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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 31.2020 — PAGE 5A
Opinions
Satirical letter shows trouble
in cherry picking Bible
Dear Editor: This satirical letter to
a former radio host was written some
20 years ago by a Mr. Kent Ashcroft.
The letter has been circulating since
then on the Internet, but perhaps it is
unfamiliar to some of your readers.
It highlights the problem of “situ
ational” use of the Bible as a final
authority. How can some parts of
Leviticus be deemed as unchanging
when other parts have been discard
ed as archaic? There are any number
of activities that were once deemed
sinful and against God's law, but are
now seen as harmless.
While this letter was meant for
just one person, it is a reminder that
many people cherry-pick the Bible
in order to judge their neighbors,
instead of loving their neighbors as
themselves, as Christ commanded
in Mark 12:31. Too many Christians
today have substituted an idolatrous
worship of “the Bible” for a relation
ship with a Living God. They reject
the teachings of Jesus. I pray that
they will receive the gift of discern
ment (first Corinthians 12:10) from
the Holy Spirit soon, before they
hear “I never knew you, depart from
Me.” (Matthew 7:23.)
Dear Dr. Laura.
Thank you for doing so much to
educate people regarding God's Law.
I have learned a great deal from your
show, and I try to share that knowl
edge with as many people as I can.
When someone tries to defend the
homosexual lifestyle, for example,
I simply remind him that Leviticus
18:22 clearly states it to be an abom
ination. End of debate. I do need
some advice from you. however,
regarding some of the specific laws
and how to best follow them.
a) When I bum a bull on the altar
as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9).
The problem is my neighbors. They
claim the odor is not pleasing to
them. Should I smite them?
b) I would like to sell my daughter
into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus
21:7. In this day and age, what do
you think would be a fair price for
her?
c) I know that I am allowed no
contact with a woman while she is
in her period of menstrual uncleanli
ness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is,
how do I tell? I have tried asking, but
most women take offense.
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may
indeed possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased
from neighboring nations. A friend
of mine claims that this applies
to Mexicans, but not Canadians.
Can you clarify? Why can’t I own
Canadians?
e) I have a neighbor who insists
on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states he should be put
to death. Am I morally obligated to
kill him myself?
f) A friend of mine feels that
even though eating shellfish is an
Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a
lesser abomination than homosexual
ity. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?
g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not
approach the altar of God if I have
a defect in my sight. I have to admit
that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there
some wiggle room here?
h) Most of my male friends get
their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though
this is expressly forbidden by Lev
19:27. How should they die?
i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that
touching the skin of a dead pig
makes me unclean, but may I still
play football if I wear gloves?
j ) My uncle has a farm. He violates
Lev 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his
wife by wearing garments made of
two different kinds of thread (cot
ton/polyester blend). He also tends
to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it
really necessary that we go to all the
trouble of getting the whole town
together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-
16) Couldn’t we just bum them to
death at a private family affair like
we do with people who sleep with
their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
Sincerely,
Dena Chandler
Carlton
Daniel Blackman is the best choice for Public Service Commissioner
Dear Editor:
First and foremost, the Public
Service Commission of Georgia
should respond to the needs of
the people of Georgia. After all,
this is a public service board. Our
citizens deserve reasonable util
ity rates, decent Internet service
throughout the state, and leaders
who incorporate the protection of
our natural resources into every
decision about how and where
we get our energy. We are a sun-
filled state, full of opportunities
for harvesting solar energy. We
have young people ready and wait
ing to put their technological skills
to use and farmers with plenty of
open land to capture solar energy.
In the upcoming run-off election,
voting for Daniel Blackman for
Public Service Commission would
be a step forward: Electing a per
son who is concerned about all
Georgians and willing to put inno
vation to work. He is a man with
heart, someone concerned deeply
about fair access to safe energy.
In a recent public statement,
the incumbent Bubba MacDonald
stated fervently that he is “not a
social worker.” In and of itself
this is a rational claim: he sees his
role as one that drives business
interests.
Fortunately, Daniel Blackman
does not separate these two inter
ests. He sees the need for inno
vation, technology and resilient
infrastructure to address the basic
needs of our fellow human beings.
In his view, businesses should ben
efit, but so should individual citi
zens. There is one big difference
between the stances of MacDonald
and Blackman.
Do we really want to contin
ue to subsidize dangerous and
costly power plants that are way
beyond their budgets? And why
do Georgians pay so much more
for electricity compared to the
national average? Do ordinary
rural Georgians deserve access to
the Internet that is dependable,
affordable and consistent?
I urge everyone to vote for Daniel
Blackman for Public Service
Commissioner in this election. It
is a vote for pursuing fair utility
prices, good Internet service, and a
commitment to public service, not
special interests.
Sincerely,
Michael Hill
Comer
Buffington...cont d from 4A
Even many of Trump’s own sup
porters have balked at these calls for
violence.
But Tramp hasn’t.
In fact, he has egged on those who
would do violence in the name of
politics.
Over the weekend, he Tweeted
a message to supporters to rally in
Washington on Jan. 6. “Be there,
will be wild” he said.
Protesting is one thing, but
Tramp’s Tweet is a thinly-veiled call
for people to threaten Congress as
they accept the vote of the Electoral
College.
According to some administration
insiders, Tramp has mulled the idea
of declaring martial law because he
lost the election.
