Cook County News Herald

Freedom to believe




I failed to see any good news for the Cook County community in Lou Jenson’s letter. But then I believe in “fairy tales.” I am “superstitious” and I am a believer in the God who created this physical universe and revealed Himself to all humanity in what we call the Bible, or Word of God.

Mr. Jenson “admires and respects” our community and thinks it necessary to make the community aware that their children, “who are brought into this world happily free of superstition” may be influenced by a “false and deceptive” religion that believes that God came down to earth as our “friend and Savior” to confirm that there is more than just this physical world; that God does love us, and wants us to choose Him as our Father to be with forevermore. All persons are to be respected by Christians, for we believe that all are created in His image, which includes intelligence, personality, love and choice. As God chose to create the world and us, so he gave us the right to choose what we believe, who we will love, and how we shall live on this earth.

We who choose to believe what Jesus revealed about God understand that religious men often add their ideas to what God wants and thus miss the mark; even after Jesus made it plain and simple: Love God. Love all persons (both the good and bad in your life). Do good to all— and never do evil to anyone.

Belief (and faith) doesn’t make something “true”—but it also does not necessarily make something false as Mr. Jenson implies.

So God bless our nation and our community, where we are free to choose what we believe. May we all keep our individual faiths and do good to one another. This is our good news to the community.
Charles & Loretta Flickinger

Hovland




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