Dear Editor,
Thank you for every letter you have published from me to the Richmond County Daily Journal, and the ones you didn’t. I know this one will make some people mad, but I will answer to God at death like the rest of the world.
With all we see going on around the world we call God, like the weather, wars, food, crime, fires, sickness, poverty, sin, death, and much more. We ask why? When will it end, or get better? In the Old Testament, God warned his chosen people Israel “woe unto them that go down to Egypt.” Today, that is for America. We allow people with false, dead gods to come to our country that many of us have fought, and died for. Laws have been passed here by wicked leaders to protect followers of Satan, and rights taken away from Christians.
Churches are destroyed in parts of the world, and followers of Christ are murdered. I’m proud to be a Christian, disabled veteran, foremen pastor, and evangelist. I have also been a very wicked person, and only the grace of God changed that. God said if my people who are called by my name would repent of their sins with a broken heart, and turn from their wicked ways, then I would hear from heaven, and heal their land. America can be blessed or cursed. When we lift up sin, put down the crown, and turn our back on Israel, then we are asking for trouble. If you continue to mock God, He will not hear your call for help when your real fear and trouble comes to you.
May we be wise and return to him while he can be found. With arms of love stretched wide open he is calling today for sinners gone astray as lost sheep to come home. I have friends today that are gay, prostitutes, liars, drunks, thieves, commit adultery, and fornicate, and I love every one of you, but i can’t love your sin. In or out of church, and God loves you so much more, and he wants to forgive you so much that he sent his only son Jesus to die for you. There is nothing too big that you can’t bring to him, but this could be your last call. His spirit will not always strive with you, and he is the only way, truth, and life.
Joe Lyerly
Rockingham
I know you have strong faith, but you are wrong about several things.
First: I agree that we should support Israel. They are a good Ally of the United States, and they are a relatively democratic and free country. But I fail to see why we should support them unconditionally just because you and many others believe the Bible tells us to. It seems that if there is a good and just god, that he would not want us to blindly support any country for fear of his punishment. Rather, we should take the moral position in whom we support. That is, we should do the right thing even if that means supporting the Palestinians or any other group of people. I would hope that any good, thinking person would agree.
Second: I noticed that you placed gay people with prostitutes, liars, drunks, thieves, adulterers, and fornicators. Why? Have they done something wrong? Do people who are attracted to the same sex hurt you in some way? If you love them so much, maybe you should try to understand them and be tolerant of them. No? That's not what you've been told, right? Doesn't matter, you are still responsible for what you believe.
Third: Why would Jesus be the "only way"? Do you really think so little of others that they can't find their own truths? They must believe what you believe, or they are wrong? Do you really think so little of god, that if he were real and good, he could not reach other people in a different way than he reached you? I know, that's what you have been told. But you are still responsible for what you believe.