While I echo Beverly Wyer’s concern for our country (Sept. 2003 letter), I find that she has fallen into the same trap as most of us — assuming that the Constitution of the United States is based on Judeo-Christian principles. It absolutely is not!

There is not one mention of God, let alone Jesus Christ. Neither is there any reference to God’s law. It is clearly a product of the Enlightenment based firmly in Greece, Rome and England. It is an amoral, secular, and godless document. If the founders wanted a Christian document, they could have written one. But they made the fatal Enlightenment-based assumption that men, especially white property owners, were basically good and that the presence of religion would enable the non-religious Constitution to work.

Our dollar bills have obvious Masonic symbols on them, but no mention or symbol of Christ and only a belated mention of “In God We Trust.” They were wrong and their decision is FATAL. We cannot appeal to the Constitution as so many Christian leaders have done. It offers no protection. It contains not one moral law.

Therefore, religious traditions ultimately have no standing and science and reason rule above all. And so it is not surprising that abortion is legal and that homosexual marriage soon will be. We cannot continue to appeal to “the church! the church!” or “the Constitution! the Constitution!” as the Jews appealed to “the temple! the temple!” in the days of Jeremiah. God commanded Jeremiah not to pray for the people and even said that if Samuel and Moses stood before Him, He would not listen. And He destroyed that temple and the entire nation.

I fear that we are getting very close to that time. Until we see pastors on the sidewalks at the abortion clinics letting the moms know that God loves them and their babies, we will be in danger. Until Christian leaders stop their ridiculous Christian cruises and public fasts, we have reason to fear.

Until we realize that 9-11 was a shot across the bow from an angry Judge of the Universe, we can play church and ministry all we want — but we risk continued lukewarmness and the great vomiting out of God that it will bring.

Until we stop tolerating abortion and divorce in the church and even in the ministry, we are moving toward a point where even Samuel and Moses and Elijah and Jeremiah and Isaiah could not move God to intervene in coming judgment. He has truly given us Christians in America the desires of our hearts but sent leanness to our souls. To repeat, the flaws in the Constitution are FATAL.

         Stan Schmunk

         Vista

You have gained forever a supporter of your publication. Thank you so much for printing the truth.

And please let Kim Oakley (October 2003 letter) who wrote the article on the “oxymoron of the gay bishop” know that my family and I read it and thanked God for someone willing to stand up and just tell the truth!

         Thomas M. Roberts Family

         Oceanside

I am a member of an Episcopal Church in the area. I am currently discipling a person who is transgender who prayed to receive Christ at the Billy Graham Mission in May. I am also friends with another homosexual individual with whom I am attempting to share the Gospel.

I became a Christian through Campus Crusade for Christ over 30 years ago. For much of those 30 years I have been a proud and arrogant individual whom many Godly Christians had to endure. Although by appearances, I was a Christian, I was “guilty” of pride, which is probably the most talked about sin in the Bible (certainly far more than homosexuality). But the Lord Jesus, in his matchless grace, has seen fit to lead me through some experiences, which, although painful, are manifestations of his grace and love. These experiences have helped me to see my sin, begin to humble myself, and proceed on a process of repentance and renewal. Oh, the joy of his grace! He did not give up on me.

I certainly agree that homosexual behavior, like pride, is a sin, which must be repented of as the Lord gives grace for one to see one’s sin and to repent of it. Which sin is worse: pride or homosexuality? I don’t know. It’s all sin. My heart and the hearts of many Episcopalians break over the sad turn of events recently involving the American Episcopal Church. 

Ms. Oakley seems to be saying that in my “hatred” of sin, I am to turn away from my church which I love and from my homosexual and transgender friends whom I am seeking to bring into the Kingdom. God did not give up on me for 30 years, although I was, and still am proud. How long will it take my friends to recognize and repent of their sin? As I have listened to these persons share their lives with me, I have begun to see the pain and injury they have experienced — broken homes and abusive fathers. I have begun to see the confusion in their souls. Are they beyond the wonderful grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus who did not give up on me for 30 years? Should I turn my back on these persons and on my church? Am I to say to my transgender and homosexual friends, “Repent or go to hell!?”

I ask Ms. Oakley to help in my struggle with my pride and my attempt to follow Jesus through a hurting and broken world.

I address this letter to you anonymously in order to protect myself and those of whom I speak in this letter.

         Name Withheld

Under God? God, who once inspired America to greatness, is slowly being pushed out on the junk heap. It appears as though the Supreme Court is going to pass judgment on the Pledge of Allegiance as being too godly. Can it be that Supreme Court, which opens each session with a moment of dedication to “God,” may throw “it” out?

After it rewrites the Pledge it can get U.S. currency to wipe out “In God We Trust” and don’t argue that we couldn’t afford that. What’s more important, $87 billion for Iraq reconstruction or a currency rewrite?

Perhaps we could allow those who don’t like “In God We Trust” to demand that they be paid in Euros. Coming to think of it, let’s get rid of congressional chaplains while we are thrashing God.

         Dr. Norman Mann

         San Diego