LETTER TO THE EDITOR, July 25, 2005

The Winston-Salem Journal, Opinion Page A10 Monday, July 25, 2005

Used to Discriminate

I found the July 19 letter "Heritage" to be very distasteful, arrogant, prejudiced and bigoted. The Bible is not what gave our nation's citizens the freedoms we all enjoy (and sometimes take for granted). Instead, the Bible has been used to discriminate against countless groups of people in our nation's history and it continues to be used to justify discriminating against certain groups of people because of their "sin."

The Bible has been used to discriminate against Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians. People have also used the Bible (and also the holy name of God) to discriminate against blacks, women and people who are gay or lesbian. How righteous is it to own another human being, or hold your wife as inferior or discriminate against others just because they may be different from you? The Bible should be used to promote love, mercy, forgiveness and equality, but I guess our mortal, inferior minds will continue to use the name of God and his book to justify our own sins.

I pray that God would have mercy on us all, for we have sinned against him by using his unending good to do nothing but evil.

MATTHEW MORRELL HILL

Winston-Salem

(The above letter to the editor by Matt Hill was written in response to the one below)

Winston-Salem Journal, OPINION PAGE, Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Heritage

We should not trash our heritage for the abyss of pluralism because the Muslims in Greensboro want to use the Quran and not the Bible in the courtroom ("Group requests that courtroom oaths cater to various faiths," July 7). The Bible has given the Muslims and others freedom in this country, whereas the Quran has not provided likewise to others in theirs.

The Bible, with its high morals and absolutes of right and wrong, coupled with mercy, forgiveness, acceptance and a savior for eternal life, which brings consolation and coherence, has been America's historical foundation and source of common law. Without a high moral standard to lead, we are lost in the abyss of unknowns and searching instability. We can be proud to have had, connected to our common law, virtues of moral purity, faithfulness, trustworthiness, righteousness and justice. Maybe that is why in the 1776 North Carolina Constitution, only Christians were allowed to handle the affairs of the state.

E.A. TIMM

Walnut Cove