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 Brief letters, that include the writer’s name and address, are welcome. The Herald will not publish letters sent anonymously, though we may withhold names at our discretion. Letters may be edited for purposes of length or clarity.
Immigration policy discriminatory
The Aug. 6 Herald left me with mixed emotions about the global church. I was excited to read in the editorial that Africa Night was a highlight at the recent ICOMB meeting, that despite civil war and other setbacks the church there has survived—indeed, it is growing and making a difference. And, through ICOMB, members of the international MB family are in the process of truly becoming equal partners.
Then I disappointedly read the statistic from the LA Times (People & Events), that “far more Americans rated religion as important than did people in other countries.” Unfortunately, the comparison is only made with other Western countries. How would we stand up to our sisters and brothers in the Congo, India or Brazil? Perhaps they are left out because they might put us to shame.
I found it distressing to read in the MB Biblical Seminary insert that Prof. Nzash Lumeya from Congo will likely have to wait until fall 2000 before his immigration process is completed for him to join the MBBS faculty. That is shameful. When will our enthusiasm for the growth of the global church lead us to embrace immigration policies in Canada and the USA which allow people from abroad to come here to engage in mission work as readily as we expect to be able to travel to their countries?
Tim Wichert,
MCC Refugee Office,
St. Catharines, Ontario
Obedience is the key
A word of caution is in order regarding the popular “Weigh Down” program. The headline “Weight loss program replaces food with God” (July 16) reduces God to a commodity. How tragic! One word would have corrected that: “Obedience.”
“The diet, God’s way” reminds me of the Jim/Tammy Bakker health and wealth emphasis. I thought Jim had written that he was wrong.
The objective is good. The language needs to be cleaned up so that we do not parallel a love for food and love for God as if they are equal. The emphasis of Lois Johnson needs to be consistent throughout: “When someone loves God that much, they want to live in obedience to Him.” Obedience to God in all of life, including food.
We also need to recognize that there are multiple factors in a person’s weight problem, not just one. Body metabolism is a great factor, and what may be normal for one person may be overweight in another. Let us not tie our weight to our love for God as if they were equal and judge our fellow Christians’ love and obedience to God by their weight.
David I. Bergen,
Waldheim, Sask.
Grace needed
Thank you for printing Lynda Konrad’s letter “Clinton apology enough” and the stories of grace in her life. It is a beautiful thing when someone holds on to the grace they have received and then liberally shares it with others.
The “Clinton scandals” revealed a severe deficit of grace in the church. It was alarming how many Christians found reasons not to extend forgiveness to Bill Clinton. I agree with John Redekop that an apology, no matter how sincere, does not automatically free one from legal or natural consequences. Clinton’s impeachment and acquittal is the ultimate example of Redekop’s point. But I would also argue an extension of his thesis: The sincerity of Clinton’s apology doesn’t free him from consequences, but the possible insincerity of his apology doesn’t free us Christians from giving our forgiveness.
What has grieved me is how few Christians have the graceful attitude of Lynda Konrad. If the Lord’s Prayer is literally true (“Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven”), then a huge swath of the church is in peril. I have prayed that prayer too many times to withhold my personal forgiveness from Bill Clinton. We Christians must be as liberal with our grace as God is with His.
Craig Hallman,
Karachi, Pakistan
Christian life not boring
I understand when publishing a magazine there is a need to write things which “catch the eye,” but I was disappointed with the little box entitled “Bored”? (Aug. 6, p. 35) As this magazine is distributed mostly to church members, I assume this question is directed to Christians. One concept which bothered me was that most of the things listed should be part of the Christian’s daily lifestyle, not something we do only because of boredom. How could we be bored if we are telling others, asking for forgiveness, admonishing, showing hospitality, giving, visiting the ill, etc.? Second, being bored is not a good reason to get baptized, join the church, show love, pray, study the Word, etc. Relieving boredom as the motivation for doing the things listed leads to short-term commitment, and soon we need something new once more. If we are bored with our Christian walk, maybe we should be looking at our level of commitment to Christ in the first place.
Pat Redekopp,
Regina, Sask.
Obituaries a reminder
I just wanted to tell you our new address and that I love this magazine. I read through every issue, even the obituaries.
I read in one of the letters to the editor that a way to save space in the Herald would be to get rid of the obituaries. I know that genealogists like them, but I read them because they are a reminder of the brevity of life. I ask myself how my own obituary would read. They are a reminder that death is a part of life; each of us will one day be there. Reading the obituaries of others encourages me to live more each day and to live with an eternal perspective. Carpe diem!
Sabrina Kay Fast,
Kandern, Germany
Previous | Next Last modified September 27, 1999.
© 1999 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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