Kudos to Mr. Begovich for correctly identifying the source of man’s problems, but he had no right to take public officials to task for not acknowledging that source publicly. While the source is indeed spiritual and is immune to any solution which is not itself Spiritual, we have to recognize that framers of the constitution forbid government officials from the establishment of one religion over another in order to insure and protect individual choice. In reality, that means that folks are constitutionally free to publicly worship satan if they so choose. And many do choose, but not publicly — not yet. Jesus said in Lk. 11:23 that: “He that is not with Me is against Me...” No middle ground here.

Choice also has a divine mandate. Jesus said in Jn. 12:47 “And if anyone hears My words and (chooses) not to believe them, I will not judge him.” And why is that Lord? “Because I did not come into the world to judge the world but to save it.” He chose to save it by delivering it from the penalty and power of sin thereby freeing man to be reconciled to his sinless Creator. Don’t get me wrong, there will be a judgment, and it will center around what each of us did with Jesus and His gospel — but not now.

You are also right, Tony, when you say that our country was founded on the idea that we are all inherently good, but that in no wise means that we are all inherently good. Founding principles do not the truth make. It says in Rm. 3:23 that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. That’s the truth sir. The concept of so-called big and little sins is a construct of natural man. In Rev. 22:15 God says that liars will spend eternity in the same hell as murderers and all other sinners. “Do you not know that the unrighteous (that would be all sinners) will NOT inherit the kingdom of God?” 1st Cor. 6:9.

Every sinner is entitled to and is eligible for redemption in Christ via faith in the truth of His gospel message. Some day, God willing, I will have the opportunity to share with you exactly what that message entails and how that plan really works (not according to me, but according to God’s word). My experiences in the churches that call themselves Christian have taught me well that not everything that glitters is really gold. If such a message can so transform the black heart of a maggot like me, it is a powerful message indeed!

BILL JOHNSON

Rathdrum