This is Viewpoints for Monday, March 21, 2016
Great service
Seldom, if ever, do I encounter a government employee who deserves so much as "thanks, have a nice day." Today was different. Today I encountered a U.S. Postal Service employee who, without being asked, went far out of her way to assist an elderly patron who drastically needed help — me. I do not have the lady's name, however if you are in need of good PR stop at the Fort Valley post office. Wonderful service, great personality.
— Ken Brown
Byron
Republicans down on Trump
For seven years now, the Republican Party has been advocating hate, bigotry and prejudice. Except they have been doing it in a subtle way. Promising to oppose anything and everything President Obama recommended. To make him a one-term president, they have opposed addressing the immigration problem, opposed legislation to fix our crumbling infrastructure, opposed a peaceful resolution with Iran, opposed helping our returning veterans, advocated more military spending and more wars and have come out promising to oppose anyone President Obama nominates for Supreme Court justice.
It has been seven years of Republican obstruction. And people yell that President Obama divided America. President Obama did not divide our country. Republicans' unwarranted hatred of him did. Why is the Republican Party down on Donald Trump when he has been echoing what they have been doing for the past seven years?
It is hard to comprehend why these Trump followers world follow him. Worse, why they would engage in violence at his urging. I would like to think we are a better people than this. But as Voltaire said, "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
Advocating violence, and Trump screaming: "Throw them out," is advocating violence. Trump should be arrested for advocating violence, along with his staff and those that engage in violence. I ask those of you who are considering voting for Trump: Is this really the person you want for president?
— Ronald L. Cain
Elko
Biblical truths
The March 13 column "The controversial columnist" by Dr. Bill Cummings should have been titled, "The Christian malarkey fabricator." All his columns challenging Christian scriptures have been aggressively and successfully countered with biblical facts that he refuses to acknowledge. Obviously leaving readers confused and bewildered as to what and whom to believe tickles him.
Cummings wrote, "I don't take all this as seriously as others, and so you will find me laughing in the middle of my column." An example: In a recent column Cummings questioned Genesis' account of Adam and Eve's fall from grace hoping readers would again doubt the validity of the Christian Bible. Why didn't they drop dead immediately upon eating the forbidden fruit as God said they would, he laughingly writes. Cummings knows God isn't a physical being but spiritual, and it's in this image man is made. When God made man he breathed in him life (a soul). The soul residing in the body is God's temple. The temple contains the spirit of God. Their sin caused immediate spiritual not physical death.
To better understand this — original sin and born again — talk to your minister, preacher, priest or trusted spiritual adviser. If you're allergic to biblical truths I suggest you talk to the laughing man.
— Travis L. Middleton
Peach County
Best wishes
I wish Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige of the North Carolina Tar Heels would go for higher degrees in their majors so they can entertain me for at least four more years with their excellent and delightful ability to play basketball. However, I understand a college student has only five years to play sports with four years the usual time for a graduate degree requirements.
It seems to me a student athlete studying to become a doctor that requires more than a four year degree, should be able to play until he has obtained all the requirements of his desired major.
Go Tar Heels in this year's March Madness and congratulations to Johnson and Paige for being among 25 college basketball players on the John R. Wooden Award Mid-Season Top 25. Carolina is one of four schools — Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky are the others — to have two players on the Top 25 List. The 40th annual Wooden Award, which is presented to the nation's top player, will be presented in April. So play on to be the stars that you are.
— Faye W. Tanner
Macon
Choosing right
I'm writing in response to Bill Cummings comments in the Opinion section and Viewpoints. Yes everyone is born into sin through the first Adam's disobedience to God's law.
But through the second Adam, which is Jesus Christ, if we accept him through faith and repent of our sins, then we become the sons of God and you no longer have sin, because we are cleansed through the blood of God's son. Cummings needs to be like one of the thieves on the cross, the one who asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered his kingdom, and Jesus said, "this day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
You need to believe God's holy word. And no, Cummings, babies are not lost. It's after the age of 13 that a child knows right from wrong. They choose right and accept Jesus Christ for their Lord and Savior.
What about Cummings? Is he going to choose right?
— Garrett H. O'Kelley
Macon
This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 9:43 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, March 21, 2016 ."