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Contents © 2004
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
June 2004

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Broderick Barker's article in the "Confessions," column of the May issue of News Notes deserves an answer.

Many readers of scripture are baffled by the story of Abraham and Isaac and what they went to the mountain for. The explanation given is correct as far as it goes, but there is more to the story than that. The pagan cultures that Abraham knew well did far worse things to their own children when they sacrificed them to their gods. It has always seemed to me that God was saying to Abraham, "Are you willing to do as much for me if I should ask it, as these people do freely for the false gods they worship?"

Also, in Hebrew 11:19 we see that Abraham knew about and believed in the resurrection. He knew he wouldn't be losing Isaac forever.

Re the story in Judges of the traveling man and his concubine, the clue is in the refrain that runs through Judges: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what was right in his own eyes. The book of Judges illustrates what can happen when every man does what is right in his own eyes.

In Ezekiel's references to God's dealings with Israel (Barker cites Ezekiel 20:25; ah, but see the preceding verse) God is saying that if Israel will not keep His law, they will now be keeping the laws of the pagan nation that invaded Israel, took its people captive, and made slaves of them.

Christ may have said, "Let the little children come unto Me," but the "little children" of 2 Kings 2:23-25 were not kindergartners, but youths, advanced enough in age to be responsible for their actions. Calling Elisha "Baldhead" was the least of their sins. Suggesting that Elisha "go up" meant that he should follow Elijah into the clouds and then they would be free of them both. They knew that Elisha was one of God's prophets; this was not only a rejection of Elisha, it was an open, conscious rejection of God. In releasing the bears God demonstrated His control over nature.

In closing, I want to say that I greatly enjoy News Notes and watch for every new issue. Keep going.

Catherine Damato,
Lakeside

CONTRACEPTION'S BIG LIE

When Supervisor Pam Slater issues a press release telling the public there will be "far fewer abortions if contraceptives were more available," she is wrong. (Little Notes, May 2004.) This same lie was promoted in the 1920's, when abortion and birth control were both illegal. A leading promoter of birth control in the 1920's, Dr. William Robinson, wrote a book in 1928 titled Birth Control or the Limitation of Offspring that listed all the benefits that would accrue to our society if contraceptives were made legal. One of those "benefits" was a reduction in the number of abortions. Illegal abortions numbered approximately 30,000 per year in the United States in 1920. Now we have legal contraceptives and legal abortion. And the benefits? Reported abortions in the United States have increased 50 times since 1920, from 30,000 to 1,500,000 per year, while the population is up less than threefold, 106 to 290 million. Does Pam Slater assume readers of her press releases are so completely ignorant of the facts they will not discover the deceit? Dr. Robinson also assured his readers in 1928 that we could expect a reduction in STD's, divorces and prostitution if contraceptives were made legal.

John Giery,
La Mesa

REPETITION REVISITED

A letter in your April 2004 issue has gotten my attention: Vain Repetition by Jane P. Collard, Lakeside. I find her remarks puzzling coming from a person who allegedly recited daily rosaries for 50 years. Note that after Elizabeth's salutation, Mary responds saying, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He that is mighty hath magnified me: And Holy is His Name." Mary has appeared many, many times during the centuries -- LaSalette, Pontmain, Rue De Bac, Beuraing, Banneux, Fatima and Garabandal -- always with her rosaries on her arm, in her hand, even saying it with the visionaries. In Fatima she said Our Lord wishes Russia dedicated to her Immaculate Heart with the Pope leading the way with all the world's bishops at the same time. If this is done, there will be peace; if not, the dire warning. This way all the world will know that this peace was through her. Our Lord wants for her to be known and loved. She said to the children at Beauraing, "I am the Mother of God," in the winter of 1932-33. (For Faith) "Believe in me and I will believe in you." St. Louis de Montfort said "Mary is the surest, the easiest, the shortest and holiest of all means of possessing Jesus Christ" (Wisdom). Protestants call the rosary repetitious; those of us who honor Mary say, we are laying "Hail Mary Roses at Her Feet."

Larry C. Lloyd,
Largo, Florida

GOD BE PRAISED

Joel Fargo said (Letters, May 2004) "God is praised in every Hail Mary, 'Blessed be the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.'" This greeting is not addressed to either God the Father or to Jesus, but only to his mother. These words are not giving praise, but merely a statement of fact describing Jesus as "holy, sacred, or blessed" in a very indirect way.

God seriously wants us to praise Him. Psalms command us forty times to "Praise the Lord." They mention praising God four hundred and eighty times. The whole Bible says we are to praise God five hundred and fifty eight times. In the New Testament, when Jesus came on earth, we are told to repeatedly keep praising Him. Hebrew 13:15 insists "through Jesus let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess his name."

Unfortunately none of our memorized prayers -- The Apostles Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Doxology, Memorare, Hail Holy Queen, Angelus, etc. -- give praise to Jesus.

Here is a short seven syllable prayer that obeys both the above quote from Hebrews 13-15 and 1 Thessalonians 5,15-18 and Ephesians 5, 15-20, "Always for everything give thanks to God for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Jane P. Collard,
Lakeside

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