Bible references misleading
Leslie Belden’s column (July 18, Religion section) was extremely misleading. She quotes Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord,” and stops there. She neglects to mention Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.” Ephesians 5:28 states, “So husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife, loves himself.”
Just as misleading is Belden’s offering, “If men and women are taught women are subservient to men, the women are encouraged to accept the treatment they receive from men in their lives.” In light of Biblical truth, I’d say that’s a lie.
She goes on to start a sentence, “The doctrinal message of male domination (where is this doctrine?) within some branches of Christianity …” Which of the branches of Christianity deny the teachings of Scripture, Leslie? List them. Cults don’t count.
I don’t feel comparing thugs on some sports teams (including the two gay, divorced women pro basketball players who beat each other up) who are guilty of violence on others is comparable to Biblical standards set forth in the book of Ephesians.
Ms. Belden uses one verse taken out of context to make the point that men who follow Scriptural principles abuse their wives.
STEVE HILL
Bella Vista
Bill won’t create new tax
This letter is in response to guest writer David Ray’s “Internet tax bad for business” column. I have never heard of Americans for Prosperity. However, the Arkansas state director’s job surely isn’t to publicize so much misinformation.
First of all, Rep. Steve Womack’s bill does not “slap burdensome new taxes on online shopping.” The tax has been there all along. His bill simply addresses how the tax is to be handled. I wonder if Mr. Ray is paying this tax like he is supposed to be doing?
As for hurting small business people, for every small business owner that this bill might hurt it would surely help 10,000 or more. I know many small business owners in Northwest Arkansas and not one opposes this bill.
When a store clerk spends 20 to 30 minutes with a father and son to pick out a style and determine the proper size for a basketball shoe and is then told, “We will come back later and pick them up,” what do you think they are going to do? When a customer comes in the store and takes a picture of an item and the tag with the style number and walks out, what do you think their intentions are?
Speaking of taxes, it’s true that more and more people are buying more and more goods over the Internet. What are all the small towns, cities and counties going to have to do to replace their rapidly decreasing revenue? Well, they could continue to raise the sales tax rate on those of us who chose to buy locally, or they could raise property taxes on everyone. Local governments will have to recover this revenue loss somehow.
In closing, I have two questions for Mr. Ray:
1. If you wake up in the middle of the night and realize that someone is using a big hammer on your back door, what are you going to do? Are you going to call 911 for local law enforcement to come and save your property and possibly your and your family’s lives? Or are you going to contact eBay?
2. You have a similar setting and you awake choking on dense smoke. Again, are you going to call 911? Why not Amazon? I’m just saying ….
WENDELL BLACK
Rogers