Teach creationism, but as a theory
Nathan Schwenk (letter, letter March 27) did an excellent job of stating the virtual impossibility of life forming from inanimate objects and evolving naturally, and also the extreme complication of all life forms. But there is no conflict between evolution and creationism.
Evolution is a proven scientific fact. Ancient and not-so-ancient fossils show how life has evolved through millions of years and is still evolving today. The "theory" of evolution, which says that all of this happened by natural selection or the survival of the fittest, does conflict with the creation account in the Bible and many other religious teachings, that a supernatural creature (God) created everything. Neither the scientific theory nor the religious account can be proved.
Genesis 1 and evolution track each other closely. They both state that life started with lower forms and culminated with mankind, though you must accept that God's week is billions of times longer than our week today.
So let the schools teach evolution, and the theory of evolution. They should also teach creation, but as a theory, since it can't be proved either. We must accept it on faith.
HAROLD CUMMINGS
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Christian faith based on facts
We can trust the Easter story.
Dr. Josh McDowell was asked why he couldn't refute Christianity. He said, "I am unable to explain away an event in history, the resurrection of Jesus."
We are confronted with historical facts:
(1) The giant stone was moved and the tomb was really empty.
(2) After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to and spoke with various individuals and groups, one group of over 500 people.
(3) The Jewish leaders couldn't disprove the disciples' claim that Jesus had risen from the dead.
After hours of forced Communist indoctrination that put down all religion and told people they can only trust the government, one brave pastor stood and said, "He is risen." Hundreds of others forced to hear the indoctrination repeated, "He is risen indeed" (truly)!
With three words the pastor had defeated all arguments and propaganda.
Jesus' sacrificial love on the cross gave him the most followers of anyone in history and changed the course of history.
Knowing our Christian faith is based on solid historical facts of the empty tomb and the risen Jesus, we can celebrate the most glorious, important and life-changing morning in world history -- Easter!
DANIEL D. NAVE, Elizabethton, Tenn.
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Entitlement logic hurting the nation
We grew up hearing that two wrongs don't make a right. What about this one: "Well, everybody's doing it."
Some estimates declare that less than 20 percent of food stamp recipients actually need/deserve them. Yet, I hear over and over again: "Government and corporate corruption is stealing more tax dollars than we [welfare recipients] are."
Thus, their perceived justification for stealing, also.
This country is being critically injured by entitlement mentality.
Hitler convinced a whole nation to believe a lie. Innocent people suffered. Democrats teach unwarranted entitlement justification, which is injuring our nation.
I was pleased to hear Ron Bhalla (Tennessee 3rd District congressional candidate) state that he wants to see only deserving individuals being assisted by our welfare system. Weeding out those who believe that two wrongs make a right seems like a good idea to me, too.
KENNETH W. ORR, Ooltewah
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Water-birth option a common choice
Regarding the letter March 25, "Women deserve water-birth option."
I believe the writer expressed a very common sentiment of women today, women who want to have birth choices.
I am a certified nurse-midwife at the Women's Wellness and Maternity Center in Madisonville, Tenn. We are an accredited, free-standing, out-of-hospital birth center, only about an hour from downtown Chattanooga, and we offer hydro-labors.
We provide prenatal, birth, and well-woman care by certified nurse midwives (CNMs) in a safe, comfortable environment and have many clients from the Chattanooga area. We provide continuous hands-on support during the labor and birth process.
Women are encouraged to walk, sit on the birth ball, and relax in the tub. We are there every step of the way to support labor's natural progress and decrease the risk of birth injury and cesarean.
Birth centers are safe places to have babies. We proudly have lower cesarean section rates, lower rates of low birth-weight babies and infant mortality, and decreased use of intervention than other hospitals in our area and nationwide. I would add that there are many amazing CNMs working in the Chattanooga area to offer women enhanced birth options, as well!
CHRIS BOTTOMS, Madisonville, Tenn.