opportunities, which for obvious reasons always seem to be somewhere just beyond God's golden shore.
Patriotism, leave it or leave it. Treason seems to be the reason for the season. Merry Christmas, girls.
Steven R. Frantz
Warsaw
Don't Be Sheep
Editor, Times-Union:In response to SFC. Denny J. Harlen I would like to comment on the inference that people like me somehow do not support military personal. You are right, I do not blindly support anybody or anything.
The assumption that dying in Iraq has something to do with the deaths in the Twin Towers is totally false. Iraq had nothing to do with the Twin Towers.
You don't need 180,000 troops to catch one Bin Laden. If the Special Forces, Marine Force Recon and Seals can't handle it, we better quit. Too many cooks spoil the soup!
General Schmedly Butler, a highly decorated U.S Marine general, once wrote that war is a racket. In my adult lifetime I have seen three wars that were part of the racket. Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq are part of the corporate racket.
Our founding fathers hated empires, and they hated democracy. They established a republic in case everyone has forgotten.
It's not the country anymore. It's a far-flung economic empire with troops garrisoned worldwide. I know, I was in the Army and saw foreign service.
The sinister politicians and transnational corporations cleverly cry "the sky is falling" and cloak it with national defense. A large number of citizens are stampeded into supporting such insanity and then are held hostage to the slogan "We must support all troops."
The best way to support the troops is not to agree to send them at all without a thorough examination of the facts and not just hysteria. The money that's been spent in the Middle East could have refurbished the railroads, the highways, schools and most of all secured our borders completely.
When will the taxpayers get the message? This money is borrowed money from other countries' treasuries and they are getting tired of financing our drunken sailor attitudes. As I speak, the dollar is on a slide and a crash could happen at any moment.
In the meantime, all you hawks, when's the last time you visited a VA hospital and made the rounds of all the paraplegics and troops with severe brain damage as a result of Bush's madness?
Tom Metzger, via e-mail
Warsaw
Dead Dog
Editor, Times-Union:This afternoon I discovered something that made me very sad. I opened a dumpster behind a Warsaw shopping center and was shocked to find the body of a magnificently large dog - so large that I thought it was a deer.
I called the animal shelter and left a message informing them in case someone had lost a dog like this. If someone abused and killed this magnificent creature - yes, created by our Creator, I would love to be present to see the vengeance God will mete out to this inhumane so-called human. God saw he or them do it, and vengeance is God's to render. If this dog was hit by a car and killed (I saw blood, but not at his mouth), the body of this dog, out of which exceedingly far more love flowed while alive than flows from any 50 people who live in this city, deserved far more respect than it received. Shame on you who did this.
I find far nobler qualities in my furry friends than in most people whom I see.
Chuck Orlando, via e-mail
Warsaw
Advent
Editor, Times-Union:We come to the beginning of the Christian year called Advent this Sunday. We, who are Christian, are reminded of the coming of Jesus Christ by His birth into the world at Bethlehem. This is the season of a spiritual preparation for the hope that God gave to us in sending Jesus as Savior to us for our sins. Then 33 years later on the cross, He gave Himself to die in our place, giving us the freedom to choose Him as our Savior. If done, then He promised an abundant, joyful life on earth, and the life eternal in Heaven when life here is over.
Turning from these promises to today's media, we read of, and hear of Black Friday sales in the stores being good since Thanksgiving already. Computer sales are predicted to be above expectations. People seems happy, but are they?
Jesus asked some of His day, do you want to be happy and have joy? To a wealthy young man He said, sell what you have, give to the poor, come and follow me. The young man chose not to. Another time Jesus said, happy, blessed, are those who have the hope of Heaven and eternity with me. Again, He said seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and you shall have joy today and forever. Matthew 6:33. A present-day wag wrote, if you seek not the kingdom of God first all other things will be subtracted from you. Your possessions and mine provide a test and determination about our future.
The apostle Paul wrote to a young man, "Those money-rich, proud of their bank accounts will lose it, unless they trust in God and use their money to do good works by sharing to those in need. Those who do share will know and have joy and God's blessing." I Timothy 6: 17-19.
We read of compromises made for money. A TV program "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire" received 3,000 applicants who would do so. Fifty were chosen, and wore bathing suits so the millionaire could make his choice. The winner went on the honeymoon, and days later admitted making a big mistake and sought an annulment.
Closer to some, us church people is the truth that too few of us show joy in our Christianity. Children in some so-called Christian homes see little evidence of joy in the Lord. They see it in our excitement about a ball game, watching television, or in a scene of nature, but see little to attract them about Christianity at home or for sharing in the life of the church. They soon get the idea that our Christian life doesn't mean much to us. Our children will not be attracted to Jesus if we make Him seem dull. Our attitude does register to our children.
Advent is a time for us to seek and do the personal spiritual disciplines of: faith and obedience to Jesus; show love towards others; and honesty with ourselves.
Then we will have Christian joy, as we bow at the manger of Bethlehem, Dec. 25, and welcome anew the baby Jesus, our Savior!
C.L. Hendrix, via e-mail
Winona Lake
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