This is Viewpoints for Monday, Dec. 14, 2015
No law violation
The news media often gives reference to atheist groups demanding the removal of Christian religious displays/images. It puzzles me as to why? If the people in these groups consider our worship nonsense, then why should any display showing our praise to God bother them? Personally, I believe that deep inside they do have an understanding of Christ and they choose to reject him and prefer not to be reminded of their coming fate. Therefore, it is OK to be angry about their practices, however, as Christians, we should pray they will find and accept Christ before they meet their eternal fate.
As for Christian religious displays, again I have my opinion and, it is my opinion that the United States has departed from and forgotten its original Christian founding resulting in today's "David," (state/city/local government) being afraid of "Goliath," (federal government).
The First Amendment of the Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, but religious displays do not represent any congressional law development. Therefore, allowing displays only demonstrates our government's acknowledgement of its Christian founding. At the same time, they are not passing any law to force belief in any religion.
Standing on the founding principles can in no way be associated with development of a law.
— Gary McCall
Warner Robins
Outsiders not allowed
The Democratic and Republican parties are only interested in uniting world governments. I don't think "outsiders" will be allowed to be president because they will take the country in the "wrong "direction.
— C.A. Gardner
Macon
What's the answer?
In 1870, America declared Dec. 25 a day in which the nation would come together to celebrate God's gift to humanity. On that date Christians gather in their perspective churches, on battlefields, in soup kitchens, in homes, hospitals, orphanages and homeless shelters, to celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ, by mimicking the best they can the joy and magic of that miraculous event.
Those not believing Jesus is the real deal still celebrate with decorations, parties, parades, gift giving, Santa Clause and songs about bells, snow, Santa being naughty and shooting reindeers off the roof? Whatever it is they're celebrating has businesses removing all evidence of the real purpose of Christmas, preferring instead to cater to whatever holiday they're celebrating. Parallel celebrations that are identical, yet polar opposites in purpose.
One celebrates the birth of Christ while the other ignores the birth. The latter is dominated and preferred by business owners, public school systems, public and private communication outlets, politicians, government officials and the judicial systems. So what's this mysterious celebration that's seduced a nation and driving Christmas from America's conscience? What holiday are they asking me to be happy about? The one that celebrates Christ's birth or the one that celebrates the other things? Take a guess.
— Travis L. Middleton
Peach County
Comparisons
Regarding the gentleman's letter that appeared in Thursday's paper (in which he listed the number of people killed by "Muslims"). I would remind him that there is a difference between Islam and groups like ISIS that pervert its message. ISIS represents Islam about as much as the Spanish Inquisition represented Christians.
— Ross C. Hardy
Macon
Time and research
"The Donald" is being chastised from all quarters for his remarks concerning a Muslim invasion as has been proposed by the president. If citizens would take a little time and research the conditions in Germany, France, Holland and Britain, they would find those nations would like to purge themselves of Muslims. The Muslims were brought to these nations as laborers. In each case they set up their own enclaves and defy the legitimate traditions and laws of the nation in which they reside.
— Gil Switzer
Warner Robins
Who is the bigot?
Western Civilization has gone suicidal. President Obama insists on letting in tens of thousands more unvettable Muslim refugees, a process that gave us one of the San Bernardino killers and France their latest mass casualty terrorist attack. It is completely insane to keep pretending that everything's just going swimmingly with Muslim immigration to the West. It's not, and it's Orwellian for Obama to continue calling people bigots for speaking this basic truth about the Islamic terrorists who have declared war on us.
A bigot is someone who is prejudiced against members of a group. Obama is clearly bigoted against Christian and Jewish Americans. He values their feelings much less than he values the feelings of Muslims. In keeping with the weird notion of Muslims as victims of backward Americans, in the aftermath of San Bernardino, his attorney general warns against hate speech toward Muslims. Really? Obama once mocked Christians in Pennsylvania, saying they cling to their guns and religion. Can you imagine Obama mocking Muslims in the same way, saying they cling to their AK-47s and Korans? I don't think so.
As for the USA, it is Donald Trump advocating temporary common sense measures to protect us who is called the bigot. He's not proposing locking up ethnic groups like President Franklin Roosevelt. He just wants to screen who comes in to better protect us. There is no "right" to come to America. Even the pacifist Jimmy Carter banned Iranians from coming here during the hostage crisis.
— John Brogden
Warner Robins
Good columns
Thank God for Dr. Bill Cummings, Tom Scholl, Thomas Friedman, Kathleen Parker, Creed Hinshaw and thanks to you for continuing their columns in The Telegraph. Thanks, also, for featuring Erick Erickson no more than once a week. Lastly, Thank God for Bishop John Spong.
P.S. How about some Ellen Goodman columns if she's still writing for The Boston Globe.
— Becky Yeatman
Warner Robins
Goodman stopped writing her weekly columns in 2010. — Editors
This story was originally published December 13, 2015 at 9:43 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, Dec. 14, 2015 ."