Some observers believe that Tramp
wants to foment violence on Jan. 6
as a cover to declare martial law.
Such a move would ensure vio
lence in America.
I’m doubtful that Tramp would
seek to use the military and even
if he did, it’s unlikely the military
would follow his command.
But it’s still a sober, sad beginning
to 2021.
•••
If the nation can avoid this politi
cal violence, the year 2021 may be a
year of hope, a new beginning.
As the vaccine for the pandemic
began to slow its spread, there’s
hope that our lives will return to
normal.
There’s hope that we can again
gather with friends and family.
There’s hope that our jobs and
economy will stabilize and provide
less uncertainty.
There’s hope that we can bury the
political divisions that have haunted
2020 and find a path toward a more
bipartisan spirit in public offices.
• ••
And yet. I’m worried.
We may indeed have a glorious
rebirth in 2021. In fact, we may enter
a decade like the “Roaring ‘20s".
We all want to forget 2020, close
the door on it, move forward and not
look back.
But I fear the seeds of something
sinister were sown this year, seeds
of a terrible fury that someday in
the future, will ripen with vengeance
and violence.
Only history will tell us if 2020
was an aberration, or the beginning
of the end.
Mike Buffington is a co-publisher
of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. and
the editor The Jackson Herald. He
can be reached at mike@mainstreet-
news.com.
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In Memory
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drunk driver
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Whatever happened
to patriotism?
Once again, in these volatile political times, I must imme
diately establish that I am not a Republican or a Democrat.
I have voted for candidates from both parties over the years.
I thought, and always have, that we are supposed to vote for
the candidates who are best qualified and most likely to do the
job they are elected into at the highest level. I consider myself
an American voter. I always will vote for candidates who will
serve and protect the United States of America. That being
said, I would like to throw out another puzzling question I
have. Whatever happened to patriotism?
I grew up in the fifties and sixties. I was raised to be proud
to be an American. Television action shows and movies made
it clear that we faced two formidable enemies in WWII,
Germany and Japan. Shows from the sixties and seventies
made it clear that we had another formidable enemy, Russia. I
remember watching news clips of the Russian premier Nikita
Khrushchev pounding on the podium at the United Nations
Assembly with his shoe and vowing, “We will bury you.”
I lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis, when Russia put
nuclear missiles in Cuba, just miles from Florida. That with
news media coverage of Cold War incidents left no doubt in
my mind who the enemy was. The news agencies of the world
kept the public aware of what was going on internationally
and nationally. The news media kept us informed about our
enemies, foreign and domestic. The media kept crooked
politicians in line. Were it not for the media, Richard Nixon
would have gotten away with illegal activities while being
President.
My patriotism led me to join the United States Navy in
1969, even though I did not know how to swim. I served my
country for four years in Naval Security. I knew Russia still
had only one goal, to destroy and bury our country. They still
do today. Do not doubt that for one instance.
Then in 2016, our intelligence and every allied intelligence
group in the world revealed how Russia had influenced our
presidential election through social media manipulation. Our
media once again put the news in front of the U.S. public.
Unfortunately, the winning Presidential candidate had already
unleased a campaign of misdirection. He was the first person
I ever heard use the term “fake news.” I believe it was the day
after the news aired his discretion admitting to an interviewer
that he could sexually assault women because he was a “star.”
After that, any time the media tried to hold him responsible
for his continuing blunders he would say it was fake news.
In the 2020 Presidential election, amazingly millions of
American again voted for Trump. Thank God, millions more
voted for Joe Biden and we will once again have a real presi
dent who puts our nation first. I am proud, as a Georgian, that
our state voted for Joe Biden and let the world know we are
not just another racist and bigoted state. As to explain why so
many people still voted for Tramp, I have a few thoughts but
they would take hours to explain but all are very legitimate
reasons based on facts, not crazy, made-up reasons.
To show the world we are sincere about being a progressive
state, leader of the South, we need to seal the deal by voting
in two new Senators in January. In addition to their making
money off the pandemic news while keeping Georgians in the
dark about the pandemic, I am deeply troubled as a patriot.
Our Republican Congress voted to put sanctions on a Russian
oligarch, Oleg Derispaska (and six others linked to Putin and
Tramp’s supporter, Paul Manafort), who headed the social
media manipulation in 2016. Tramp had the Senate vote
again and surprise, Perdue and the Republican senate voted
to remove the sanctions and allow this true enemy of the U.S.
to renew his financial gains.
Readers should be reminded that Section 3 of the 14 th
Amendment of the Constitution forbids members of Congress
from supporting rebellion and supporting our enemies. The
Republican backed “Texas Lawsuit” was an attempt to nulli
fy American votes and choose a dictator to replace a legally
elected President. Does this not violate Section 3 of the 14 th
Amendment?
Where are our patriots? Veterans and parents and children of
veterans seem to be a likely source to right the above wrongs.
They have fought and served our country, vowing to protect
our country from threats, foreign and domestic. Jan. 5, 2021
is the next opportunity for all American and Georgia patriots
to send a message to the country and the world and vote out
the two Tramp supporters, Perdue and Loeffler. I for one can’t
wait until next week’s election results come out. I hope to see
lots of patriots standing up for our great Democracy.
Sincerely,
Cliff Craig
r
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