Another take on Bible and guns - and more letters to the editors

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Another take on Bible and guns

In response to the March 2 letter "What would Jesus do?" I find it ironic that the writer selected a somewhat nebulous verse, Luke 22:36-38, to support advocacy for gun ownership and the use of force.

The vast majority of the 7,957 verses that comprise the New Testament describe Jesus as a man of peace, love and tolerance. Taken in context, there is nothing in the New Testament that would lead an intelligent person to believe Jesus was an advocate of the use of force under any circumstances, e.g., Matthew 5:39: "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil." The philosophy of Jesus is unambiguously captured in Matthew 26:52: "Then said Jesus unto him, 'Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.'"

I unequivocally endorse the writer's suggestion that those who choose to quote the Bible should read the Bible in its entirety rather than choose passages taken out of context that support only their agenda.

I find it reprehensible that some people choose to pervert the New Testament, a book of compassion and forgiveness, to support their decidedly un-Christian agenda of aggression and violence.

T. WILLIAM ALEXANDER


Use your common sense

The widow of Chad Olson, who was shot in the theater in Florida, was on TV giving an interview. She said Curtis Reeves (the shooter) told her husband numerous times to stop texting, and he (Reeves) then went to talk to management. Upon his return, a cellphone was thrown and popcorn. A shooting followed.

An infrared video of the theater showed all the seats behind and beside the two individuals were empty.

Either one of these individuals could have found other seats. It is hard to comprehend the stubbornness of both men. One wants to tell someone what to do, and the other will not allow someone to tell him what to do. The situation could have so easily been avoided.

What is even harder to accept is that the wife did not get her husband to take another seat. She bears some responsibility for the outcome. She was aware of the escalating confrontation. We are all responsible to act as the responsible person when those we are with fail to so.

This should have applied to the shooting in the car due to loud music as well.

JO ANN FINCHUM


Crime lists need detail

As a weekend reader, I do scan the police blotter of my neighborhood and those of friends and the clusters of crime areas. It is of no help to read miscellany that is anything from A to Z and means nothing to me as a reader.

It would benefit me as a reader to have more information.

ELIZABETH MONSON