LETTERS

Out of depraved world

In answer to Jim Blok’s recent attack on Christianity, the torturous death that Jesus suffered on the cross was brought about by unbelievers and pagans. He freely gave himself over to them that all might behold the truth and be saved.

Christianity is not about death, but about life. Without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith.

Our Lord Jesus Christ set up his church on earth based upon love and forgiveness. He offers forgiveness and eternal life to all, but many will refuse to accept. I believe that in the final judgment, many will be cast into darkness through their arrogance and defiance against God. We all have a choice to live in peace and forgiveness or to suffer eternity without the loving, nurturing presence of God and his kingdom. If Mr. Blok thinks such judgment is unfair, he can bring it up when he is called before Christ.

Christianity has stood strong for 2,000 years against cruelty, immorality and injustice. Thousands have been martyred because of their Christian belief, and the enemies of the church continue to attack today. The church has been responsible for creating hospitals and institutions of learning where none previously existed. Christian outreach to the poor has always been and continues to have an enormous impact upon those in need around the world.

That one word, Christianity, has brought us out of a world filled with doom and depravity and into a continuing hope for peace, forgiveness and justice. That’s what I say about the Christian religion.

DALE LANGE

Bella Vista

They deserve respect

Veterans beware. Recently, I sold my house. The buyer was a veteran who applied for a loan through the Veterans Administration loan program. The closing took four months and was extended three times. The buyer, his realtor, my realtor and I are all very angry with how the buyer, especially, was treated by the VA.

If veterans can find a way to get a loan other than through the VA, I suggest they do. No one should go through the agony my buyer went through.

For some, this may be the only way to get a loan. I don’t buy the notion that because the loan process has changed so much since the real estate crash, that this is the way it has to be. Every veteran deserves to be treated with respect. I suspect this problem is not just local, but that veterans nationwide are tearing their hair out trying to deal with the VA.

VA loan officers out there, outsourced or not, who are pretending to help veterans while collecting a fat paycheck should look out. Sooner or later, the DAV, a pit bull among the veterans organizations, is probably going to be on your case. I don’t tolerate deadbeats, and neither do they.

LINDA WAGNER

Fayetteville

Toes are for stepping

Whether you believe in God and read his word, or not, it will be justified on Judgment Day.

I am a strong advocate of gun control. I think you should definitely be able to hit whatever you are shooting at.

The Democratic Party has changed. I am a retired union pipe fitter, thus always a Democrat, but no more. I do not support the exclusion of God from our national theme. I do not support anybody who attacks the Second Amendment. I do not think that gays should have approval or any special treatment. I think illegal aliens are just that and should be deported posthaste. I think that if you don’t work, you should not eat.

I have a granddaughter in Marine boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. I am very proud of her. If I have stepped on anybody’s toes, too bad!

CONRAD WALL

Rose Bud

When the war will end

Go back in time 150 years. U.S. Grant’s brutal siege of Vicksburg is under way and in Virginia and Pennsylvania, Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac are on a collision course that will end at Gettysburg. Meanwhile, in Paris, London and Moscow, heads of state are huddling to bring about an end to the American Civil War.

Sound crazy? Of course. Abraham Lincoln, Grant, Lee and Jefferson Davis would never have agreed. Our Civil War ended when the North and South got tired of killing each other.

Now, we are rubbing up against Russia to try and resolve the Syrian civil war. Some knuckleheads in Congress even want to launch cruise missiles and establish a no-fly zone.

When will that civil war end? It will end when the Syrians get tired of killing each other, and not a moment sooner.

SCOTT T. VAUGHN

North Little Rock

Making a better place

I consider each new day of life an incredible gift with opportunity galore for making this beautiful world a better place. There are so many things I’m thankful for that we didn’t have in the Depression era such as hot running water, electricity, phones, central heat and air, TV, indoor toilets, gas heat, etc. Jobs were scarce and the future was bleak.

With a lot of divine assistance, I overcame these hardships.

I discovered shortcuts early on that benefited me on the road to success. I listened closely to the advice of older, wiser people. I discovered that if you associate with successful people, chances are you will ascend to their level. Associate with losers; you’ll likely descend to their level. The Bible warns, “Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character.” People usually don’t become drug addicts by themselves. They are introduced to this evil by so-called friends. Prisons are overcrowded with good people who chose the wrong crowd.

Choosing your life mate is also very important. A successful marriage should be based on Christian principles. Incompatible beliefs can sidetrack a marriage.

Finally, I can’t overemphasize the importance of keeping a good credit rating. Many fall prey to easy credit and are charged too much, a hopeless financial mess. This permanently damages your credit. Destroy those credit cards that gouge you 25 percent interest or more. If you can’t afford to pay cash, try waiting awhile. Without a good credit background, I never could have been as successful. Good credit is a very valuable asset.

DAVE RICHARDS

Hot Springs

No stand-in for action

Paul Greenberg’s recent defense of the Patriot Act seems, to me, misplaced.

The multiple overlapping government and military “intelligence” institutions have repeatedly failed to prevent a number of disasters which I think could have been prevented by the use of a little historical knowledge and use of true intelligence, meaning “smarts.” The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor appeared to be a replay of Japan’s 1905 destruction of the Russian Far East fleet. Al-Qaida’s use of vehicle suicide bombs should have made it obvious that aircraft would be next.

Data-mining is no substitute for anticipating the possible actions of terrorists and then doing something about them.

ARTHUR LUCK

Maumelle

All in who you know

So, one morning you wake up and say to the family, let’s pack, we’re going on a trip.

Then, you get on this big jet and tell the pilot to take off. Where? Well, let’s try Ireland, Europe and maybe Africa. A safari? Okay, let’s all go! What’s it cost? Don’t worry, someone else is paying for it.

But remember, when you take your family on a company trip, the IRS says you must pay taxes on the value of that trip for each of your family members.

Of course it all has to do with who’s running the IRS. And it will help if your name is Obama.

ROBERT HESS

Little Rock