ANOTHER SIDE OF JUDGING
Regarding: "I'm Judgmental" (Mar. 20, 2003), I agree with the need to identify those who are a danger to others because of a past record of abuse of one type or another, especially if the less informed or naive might be endangered. But this does not appear to me to be a form of judgement, unless evaluation is just another word for judging. Rather it is a personal recognition of our responsibility to protect one of God's sheep or lambs (as the case may be) from the possibility of an as yet unidentified harm.

Judgement is a form of determining sentence on another, according to what we consider the motives might be or have been. Acting to prevent the possibility of harm to another need not be concerned with motive, nor even what manner of restriction might be most appropriate for the one determined necessary to restrict.

The only question needing to be asked and answered truthfully would be: Have I aided in providing the best possible environment for the safety of every individual involved? This would include the safety of the one alleged to have been an abuser.

If the one alleged to be guilty is truly innocent, he/she will be able to trust his/her case to God with full confidence that the only One Who knows the whole truth will set things right in His time.

Leon Gottberg

LET THERE BE LIGHT
In the column, "There Is a Darkness in the Soul of American Christianity" (Mar. 20, 2003), Nathan Brown attempts to mask his political views against the United States' use of force in the Iraq conflict through the guise of a concern for its Christianity.

If his real concern was Christianity in the United States, a little research would have shown a religious group with as much diversity as there is anywhere else in the world. Was the American Soul against Nazi Germany also shrouded in darkness? We all have differing opinions, but our political views should be left out of the Review.

Richard Hanson
Milford, New Hampshire


Nathan Brown writes, "The 'truth': murder is murder, no matter what the rationale; exploitation is exploitation, no matter who profits; and bullying is bullying, whether by military, economic, or cultural means . . . . As Christians we must be able to recognize these truths no matter where we hold our citizenship-and stand up for truth, justice, mercy, and goodness. To unquestioningly equate Christianity with Americanness also equates--in the eyes of the wider world--Christianity with the military campaigns, corporations, economic policies, cultural imperialism, and absurd consumerism we should be speaking out against . . . . The challenge is to readjust the balance in 'American Christian' between the 'American' and the 'Christian.' The terms are not synonymous. Whether we like it or not, the terms are even sometimes--perhaps often--opposed."

Mr. Brown is as entitled to his socio-economic-political views as I am to mine. I am a Christian who loves my American Republic. I am not ashamed of its prosperity or its Constitution. It is a nation that, while not perfect, offers perhaps as much or more freedom, truth, mercy, goodness, and justice to individuals in a pluralistic society than any other.

America does not have a monopoly on sin. There are individual sinners, rich and poor, in Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia. In fact, the whole world is guilty before God (Rom. 3:19,20). So the "World Christian" needs to be separated from "World" and "Christian." Whether we like it or not "they are not synonymous and may even be opposed."

Sinners, despite nationality and socio-economic-political views or status, need to repent of their sin and accept the righteousness that is in Christ alone by faith.

Chaplain Pat Travis
Oviedo, Florida


Nathan Brown, Australian freelance writer and graduate student, takes Christians in the United States to task for their patriotism and "their tragic militaristic attitudes." Through invective and glittering generality, he attempts to remove the speck from our eyes while ignoring the dark log in his own.

Most U. S. Christians and Americans of other faiths remember the lessons of September 11, 2001. Most of us approve of a president who is willing to face down a shadowy enemy to protect our freedom. Most of us believe it is right to hold a tyrant to account when he develops weapons of mass destruction and brutalizes his own people. We admire a president who is willing to work with other nations to address worldwide security concerns, and we admire him even more when he is not willing to subjugate our safety to the decisions of these other nations. We pray for our president and support those who fight for freedom for the Iraqi people and for the security of all free people, including Australians.

Where is the darkness in this? I don't find it.

On the other hand, Christians like Mr. Brown should search their own souls. Brown's contempt for the United States is thinly veiled. He implies that America engages in "murder," "exploitation," and "bullying" through "militarism" as it ignores "billions downtrodden by this power." His exaggerated and unsupported claims betray this contempt. He and others inside and outside this country envy and hate the United States so much that they cannot distinguish truth from fiction. It doesn't get much darker than that.

One day, the United States will "speak like a dragon" as depicted in Revelation 13. At that time, our freedom will be in jeopardy. Until then, I will proudly support my country when it stands for righteousness, goodness, and freedom.

God bless America.

Thomas W. Young, M.D.
Kansas City, Missouri


One thing the young author forgot to mention was that war, along with capital punishment and self-defense, was one of the God-excused reasons for killing. For Mr. Brown to say that I, or anyone else, has some "darkness" in their soul because we do not support the same opinion that he does is immature at best.

I agree that we should not follow our national leaders in unbridled patriotism. However, one needs to look no further back into history than the late 1930s to realize that pacifism does not end war; it all too often only enables tyrants.

