Letters

Do No Harm

“Clash of Liberties” by Oliver Thomas (Sept.-Oct. 2017) is a great, thought-provoking article. I am a liberal Democrat and support most all liberal causes—especially the right of same-sex couples to live their lives like any non-same-sex couple. I also support the right for anyone to disagree with me, so long as that disagreement does not do harm to others. I am a member of the one race on this earth—the human race—and love all my brothers and sisters equally (although sometimes reluctantly).

Robert M. Crouch
Waynesboro, Virginia

Grounds for Complaint

In reference to your Sept.-Oct. 2017 interview with Charles C. Haynes, titled “At Play in the Fields of Church and State” (by Betsy Shirley), I feel that it must be pointed out that a key aspect of the Supreme Court’s Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer decision is omitted. As certain as I am that the intention of both your interviewer and Haynes are good, the failure to acknowledge that the funding in the case was specifically for school playgrounds changes the entire tenor of the case, leading to the impression in the interview that the church secured funding to improve their own playground instead of the school’s playground. The issue is much more complicated than the interview with Haynes makes it sound, and I would refer everyone to the court’s opinion on its website.

Joseph Maurici
Rochester, New York

Cutting Ties

Ruth Everhart’s article “Even In Cases of Rape” in the August 2017 issue helped me with a difficult decision. For years, I hung in with the church of my roots where three generations of my family were christened, married, and died. As a child, I witnessed behaviors by some clergy that I now know were grievous sins. As an adult, I listened to a pastor who told us 9/11 was God’s punishment for homosexuals and women who had abortions. When I questioned at a meeting why our church would not permit women to attend seminaries or become deacons, I was snubbed by the congregation. Feeling that I was in a spiritual crisis, I sent a heartfelt letter to our bishop, our spiritual leader, but received no reply. Still, I remained tied to my church, albeit by a thin thread. Thank you, Pastor Everhart, for helping me to finally cut that thread and pursue a church that is more godly.

Lois Halley
Westminster, Maryland

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