Letters to the Editor

Church leader strays off course

A "letter to the editor" in last Saturday's issue puzzled me.

It referred to the recent "royal" wedding as "deeply spiritual" and calling to mind the fine points of Christian marriage. I only watched about five minutes of that event, but I wondered if that person and I watched the same wedding?

Two so-called Christians finally got married after living together. An archbishop performed the marriage in a "Christian" church, said clergyman being sworn to teach and uphold God and God's Word, the Bible.

God said "stop being misled: nobody who lives in sexual sin ... shall inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-10) and, further, said "if anyone who calls himself a Christian but lives in sexual sin ... with such a person you must even stop eating" (1 Corinthians 5:11).

If the church leaders won't keep the Word of God as valid, how will they teach those they claim to pastor? No wonder the bride took out the word "obey" from the wedding vows. If she will not even obey God, why should her husband get her respect, which, sometimes, includes obedience? If a church leader doesn't fear God, why should that couple?

ROBIN HARRIS, Cleveland, Tenn.


Disaster taught many lessons

"Things that I learned:" People are spoiled (including me). I have learned to appreciate things!

I thank God for sparing my life and my family.

I pray for those who lost their loved ones and their homes.

I learned that stress makes people mean ... the disaster taught me what people are really like. Some people are so ungrateful! When others lost their families and homes, we had people cussing the EPB because they took too long to turn their power back on.

For the good: I would say that most people pulled together, helping each other. Then we had the bad: People were robbing and looting. (Don't they know that God was watching?)

PHILIP OSBORNE JR., East Ridge


Show reverence for the earth

Steve Barrett's sarcastic tone in his Sunday, May 1, column not only insults God's great Creation, but also those who celebrate the Lord's Resurrection and this holy Easter season.

Faithful people across the country and around the world are working daily to protect and nurture God's Creation.

English translations of "subdue" and "dominion" do not convey the Hebrew depth of these words, which mean something closer to "be responsible for" and "commit to."

He neglected to recognize the part of the Scripture (Genesis 2:15) where God put Adam in the garden to "till and to keep it." Dominion, which includes love, compassion, kindness and generosity, is what God has over us. We are called to be the best we can be and that is the "dominion" God gave us over Creation.

Every day should be one of reverence for the earth (not worship of the earth as Barrett called it), recognition that the earth is sacred and should be cared for because God said it was good, "very good" (Genesis 1:31).

We need to honor what God honors, protect and nurture what God loves, and fulfill our commandment to love God and our neighbor.

SHELLEY ANDREWS, Signal Mountain


Once again, pets show their love

I commend Angela Lewis and her gut-wrenching photo of Andy Page and his cat Ellie featured on the front page of the May 10 Metro section.

When we go through turbulent times and events, it's amazing how pets provide such unconditional love to their owners.

RUSSELL FLETCHER


Clipped article survives storm

Saturday, I found a yellow 8x11-inch laminated piece of paper in my front yard. Under the lamination was an article from the Gadsden Times, dated Sunday, March 20, 1994. The article was under Education Briefs and titled "Extended Day program continues." I can only imagine that this piece of paper was picked up on Thursday by the violent storms that ravaged our region and (was) carried from Gadsden to my home. I live in Rocky Face, Ga., in the city limits of Dalton. We are less than 12 miles south of Ringgold, which is a disaster area.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have suffered from this disaster. I hope the person who saved this article survived this terrible catastrophe.

BOB BUCHANAN, Dalton, Ga.


Many come to aid removal of trees

The tornado that ripped through Apison on April 27 left so much devastation it was hard to comprehend.

Our home wasn't damaged, but our yard was littered with huge trees downed by the fierce winds. Our fields were equally devastated, with hundreds of trees torn up by the roots or decapitated by the tornado. We knew that even with the help of our two sons, who had worked tirelessly since the tornado struck, there was no way to ever clear our farm.

Our pastor, Todd Chancey, called to tell us that maybe 30 people would be out to help us. Then the number was increased to 50. Imagine our amazement when on May 7, about 125 people arrived. They were from as far away as Soddy-Daisy, and as close as our own church. They cut trees, piled debris onto trucks and trailers, and in one day were able to accomplish what our family could never have done.

We do not have words adequate to describe the gratitude we feel toward those wonderful people who came to help us. They were from churches, civic groups, and some just heard about our need and came to help.

God bless you every one.

NELDA THOMPSON, Apison, Tenn.

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