I hope that in the future the Adventist Review staff will more carefully consider what you say about people who do not agree with your opinions.

Travis Sager

POSITIVE MESSAGE
Praise the Lord for the positive thinking revealed in the article, "Who Can Be Against Us?" by Seth Pierce (Mar. 20, 2003). The Lord is the strongest! If more of us would think this way, we would be much better off. Keep more of these positive writings coming. Print more of Mr. Pierce's articles, if this is how he always writes and teaches.

Art Miles
Apison, Tennessee

CONFRONTING CANCER
Allan Handysides' article about Cancer ("The Big C," March, 2003) suggested "Ten simple steps to optimum health." May I suggest that you urge readers over age 50 to add one more step to avoid cancer: a colonoscopy.

I followed all 10 of the simple steps (possibly short on adequate rest) but still developed colon cancer. Had I followed my own urging above, the cancer could doubtless have been discovered and removed before it had spread to my lymph nodes. Now I am having to take rather severe measures to deal with cancer that was not prevented by the eating of lots of legumes, lots of cruciferous vegetables plus other raw fruits and vegetables daily, following a vegetarian diet, etc. etc.

A colonoscopy doesn't fit into "prevention" category, but early detection is vital, too.

In that same issue, Bill Knott's editorial, "Great Expectations," challenged me to strive to develop an awareness of missions for the youth with whom I work. We indeed need to raise our expectations of our youth, and encourage them to do greater and greater things for God.

Also in that issue, Gary Hopkins' article, "More Than a Message," really spoke to me. If each adult church member would make it his or her personal goal to know each young person by name, and love them unconditionally, what a difference it would make.

The same method would work for new converts. If 10 or 15 people would greet every new convert each week by name, would they not feel more a part of the fellowship? If, after services, each new convert was invited home to a simple meal each week for the first couple months after joining the church (even if the house isn't spotlessly cleaned, and there is no fancy dessert), how many might be kept from slipping out the back door?

Let's keep both our kids and our new members in the church by learning their names, and loving them unconditionally.

Thank you for the weekly encouragement and challenges, and for continuing to produce a fine magazine.

Lois Moore


While "The Big C" was interesting, let's not forget one of the best ways to lower many cancers: breast-feeding!

Breast-feeding lowers the risk of breast cancer, endometrial and ovarian cancer in breast-feeding mothers. Babies that are not breast-fed have higher rates of certain childhood lymphomas and leukemias.

Artificially fed babies also have higher rates of breast cancer as adults. God in His wisdom gave us the perfect food for our babies, and a way to protect all ages from many types of cancer.

Judith Markham
Oceanside, California

MUCH, MUCH MORE
I really appreciated the article, "More Than A Message," by Gary Hopkins (March, 2003). The trap many Adventists fall prey to--having a head knowledge of the gospel, but not a heart experience--greatly damages our kids' faith development.

What weighs most on my heart is the temptation for many parents to substitute our Adventist institutions (Sabbath school, worship services, church schools, etc.) for personal work in their own families. So many parents in my church are frazzled from running their children around to extracurricular activities and have no time or energy for family time with their own kids.

I encourage my members to actively love kids in our church, but the impact of a positive home life is 10 times greater. I wished the article spoke to the biblical role parents play in keeping our kids in church. It seems to be politically incorrect to focus on the high roles that dads and moms can play.

Curtis Rittenour, associate pastor
Spokane Valley Adventist Church
Veradale, Washington

MILLENNIAL SYMBOLS
A few more thoughts on Angel Rodriguez' column, "Millennial Thoughts" (Mar. 8, 2003): The Bible story begins with seven days, the beginning of a time span in which numbers play an important role, culminating in the millennium.

God said to Noah: "My spirit shall not always strive with man, . . . his days shall be an hundred and twenty years" (Gen.6:3). One hundred and twenty jubilee years are 6,000 years. To God one day and 1,000 years are interchangeable (2 Peter 3:8), hence seven days equal 7,000 years. Nothing new in this theory, but could this also work in reverse?

Did God form the solar system over 6,000 years, then allow it to rest on the seven thousandth, before the seven-day creation? Some evidence of this exists in Genesis, where light is created on the first day and the sun on the fourth.

Astronomers have photographed a forming sun and explain its two stages of ignition. Stage one comprises of gas forcing from the poles as massive jets with stage two, nuclear fusion bringing the sun into full power and the jets then shutting down (Time magazine, June 19, 1995, p. 20). This could well explain the Genesis question and would also indicate the pre-existence of the solar system. Other Jewish writings give further confirmation to this concept; but as for time factors, just let the numbers talk.

John Rothery
Auckland, New Zealand

GRATEFUL FOR GIVEAWAY
Thanks for the book, Fantasy and your Family. You can be sure that it will be carefully read and shared with our English-language Sabbath School class at the Adventist University here.

Moacir L. de Sena
Sao Paulo, Brazil