Letters

Lutheran, The, Jul 2002

Is hope a naive stance?

Some readers take exception to 'Axis of hope'

'You may think that war doesn't bring about a safer world, but sometimes it does just that'

I believe David Miller's May editorial (page 58) is disturbing to most mainstream Lutherans. It was a shock that Christian Krause, president of the Lutheran World Federation and retired bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick (Germany), questioned President Bush's plan to locate evildoers and prevent further catastrophic destruction and that Krause received spontaneous applause from the liberals who claim to represent our church. You may think that war doesn't bring about a safer world, but sometimes it does just that. Had Adolf Hitler's crimes against humanity gone unanswered, who knows how many more innocent people would have been put to death?

Cal Larson

Fergus Falls, Minn.

The Bible isn't all about love, There is a lot about evil. Evil regimes offer none of that hope you talk about. Please cut out the "I'm OK; Saddam's OK" religion. Why not give a balanced look at the dilemmas Christians face in a world of evil? Why not ask if it's more evil to let people like Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and Hitler continue or to strive to eliminate them?

Harold Hough

Tucson, Ariz.

Your premise that violence doesn't build a safer world isn't supported by history. Slavery was ended by violence. Criminals are often subdued by violence. Afghan women can now choose education instead of captivity because of violence. The world has never had a lasting peace that was not preceded by enough moral violence to subdue the evil ones.

Janice Dau Taft

Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Thank you for your wise, just and courageous editorial. To the extent the United States was justified going to war against Iraq because of its invasion of Kuwait, a sister people, there were 10 times more reasons for the United States to have helped the Palestinians resist the Zionist invasion of their homeland in 1948 and the aggression that followed. Alas, America helped the Zionist invaders instead of the Palestinian defenders. How could this have happened? Clearly there is an evil, sinister force at work in our U.S. political system.

Lloyd C. Halvorson

Warrenton, Va.

We need to look at what the world needs and what we have to give: food for the hungry, clothing to the poor, mercy and kindness to our enemies. Instead of listening to the rhetoric of fear, we need to hope. Now is the time for the people of God to listen to Jesus, who said, "Love your enemies." Now is the time to give to nations in need so the poor of many nations may know our generosity. Nations would know us for our love, not our opulent lifestyle. They would eat our food, not see us on a TV screen eating it.

Karin Johnson

East Amherst, N.Y.

Calling for an "axis of hope" is a magnificent, if not an entirely new, idea. But I take exception to the portrayal of President Bush as an overly aggressive, "faithless" warmonger who wishes to "balkanize the world into a series of warring camps..."

James H. Kuenzli

London, Ohio

A Beautiful Mind

I was pleased that The Lutheran took note of the film A Beautiful Mind. But the caption (April, page 20) says John Nash's wife "pulls him out of his delusions back to what is truly real and lasting." While love plays an essential role in recovery, it cannot cure or treat schizophrenia. Nash's schizophrenia remitted on its own, as happens sometimes. But his case is not typical. I'd love to see more coverage of schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses in the magazine.

Diane G. Weaver

Fletcher, N.C

Easter every day

I'm sorry about Mildred Tengbom's grief and feelings about Easter (April, page 16) but glad she found a strengthened faith through her experiences. My sister died of a heart attack in an airplane two weeks before Easter while en route to Korea with her husband. Two days after her death, my 90-year-old mother received an Easter card from her. My sister said she knew the card would arrive before Easter. But if she mailed it after their arrival in Korea, it would be too late for Easter. She added that it didn't really matter anyway because she thought every day is Easter. That message gave us all strength. Instead of a year without Easter, we have a whole year full of Easters. I like it better this way.

Paul R. Rebelein

New Brighton, Minn.

The fundamentals of hatred

Martin Marty's article (May, page 18) explains the lack of bloodshed and terrorism in the West as a result of American constitutionalism or pluralism. The radicals in our midst haven't found a fertile ground for spreading mass hate and violence. Our culture's systemic tolerance is heavily predicated on a large, strong middle-class melding of many cultures. But as we move to a more polarized economic system where the gulf between the haves and have-nots widens, radical fundamentalists will find their fertile ground to sow seeds of discontent and hatred.

Dale Ritzen

Austin, Texas

If you follow Marty's idea that the posting of the Ten Commandments on a courthouse wall, prayer in schools, etc., is wrong, you realize that if Paul and the apostles had done what Marty is saying should be done, we wouldn't have Christianity. After arrest and release, the apostles went right back to the public places and preached Jesus. If we Christians don't keep proclaiming Jesus in the public places, Christianity will fade to a few followers.