Regarding the Pilot article “Parents clash over...
Regarding the Pilot article “Parents clash over school enrollment,”
Jan. 4, I was so angered at the fact that these so-called members of
the Catholic Church would be so narrow minded in this day and age --
not to mention, did they forget why Jesus died?
I am sure that all the St. John the Baptist parishioners are so
perfect and in God’s good graces that they do not even need to go to
confession! Who gave them the right to decide who God wants to go to
church.
Why are we trying to crucify this family for wanting a religious
education? Seems to me in these times the church would want more
people going than leaving, but people like the ones at St. John the
Baptist are the ones at fault for the closing of many churches across
the country. When we start telling people they are not welcome in
God’s house because of who they are, then I think someone had better
give God a call and double check, because the God I was brought up
believing in would never turn away anyone!
CARLA MCKAY
Cumberland, Rhode Island
Discrimination perhaps inherent in beliefs
Let me help Pilot columnist Joe Bell clarify his thoughts on this
matter of the television networks not showing an ad of a church
welcoming gays (“TV networks show ‘cowardice, pure and simple,’ ”
Dec. 30).
First, the networks have a right to accept or not accept ads as
they choose. The networks may not want to step into controversy that
will cause advertisers to flee. That’s also the way it is with the
Pilot. It’s not cowardice to want your business to prosper. It’s just
good business sense.
Second, what really seems to have gotten Bell’s brain all twisted
is that some religious institutions don’t accept homosexuals. In
other words, they discriminate. That should be their right. Religions
are all about discrimination. In the Judeo/Christian/Muslim
traditions, God isn’t very accepting of things he doesn’t like. God
discriminates. Yeah, I know, recent ecumenical movements are
attempting to defang God and make him sort of a do-your-own-thing
hippie who doesn’t judge others, and who accepts everything -- a
deity who sits around in a circle with everyone and holds hands. But
when you go back to the religious source books of Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, you see something different. You see a God
who really believes he is God -- that he owns everything in existence
-- and that he has a right to demand things of humans. And, he does.
Go figure.
Now, under our system of government and laws, if religious
institutions were government agencies paid for by all taxpayers, then
they should be blindly open to everyone, and shouldn’t discriminate.
However, religious institutions aren’t government agencies. In
matters of faith, as we have come to know these things in our
society, they shouldn’t have to answer to governments composed of
people of various other faiths, or to public opinion that changes
from time to time. They should answer, as stated in a popular TV ad,
to a higher power, as they, themselves, believe is proper. If these
religious institutions believe that the higher power only wants
straights and doesn’t want homosexuals, then conscience dictates that
gays be excluded. If they believe that the higher power only wants
homosexuals and doesn’t want straights, then conscience dictates that
only gays be welcomed. It’s not for Bell or the government or anyone
outside these religious institutions to tell them how to practice
their religion.
And, of course, as you’ve already guessed, this issue goes far
beyond homosexuality to the very core of how religious institutions
should be treated in our so-called free society. By forcing religious
institutions to accept people they don’t want, we’re actually
discriminating against these religious institutions and stepping all
over the 1st Amendment. And, when we do that, we’ve entered the world
of religious repression -- again. The founders of this nation
understood these things. It’s too bad that Bell doesn’t.
M. H. MILLARD
Costa Mesa
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.