Letters on Bible-thumping politicians, same-sex marriage, help from strangers

Beware of politicians thumping Bibles

Christians everywhere should be outraged and insulted by our politicians who are exploiting the Christian voter for their own purpose. Too many of our leaders have become Bible thumpers because they realize Christians make up a large share of the electorate. They snow the God-fearing people with all the moral issues of the times so that the good people don’t realize what the politicians are really up to: getting votes, and creating wealth for themselves and their cronies.

Christians are being led like lambs to the slaughter and don’t even realize it.

All religions have prospered in the United States because of church-state separation. Our U.S. Constitution protects your right to practice your religion without government interference. Our political leaders have a right to practice their religion as they see fit. But when politicians start going into churches and talking about how they are doing God’s work in Congress, for example, that sets a dangerous precedent.

The next time you hear some politician thumping his Bible over some moral issue, remember this warning: “Beware of false prophets.” If our politicians are really good Christian folks, they’ll be living their Christian love and showing tolerance, forgiveness and understanding, not wearing their religion like a patch on their sleeve.

War just heating up

“Extend full rights” (July 9 Eagle Editorial) said that same-sex marriage opponents have lost the war. Actually, the war is just heating up.

Only man’s laws have changed. God’s laws have not.

According to the Bible, homosexual acts and marriage can never be accepted. They are a sin that cuts one off from God. The love of Jesus Christ is not about looking the other way when someone sins. Luke 17:1-3 tells us that we all have temptations and that we must rebuke our brother when he sins. That doesn’t mean that we are a church of “no.”

A person with same-sex temptations, just like a single straight person, is called to a life of chastity. All sinners can regain God’s grace by asking for His forgiveness. Catholics call that the sacrament of reconciliation. We make a promise to sin no more and avoid sinful occasions.

As Christians we are taught to get to heaven and take as many people as we can with us. We do that by preaching about the love of Jesus Christ.

He is merciful. He is forgiving. He suffered and died on the cross so that we may all have eternal life. The battle has just begun.

Put asunder

For centuries, marriage ceremonies in the English-speaking world have included the biblical admonition, “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” That is exactly what the U.S. Supreme Court has done by the decision of five of nine unelected justices. So what is next – legalized polygamy?

How sad that too few people now believe that “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

Many stopped to help

My granddaughter and I have traveled many times to Wichita from Cowley County for shopping, to attend Music Theatre Wichita, to Youth Symphony practices, to visit relatives, and to board meetings. We usually eat somewhere while we are in town.

On July 11, after shopping and attending Music Theatre’s “Billy Elliot,” we found ourselves in an unresponsive car in a fast lane at Arnold and Rock Road in front of McConnell Air Force Base. It was scary there for awhile, but I want to thank the nine people – including a young airman, several couples and a Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputy – who got us moved safely into a parking lot to await help from home.

It was a good feeling to have so many stop to help us, and we will be back.

Breathless chase

After returning from vacation, I went to spring my two dogs from the veterinary clinic where they had been boarded. I was about to put my little Yorkshire terrier in the car when she surreptitiously slid out of her collar and seized the moment.

She headed full speed ahead and was southbound on Edgemoor – never to look back. After handing my other dog to the veterinary assistant who was helping me, I took flight after my Yorkie. I’m sure it was a sight to behold.

My dog made it all the way down Edgemoor to Kellogg Drive. Many motorists appeared and served as obstacles to slow her pace. As she turned and headed east down Kellogg Drive, a gentleman in a minivan headed her off by getting out of his van and causing her to take pause so that I could snatch the little bugger before she took off again.

Thank you to all who were instrumental in aiding in the capture of my dog. I would have verbally acknowledged my thanks had I been able to breathe.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on Bible-thumping politicians, same-sex marriage, help from strangers."