Clinton Press Secretary Apologizes for Remarks (Dec. 30)
I'm not sure Lockhart should resign after he apologized. Maybe reprimanded and heavily fined. I am glad that Christians are standing up to be heard, especially in government. For that matter, there needs to be more of Jesus "in" government all around. I do believe the one that needs to step down, and should have a while back is Clinton. As far as I'm concerned, Clinton and all of his followers should be publicly stoned to death, to remove some of the evil from this government.

This America needs to repent and start serving Jesus before it's too late. You know the time is at hand, and this country is on its way out without Jesus. The whole of USA government needs to be disband and reworked into something that is as it should be: "By the people and for the people, so help us God!"
Mark Lathrop

Is Christmas Pagan? (Dec. 21)
I enjoyed your article very much. I do have one question though. I find it hard that Mary would not have known the date of the birth of her first child. Also, since Mary was very much a part of that "inner circle" of the Apostles and disciples, why wouldn't they know that date? Perhaps there is no answer to this question, but it does seem peculiar to me as a mother myself. I recall the minutest details of the day my son was born almost 24 years later, and I'm sure I always will. He has often asked me questions about the events surrounding his birth. I have shared many of those details with him.
Pat Esposito-Heim

I believe the most important thing is what Christmas has become in today's society. Many churches have signs that read, "The reason for the season." What is the reason for the season? I don't find any scriptures that give the date of Christ's birth, and I don't think that Christians should claim to celebrate the birth of Jesus when they don't know what day He was even born on. But that's not the only problem. More importantly, there is no scriptural authorization to celebrate Christmas. Without scriptural authorization, we are adding to the word of God, which is strictly prohibited. Jesus told us to celebrate an event, and that event was His death, burial, and resurrection. Every first day of the week Christians should partake of the Lord's supper, as your article pointed out, in remembrance of Jesus.
Mark Hinely

Where Would Civilization Be Without Christianity? (Dec. 13-17)
Thank you very much for this series of articles on Christianity's gift to civilization! I chair two symposiums a year in Crimea that bring together academics and professionals to examine issues of critical concern in light of one's worldview. Most of our participants are not Christians; our purposes are evangelistic but using the tools of the trade of the intelligentsia of Ukraine and Russia. The five articles fit well with our overall theme the last five years, "Man and the Christian Worldview," and our subtheme for 2000, "Worldview and Lifestyle: What are we bequeathing our children?" Through the seventy-some years of Marxist-Leninist philosophy, the people of the former Soviet Union have a very biased and negative view of Christianity's contributions to the world. That you for your contribution to presenting "the other side of the coin."
Georges Carillet
Executive Vice President, Crimean-American College
Simferopol, Ukraine

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Witnessing vs. Proselytizing (Dec. 3)
I have just read all of the articles on line and I found them very interesting. I am employed by a man who is Jewish. He is very fair and kind and the only thing I have ever said to him or his children is that they have a wonderful spiritual heritage. I decided several years ago that the best way to witness to him and his family was to be a good employee and a good person. Everyone needs the Lord. I work with Jews, Mormons and athiests and I pray for them all.
Margaret Brown
Magna, Utah

Ned Graham's Woes Shake East Gates Ministries (Nov. 24)
I am puzzled why divorce remains a taboo topic in the CBA marketplace—and why we would rather pretend it doesn't happen "to us" than admit that not only do we sin like the rest of the world but we live in the same fallen world.
What prompted my response to you is the "lack of" coverage of Ned Graham's divorce and Billy Graham's recent "pale" response. Why is it necessary for the Church of Jesus Christ "to divorce" itself from divorcing parties time and again? Are we so embarrassed that we can't bring it into the light and allow our own transparency and vulnerable to offer hope and healing to others who find themselves in the same situation? Why must the Church of Jesus Christ heap more abandonment and rejection on top of the load that these hurting men and women already are carrying?
Like John Stossel at ABC says: Give me a break!
No one wants a divorce, but it is something that millions of us live with. In fact, with 2.5 million divorces each year, there's not a man or woman not affected by the breakup of a marriage. I know this subject well. I am intimately acquainted with its devastation. Twelve years ago I went through an unwanted divorce after 22 years of marriage. When I stood at the altar as a young bride with my Christian husband, believe me, divorce was the last thing on our minds. I doubt if it was on Ned's mind or Carol's mind either. But it happened.
Divorce is not an unspeakable dirty 7-letter word. It is just one more evidence of our fallen world. Life is hard; people are hurting. Let's get to the heart of these taboo topics and allow them to become life-giving instead of a death sentence.
Kari West
Author,
When He Leaves

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Spirituality Without Religion (Nov. 23)
Although any organization should be applauded for nonviolence, etc., there are several things lacking in Christians if they cannot tell or know the difference between Buddhism and Christianity. The similarities are not as important as the differences. That is, you may have two pills sitting on a table. They look alike but one pill is aspirin and the other arsenic. Although they are both pills its the differences that really count. Buddha never claimed deity; Christ did. Now it is only a matter of seeing if there is reliable information to lead us to believe in Jesus' claims. I believe there is overwhelming evidence to support Jesus' claim without having to believe in it on faith alone.
Steve Appel
Westlake Village, California

Cassie Said Yes, They Said No (Nov. 1)
I am writing just to say that it really does not matter whether Cassie or anyone else said yes. The most important thing is that her soul was right with God at the time of her death. Many people are allowing Satan to do his usual thing, take the minds of the people off the worship and praise of God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the importance of receiving salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and being born again of the water and of the Spirit of God. "She said yes" (Cassie) long before Columbine and that is the only thing that we as believers should be concerned with and rejoicing that she has gone to that mansion the Lord Jesus went away to prepare for her so that she could be with Him where He is forever. Our focus should not be on whether she made the statement on the day of the death of her mortal body, but, that "she said yes" to God on the day of her rebirth into salvation. I choose to believe that many other children and adults "died" that day; died to sin and became alive in Christ. Not only in Columbine, but, all over the world.
Gloria Norwood
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

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