While I do not believe that Florida Rev. Terry Jones’s threat to burn the Quran was an act that would endear non-Christians to the faith, I am amazed at the number of U.S. “churches” that not only condemn the threat, but go on to castigate those who question Islam as “Islamaphobic.” In “Sermons born of the divine and profane,” (article, Oct. 2) Rev. Deborah Lindsay told of how she developed a sermon in response to the issue, all the while keeping in mind that “Christians should not consider themselves better than other believers.”

On a human level, I agree. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

However, as a devout Christian, I believe the words of Christ when He said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Indeed, I, as a human, am no better than those of other faiths, but as a Christian, I believe that there is no other way to eternal life in heaven but though Jesus Christ. I base that on Biblical scripture and not what I hope is true or on the opinion of other humans.

Rev. Lindsay’s church, First Community Church, of Columbus, Ohio, believes, according to its website, that one should “strive to follow the path of Jesus Christ, while recognizing other pathways to the Divine.” This directly conflicts with the basic tenants of Christianity. If this was true, then we could just pick a religion, and we’d be OK. That was not the message of Christ. We cannot pick and choose which words of Christ are true, and which were not. It must either be all a lie, or all the truth.

Burning a Quran is certainly not a good way to demonstrate the love of Christ or to create an opportunity to share Christ with others. However, we must be wary of those who use their “enlightened” authority as a “church” to offer an opinion or judgment, but base that opinion not on the inspired word of God but the word of men.

Maj. Richard L. Quire

Basra, Iraq

Vietnam vets lacked VA care

The Veterans Administration does not have to worry about us Vietnam veterans and Agent Orange issues. Shortly: Anyone who remotely was exposed to Agent Orange will have passed due to the effect of Agent Orange and of old age.

The VA had established such a wall on the issue, denouncing its existence for decades. They have not even remotely approached the support for Vietnam veterans that they have for veterans of the Gulf War. I am sure it can also be said that the support for Vietnam veterans was better than for Korean and WWII veterans.

Richard Martin

Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq

Migrated