Editor:
Ronald Reagan once called the USSR the evil empire. I have some news from the Ukraine, once a part of that evil empire.
I recently received a letter from the Eastern European Mission, which supplies free copies of the Bible to the people of eastern Europe.
Government officials in the state of Donetsk, Ukraine, have asked the mission to place Bibles and biblical literature in the 1,188 public schools in the state, which have 366,000 students. The mission will give every student their own Bible and every school will get Bible literature and study helps. Ukraine’s other states are closely watching this work and, if successful, they will make the same offer. That government, once part of the evil empire, is now embracing the Word of God.
It amazes me that this is happening. It saddens me the “One Nation Under God” is going in the opposite direction. Why are our schools filled with drugs and guns and children in our communities killing each other or themselves? Why do young men father children but feel no responsibility? Why do young women think being popular is worth risking pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases?
Our government tells us it is illegal to do any thing that promotes Christian values in our schools. A teacher could teach anything else including other religions, just not Christianity. Government officials, judges, and prosecutors will not allow us to display our values, and certainly not help us promote them. I am proud of my American heritage, but not proud of what I see happening to it.
Isn’t it time for Christians to be as vocal about what we believe as the infidels, humanists and socialists? We know the effects of Christianity because we know how it has changed our lives. We need to stand up for the Good News found in God’s Word.
We should be glad we are Americans and thankful for the opportunity to be Christians. We need to let our influence be felt in Washington and in Hollywood, on Wall Street and on Main Street, in day care and in the universities. We must not let “The Light” be covered up by the arrogant propaganda of the “elite” in our society. Christian influence is what made this country different from most of the other powers of the world. Without it, we won’t recognize the country we inherited.
It is said we should not discuss politics or religion. I believe we are compelled to talk about both. I believe it is impossible to keep our religious beliefs out of politics. It is who we are. Those who try to keep them apart are either denying who they are or are not who they claim to be.
If we don’t stand for something are we good for anything? Will we be remembered as The Greatest Generation or the worst? Most of us will not leave a lot of wealth for those that come after us. If that is the case, what will we leave for our beneficiaries?
Michael J. Fuchs
Beallsville, Ohio
When your mission group gives Christian Bibles to the students of Ukraine, which translation will you give? Or should I ask which mis-translation will you give? Will your study materials point out which sections of the bible are not authentic and which are composed by impostors? Will you inform the students of Ukraine that the bible contains less the 50% of the religious writings known to exist at the time of the bible canonization? Will you point out that the Christian bible presents the old testament books in an order that favors a future messiah not the traditional Jewish order? I presume you will present Jesus as the ONLY path to God. Maybe you will only be imposing your religious belief system on the students of Ukraine.
Michael J. Fuchs is trying to help people, Bob Postle. What are you doing to help them in any way?
Or maybe they are just giving people an option. You can’t push beliefs on people who don’t want to believe. And it’s up to each person to do their own research on things and to not simply be led by someone else.