Letters, Faxes, E-mails

To the editor:
Mr. Lockwood, I’ve seen the light! You’re statement that “most, if not all of the people driving after an evening of partying would fail a DUI test” is very insightful.  So, in other words, everyone that enjoys a casual drink is nothing but irresponsible? As you said, “Drink responsibly?  Why drink at all?  Who needs it?”  Didn’t Jesus turn water into wine? How irresponsible of him to provide people with alcohol (poison, as you call it).       
Your reasoning in your two letters on the matter of taxes gained from “sins” like liquor and gambling supports the notion that churches instructing secular society on how to generate tax revenue, while simultaneously refusing to contribute to the tax revenue of their own communities, is acceptable and not the least hypocritical.  My mistake for misunderstanding you, I’m sorry.
I was enlightened to the fact that Christianity was founded on, and therefore must only be practiced in, love, completely different from the “religions of the world,”— as you say — that “kill anyone who doesn’t agree with them,” like — say  for instance — The Crusades, The Salem Witch Trials, The Inquisitions of Medieval Europe, many missionary expeditions into tribal cultures — oops, my mistake, those aren’t examples of killing out of hate, those were all Christian-supported love-ins.
I was taught in college that Christianity shared many basic principles of Judaism and that even the Islamic religion viewed Christians and Jews as people of The Book, meaning that all three religions were founded on God’s word and the same basic set of teachings, with cultural and political variations making the majority of the differences. It’s sure good to know you’re right and they’re wrong on matter of faith. I’m sure the Jews and Muslims who read your letter will be shocked to know that, too. 
I appreciate you pointing out that Christians “are taught to show and tell others the gospel so they can know and choose for themselves.”  I mistakenly thought all those people, including two religious leaders, which protested ROK were somehow trying to make a moral choice for all of Shawnee.  Go figure.     
It must be hard to gain any knowledge from The Bible, since “the natural mind cannot under stand it.”  That must make preaching it pretty tough. That reminds me of a couple of good passages from another book, the dictionary.  Judgmental and hypocrite are rather enlightening entries — care to look them up?
James L. Watkins
Tecumseh