By
Letters to the Editor
July 25, 2007
I had a chance to read the column entitled “Churches should leave the public alone,” published July 4.
It seems that the basic point of Amy Korst’s column is that religious organizations would be perceived better in our modern, multi-cultural milieu if they would just shut up and allow the cultural debates to unfold without influencing the fight.
In effect, people of faith should stay in the prayer closet and keep their mouths shut.
Please remember that all of those various groups and the people whom you would never dream of censoring have a voice in this land only because Martin Luther King and other people of faith did not take that advice.
Isn’t it interesting that you voice precisely the point of view of the majority of southern churches during the ‘60s and ‘70s while the battle for civil rights was raging around them?
They said that “it is not the church’s place to get involved with a public debate.”
Think about this carefully: In the case of civil rights, should the “church” have remained silent on what was a simply a “public” debate?
Or, when morality is involved, is that not precisely the time that people of faith should speak out?
DOUGLAS W. WOODS
2 Comments
#1 Lee
on July 26, 2007 at 9:51 a.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name)
I don't have a problem with churches jumping into the political arena, but only if they start paying taxes like everyone else.
#2 Patrick
on July 26, 2007 at 4:10 p.m.(Stamford, CT | Unverified Name)
The problem with many churches is that their religion discredits other avenues of belief with no basis other than relying on preexisting prejudice. A forum for debate must be open minded or it becomes an arguement instead of a discussion.
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