Editor, Times-Union: I am writing in response to Michael A. Helton's editorial in last Wednesday's Times-Union titled The Politics of Religion. In his letter, he stated that "you can't vote Democrat and be a Christian." Says who? The Bible? I would sure like to know where in Holy Scripture it says that one political party is more "spiritual" than another. I am a non-political person at heart, and do not take sides with any one party. Any individual certainly has the right to express his or her opinion, but when such an opinion is forced and steps outside the boundaries of rational thought, then that person deserves to be put in their place. I would frankly like to ask Mr. Helton that if all Democrats are pagans, then what does that make Independents and Libertarians? Half Christian? Half atheist? If all Democrats are going to hell, then will my soul forever rest in Purgatory for not taking sides? From my perspective, this is just another one of those ignorant generalizations, like "you can't smoke and be saved" or "all New Yorkers are unfriendly." I would like to say this to you, Mr. Helton: Either your thinking is not very bright or you have lived a sheltered existence and have been very ill-informed. You seem to be one of those people who obviously cannot think for himself, because you appear to form your beliefs around a certain political party. You are accusing all Democrats of siding with abortionists, homosexuals and drug dealers, yet you can't see that your view is all one-sided. How do you know for sure that there isn't one drug dealer out there who isn't a Republican? And how can you prove beyond any doubt that there aren't pedophiles and kidnappers who support Mr. Bush? I am not attacking you personally, Mr. Helton, but your thinking seems to be very childish, incoherent and inconsistent. From now on, I would concentrate on losing your pseudo-Sunday School teacher attitude and grow up.
Patrick Woods Winona Lake via e-mail
Religion Response
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to Michael Helton's letter (9-1-04). While I have many issues with his letter, I'm only going to point out one big error that he wrote about. It was about John Kerry's speech and his favorite Bible verse. I thought the readers of this paper and the author of the letter would be interested to know that this has been a long-circulated e-mail for both sides. As a matter of fact, you can find the Bush version online...
The Lord has a way of revealing those of us who really know him, and those that don't! Think about it!
Bush gave a big speech last week about how his faith is so "important" to him. In this attempt to convince the American people that we should consider him for president, he announced that his favorite Bible verse is John 16:3.
Of course the speech writer meant John 3:16, but nobody in the Bush camp was familiar enough with Scripture to catch the error. And do you know what John 16:3 says? John 16:3 says; "And they will do this because they have not known the Father nor me." The Holy Spirit works in strange ways. Pass it on.
Here is the Web site in case you would like to see it for yourself. www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/bushbash.html#john163 If you are finding information through e-mails and chain letters, you would serve yourself well to do some research before touting it as fact. But then again, what do I know? I'm just a rights-loving, gay-supporting, baby-killing drug dealer who likes liberal celebrities...
Tiffany Varney North Webster via e-mail
Importance Of Voting
Editor, Times-Union: Jim Townsend is a friend of mine. We banter via e-mail mostly. But he and many of his and my acquaintances have their facts distorted.
I wonder how many of those people watched the GOP convention. I did. I wonder how many of them watched the Democratic convention. I did. I made a point of going to Fort Wayne, as Jim knows, to see THE Michael Moore "documentary."
Perhaps pressure was put to bear to not show that "movie" in Warsaw. Why it's not shown there, I do not know. Since voters are adults, bring it on!
What if a "documentary" was made that was slanted in favor of the Republican party? I'm afraid it would be rated to the extent that few movie-goers would attend. Case in point, the book Jim has lent me by Al Franken.
For anyone, no matter how lopsided the polls make any state, the moment we do not vote is the beginning of losing those freedoms we ALL cherish.
Register and do VOTE. Lila O'Connell Pierceton via e-mail
