Lowell Grisham — priest, economist, fi nancier, political strategist, student of marine biology — has a problem. A holy pledge to promote characterbuilding ethics of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is interrupted by his tripping over a deadly sin, which is “envy.”
His promoting “envy” is the anathema of all true believers and students of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Rev. Grisham would serve his fl ock and all others better if he would shine his light on the real problem born of the 20th century and growing out of control. It is our eighth deadly sin: materialism.
His past writings led me to look up the real plight of the “millions and millions” of poor in this country. The real poor are the disabled and the elderly who have little or no voice. They sit quietly in their homes not able to parade miles and miles and shout to the tree tops of their plight. A 2005 census shows the percentage of all households that have various amenities: Refrigerators 99.9 percent; television, 98.7 percent; stove-oven, 98.5 percent; microwave, 87.9 percent; air conditioning, 84 percent; clothes washer, 82.6 percent.
Gosh, we haven’t even gotten to the category of “millions of poor” promoted by our social engineers. Do they honestly believe those people they count are disadvantaged? This, the most aft uent country on earth, off ering a commodity that is so rare in the rest of the world — freedom, opportunity, and with every race in the world here who can worship freely.
With all the rhetoric promoting division among us, let’s remember what Abe Lincoln said in answer to a reporter during the Civil War. Asked if Abe thought God was on “our” side, Abe replied, “I just hope we are on God’s side.”
W. PAGE HILL
Springdale