Breaking down barriers

Breaking down barriers
EDITOR:
The Interfaith Breakfast at the Maronite Center was a wonderful experience. Because it was my first time to attend this event, I was quite surprised at the number of people who would take the time out to come. The speaker, a dynamic young Muslim law student from Georgetown University, was very impressive with his ability to speak sincerely on the interfaith topic. His message: it is up to the people of faith in ALL religions to break down the barriers in our country and fix its problems. The people without faith will never be capable of doing so.
The selection of verses from each of the religions proved to me that the basis of each religion has one and the same message: love the One God and love your neighbors. Tolerance of one another is not enough! There must be an acceptance of -- and sincere dialogue with -- each other in order to embrace our similarities and minimize our differences. Only when this happens, will God allow us to achieve our goals and bring peace.
My sincere thanks go out to Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, who organized this event. It was certainly worthwhile and hopefully will get us back on track to living the life that God intended us all to live.
DEBBIE MAGEED
Canfield
Missing the point
EDITOR:
A recent responder to a letter by Dr. McGowen missed the point. There is but one God and that God is the Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we, as sinners, can be saved. There is no other name, no other person through whom we can be saved from our sins.
Second, the writer says that Jesus was created, just as were Adam, Abraham, Moses and Mohammad. Jesus was not "created" in the same sense that Adam and the others were. Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, the Second person of the Trinity existed with God from all eternity. Jesus Christ is the Word that was with God and is God and was with God from the beginning. (John 1: 1-5).
To say that Allah is god in the same sense as Jesus is God is incorrect. They are not the same. The God of creation as revealed in the Holy Bible is above all other gods. And, as stated by the Apostle Paul in Phillipians 2:9-11: "Therefore, God also highly exalted Him (Jesus) and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that EVERY [emphasis added] tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father." (NKJV)
The attempts by others to state that we all believe in the same god is not correct. To do so is to fall into the postmodern trap of making words say whatever we want them to say.
ROBERT L. DOYLE
Canfield
Saddam as spider man
EDITOR:
My subject is Iraq. It's not a very original subject today, but it contains an observation that may be original, or at least has not expressed for fear that it may hold some truth.
There are weapons inspectors in Iraq from all over the world, representing various religious, political beliefs and countries' interests. If Saddam's last option is to accept total defeat, what is to prevent him from taking all of those inspectors hostage? True the world would be enraged. Or would it? Surely the world would be justified in declaring war, but would it and when? He would hold how many cards and play them for how long, and could we as Americans wait that long and be able to afford it?
"Come into my parlor," said the spider to the fly. And we did!
LOUIS MAMUIA
Lowellville