‘Compass’ author not the only one worthy of criticism

EDITOR:

I sympathize with the letter critical of Philip Pullman, author of “The Golden Compass,” who admits to trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief. He and other best-selling atheist authors — Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris to name a few — are as arrogant in their attempts to shove their views down the throats of other people as the religious fanatics of whom they are so critical. Still I don’t think best-selling books by atheists “show/prove the moral decay of our nation,” as the writer contends. There’s nothing I know of to indicate atheists as a group are any less moral than non-atheists. And reading books by atheists does not cause most of us to become atheists.

The letter also seems to disapprove the teaching of evolution in the public schools. The majority of Americans regard evolution as a valid scientific theory that has survived for nearly 150 years in the face of rigorous scrutiny by every branch of science known to man. Since the theory conflicts with the story of creation in Genesis (actually, there are two — pick one), it presents a problem for those whose religious beliefs cause them to interpret the Bible as scientifically and historically inerrant. There is a well known precedent for this. In 1633 the Roman Catholic Church censured Galileo for alleging the earth revolves around the sun rather than the other way around. The reason for the censure was that this theory contradicts a literal interpretation of the Bible. In 1992, 359 years later and 23 years after man first walked on the moon, Pope John Paul II officially admitted that Galileo had been right and the church had been wrong.

It’s been 148 years since Darwin’s Origin of The Species. In the year 2218, will the last holdout finally throw up his hands and say “Yeah, yeah — OK already — Darwin was right”?

JOHN ZEDAKER

Poland

Change of direction

EDITOR:

I read with interest the comment appearing Dec. 11, “Looking for a better compass,” which referred to an article in the Dec. 5 Vindicator (“Compass”: An atheist manifesto or a theological masterpiece?). Since I had missed the earlier article, I went back and read it also.

Now, having read both articles, it brings to mind one of my favorite riddles: What does a dead atheist, a dead agnostic and a dead saint have in common? Many are quick to answer that they are all dead, but the complete answer is that they all know that there is a God. There is your direction.

CHUCK WALTON

Canfield

Bring back the post office

EDITOR:

I am very disappointed that two out of three of our Liberty Township trustees have voted against reopening the post office. It was and has been very convenient for the elderly and the citizens of Liberty Township.

The trustees have said we should have pride in our community, but it is difficult when our trustees keep trying to ram things down our throat.

An example is the 911 issue, which was voted down by the Liberty residents in November. But yet, it was decided by the trustees to place this back on the ballot in March. I would think, since the township could save money by joining the Trumbull County 911 call system, that we could use this money to reopen and run the post office.

RICHARD BRAUER

Youngstown