In his column ("Christians are nothing but communists?" March 22) Bill Press once again illustrated his intellectual dishonesty. Based on comments that Glenn Beck made on his radio show, Press accused Beck of labeling all Christians as communists (and for good measure of being the devil himself). Nothing could be further from the truth. Since Press apparently listens to Beck on a daily basis, Press knows this to be false. Beck did say "I am advising people to leave their church" if their Christian church is pushing a social or economic justice agenda. As is typical for Press, however, he omits the remainder of Beck's statements i.e. his follow-up advice to find another Christian church.
Being a Christian was not the issue. Sharing Press' view of Christ's teachings, Beck repeatedly has said that Christians should emulate Jesus and spend their short time on earth "loving, serving and caring for the poor." He supports the Christian belief that, as Press says, "God wants us to reach out and help the poor, the disadvantaged, and those who are not as fortunate." The key distinction here is that Beck believes that the obligation to care for the poor is an individual responsibility, a test and duty imposed upon us as individuals who are endowed with free choice.
While Christians frequently use their church as a vehicle through which they fulfill their responsibility to care for the poor, Christians have no right to delegate this responsibility to the government. Doing so is both inappropriate and extremely dangerous. Beck's point is to avoid churches that encourage the delegation of this responsibility to government or see the government as an extension of the church.
It is totally ironic that Press, who never misses an opportunity to pontificate about the separation of church and state and has a mental breakdown if he sees the Ten Commandments in a courthouse, believes that it is appropriate for Christians to pass on to the government the obligation to perform works of charity. But of course, that is consistent with Press' fundamental belief in the abdication of personal responsibility in favor of a reliance on government to provide all our citizens' needs.
We may differ in our views as to the correct role of government, but Press should at least have the integrity to portray Beck's statements accurately. Surely an ex-seminarian knows being truthful is a Christian quality.
Tim Pollock
Powder Springs
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Tim - nowhere Press is dishonest - but Beck's motives of personal enrichment and demagogy is the key point of intellectual bankruptcy YOU Christian Right Folks do subscribe to - go to YOUR CHURCH and confess YOUR SINS, that would keep you all busy for a decade after the eight years of W crimes - that YALL are responsible for!
Your thinking is typical of Christians who go to church on Sunday, thinking their due is done. As Jimmy Buffet said, there is fine line between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
Do you not think that Jesus's rebellious actions railed against the out of touch Pharisees. Why else would he had said that they are like the whitewashed toombs, beautiful on the outside, but dead on the inside. If government is not representative of its people's wills, goals and actions, then what is it?. So much for calling America a "Christian" nation.
If you should have a preforated ulcer or some other health crisis and run up a $300,000 hospital bill simply go to your nearest house of worship and ask for help. The problem is government control and as such all Christians should reject Social Security, Medicare, Medicade, or any other form of Government assistance in favor of Christian charity.