Letters to the Editor

Gimme Shelter

I was glad to see “Convicted of the Gospel” by Darlene Nicgorski included in the September/October issue. The “ministry of sanctuary” that she mentioned is an important and timely way to show the world we are Christians through our love. I have been lobbying my members of Congress and letting them know why my faith motivates my advocacy. The faith voice is crucial to immigration reform’s success and is necessary if we want any reforms to reflect our beliefs in human dignity, equality, and justice. I hope that the church around the country will join in the sanctuary movement, whether it is through advocacy, charity, or sheltering those who face the immediate threat of deportation.

Thomas Cassidy
Norman, Oklahoma

Base Values

You cannot reform the police state or our culture of incarceration (“Black and Blue,” by Ryan Hammill, September/October 2016) without a critique of our country’s values that proliferate fear and aggression. It’s how we were built and how we’ve sustained our way of life. Until then, taxpayers need to demand transparency from law enforcement, stop the flow of tax dollars to militarize them, and advocate for laws to protect citizens—especially citizens of color.

Tamara Cedre
via Facebook

Prophets On the Loose

I read about the Tennessee weapons plant protest (“An 82-Year-Old Nun Did What?” by Rosalie Riegle, September/October 2016) in the news when it happened. I appreciate the update. I did not know that the “prophets of Oak Ridge” were released. Few realize the danger we all face; nuclear war cannot be allowed to happen. Pray for peace and the destruction of these weapons.

Jim Halliday
Lafayette, Georgia

Think About Hawaii

I was just reading your article “The Categories That Divide Humanity” (by Jim Wallis, July 2016) and couldn’t help but think about Hawaii. As he said, “in just a few decades, America will no longer be a white-majority nation; we will instead be a majority of minorities.” What’s interesting is that Hawaii is already that: There isn’t a majority race or ethnicity in Hawaii. All groups fall under 50 percent of the population. It would be interesting to research this state and see how citizens coexist or struggle to coexist. What kinds of ramifications are there to living in such a culture, as the continental U.S. is slowly becoming this same kind of melting pot?

Mark Wilson
Evansville, Indiana

The Target of Atonement

The greatest need we have is to recover a love for one another—not animals (“How Evangelicals Can Recover Their Love of Animals,” by Karen Swallow Prior, July 2016)! Christ did not come to die for animals; he came to die for sinful, lost human beings.

Gareth Evans
via Facebook

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