CTC's 'Gee's Bend' 'First-Rate Theater' and other letters to the editors

CTC's 'Gee's Bend' 'First-Rate Theater'

Saturday night (Sept. 13), we spent two memorable hours as part of a small but enthusiastic audience privileged to see three of our city's exquisitely talented female performers (and one very promising young actor) bring to life the story of the women of Gee's Bend, Ala., whose now-famous quilts were created against a background of civil rights abuses and victories. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre's outstanding dramatic production of "Gee's Bend" runs through Sunday. We urge everyone with a desire to see first-rate theater to take advantage of the time remaining to witness this heart-warming production. If you're even half as moved by these performers as were we, you'll want to share news of this extraordinary play with everyone you know.

HELEN AND STANLEY SMITH


Christians Must Obey God about Marriage

This letter is in response to David Cook's Aug. 8 column, "Domestic Partner Theology." God is not gay. God is Holy. I am proud of the Christians who went to vote, not out of fear but out of love for God and his word that teaches homosexuality is wrong. Romans 1 teaches it is wrong. Verse 25: "Many change the truth of God for the lie," and verses 26-27, "and for this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even the women exchange the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful." God gave us the definition of marriage between a man and a woman. The courts may change that, but Christians must obey God rather than man. Sex is a beautiful thing between a man and a woman and intended only in marriage as God defines it. Christians love all people but hate the sin, just as we are commanded to do in Romans 12:9, Amos 5:15 and Psalms 97:10. Pastors, speak out.

DOROTHY D. PICKARD, LaFayette, Ga.


Layne recalls sister's smarts

Last Saturday's article on regional National Merit semifinalists named Brent Hurst as Sequatchie County High School's first National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalist; however, the first student to achieve that distinction was my sister, Diane Layne Martin - in 1969. Diane graduated as salutatorian in 1970 and went on to earn her bachelor's degree in education from Tennessee Tech University and her master's degree from UTC - both with highest honors. She retired from a distinguished career as an educator last May after spending 40 years as an English teacher at Whitwell High School. This letter is not intended to take anything away from Mr. Hurst's accomplishment. He is an excellent representative of Sequatchie County High and proves, once again, that one does not have to come from a big city or attend an expensive prep school to possess intelligence. Neither is it intended to criticize Susan Pierce's reporting. I'm sure there are no administrators currently at Sequatchie County High who would remember Diane's accomplishment, but I can assure you that as a slightly above average younger brother of a whiz kid, I remember it quite clearly.

RICK LAYNE

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