Here are some of your responses to Mike's last column...
Cathy B. writes: Please "keep on keeping on." I am so tired of certain TV personalities forcing their views on everyone else, whether or not I happen to agree with them at any point in time. They seem to think the average person is simply waiting with anxious anticipation for their next "opinion." Some of the news media seem to think the average American loves to see the blonde heiresses strut up and down. We don't! And most of us are sick of it!!!! We are also sick of Tom Cruise. Tired, tired, tired.
Pastor John K. writes: Thank you for your observations on the rampant bigotry of our culture. A preacher whom I heard in a recorded sermon series a few years ago noted that to be a Christian-basher or a Jesus-basher is one of the last acceptable forms of bigotry. It seems to me that the real issue is that if you're an inclusive, pro-diversity, "progressive" (the term that the left seems to favor these days), you can say anything you want because, as we all know, their motives aren't suspect. At least, they aren't suspect in the way that those mean-spirited, exclusive, closed-minded conservative types are.
And, just so that you're aware, the Gospel of Thomas is not "recently discovered." It has been known for a few decades. When I was in seminary in the late 1980s, we were exposed to it and that exposure was not put forth as a "recent find." However, the liberal -- excuse me, "progressive" -- Bible scholars like that document (as well as others rejected by the early church as bogus) because it gives them wiggle room when tackling the canonical gospels of the New Testament.
It's a good thing that Christians don't indulge in jihad-style retribution when their beliefs are attacked. We have more than enough of that nonsense already. What we need is more of what Jesus taught: forbearance, grace and love.
Joshua writes: I haven't agreed with everything you GRRR about, and I've written in to call you on it, but your Dec. 18 column was spot on.
I don't care if the NGC wants to run a piece about the "Secret Lives of Jesus," but if they're going to run that, they damn sure better not turn down a piece about the "Secret Lives of Muhammad." Or vice versa -- if they're not going to run "Secret Lives of Muhammad," they damn sure better not run "Secret Lives of Jesus." Whatever it is, just be consistent. Political correctness is ruining this country -- that's not an original opinion.
Deena R. writes: I appreciate your sensitivity to the issue concerning "Jesus bashing." I agree, if this show you are speaking of would have dissed any other god from any other religion, our nation would be near another civil war, but when it comes to dissing Jesus Christ or Christians in general the public is passive and accepting. The gentleman you were with in Sears Auto Shop is typical of the American mentality ... obviously he has never had an encounter with Jesus Christ and feels no obligation to "defend" His honor. He, along with so many others, would rather sit back in passivity and allow reversed bigotry to exist.
David A. writes: Right on!!! My niece asked me my opinion regarding the "Secret Lives" program and if I was going to watch it. I told her that the book of Thomas has been out for some time and some are treating it like "finally we have the truth and now we can put this Jesus thing to rest ... he is once and for all discredited."
Jesus summed it up when He said, "the light came into the world but the world did not want light but darkness." He also said "they will know you are My disciples by the love that you show one another." You are right on when you say that all of us need to stop persecuting and start loving and helping one another. I believe the secret lives of Jesus is more accurately represented by the fact that few people know what he said and few of us live it. Merry Christmas and keep up the good work.
Greg S. writes: Compromise is one of the things that are wrong with America now. We teach our kids to compromise and to be tolerant to everyone and everything. This is shoved down their throats in our schools, because someone's feelings might get hurt. I’m not saying we should go around hurting people's feelings, but we should teach our kids to stand up for what they believe in. Our country is drowning in a sea of political correctness and compromise. So let’s stand for what we believe so we don’t fall for everything that comes by. Our country was not built on compromise and tolerance but by standing firm and unapologetic for the things we believe in because if our forefathers hadn’t, we would be sipping tea and eating biscuits with bad English teeth.
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