This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016

Product of humanity

In his Feb. 7 column "Doin' what comes natur'lly" Dr. Bill Cummings said God is responsible for homosexuals and because of that Christians should embrace them. How utterly stupid is that? God creating homosexuals so he could condemn them? Ridiculous.

Whether desires forbidden by God are genetically inherited, embedded by bad parenting or unfathomable, they are the product of humanity. Having a desire to steal doesn't make one a kleptomaniac. Having a compulsion to lie doesn't make one a mythomaniac. Wanting to inflict pain doesn't make one a sadist nor does the craving to engage in unnatural sexual activities makes one a homosexual.

Neither Christians nor Christian scriptures condemn those craving the forbidden; only those who surrender to them. In his column Cummings chastises Christians, particularly Catholics, for not embracing the sinful acts of homosexuals and for not sanctifying same sex marriages. His reprimanding Christians for their loyalty to God is disturbing.

— Travis L. Middleton

Peach County

'Bread and circuses'

Many centuries ago a Roman poet wrote about what he called bread and circuses. Juvenal, used the phrase to decry the selfishness of common people and their neglect of wider concerns.

"Bread and circuses," as Juvenal said: "Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the people have abdicated our duties; for the people who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses."

So what we now have is reminiscent of the Roman Empire. We have multimillionaire candidates talking about income redistribution. We have first term senators talking about totally overhauling the mess in Washington. We have candidates who seduce the young and uneducated into believing that something is free coming from the government.

How long can the American "empire" last when we emulate the decay and corruption of Rome? The elections are just around the corner and I hope you will look very closely at the candidates and we can avoid the many disasters that we have elected over the past 50 years.

— James Huber

Centerville

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 9:31 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016 ."