Letters: March 2019

Spiritual Immaturity

Our current technology is one of the most powerful and amazing gifts our civilization has. “Big Tech” enables deaf people to communicate via sign language over visual phones. “Big Tech” enables patients to remotely control electrostimulation implants, to control chronic pain without narcotics. For me, “Big Tech” has fulfilled a decades-long dream of sharing my awe at God’s majesty in nature via photos to viewers all over the world. How we use our technology equates to the level of spiritual maturity in our civilization. The abuses Gaymon Bennett appropriately cites in his article “Silicon Valley’s Original Sin” (January 2019) are symptoms of spiritual immaturity that are burdening our civilization. For our civilization to survive, we must begin to awaken awe, wonder, and spiritual awareness in our daily lives.

Stephen Eric Levine
Garland, Texas

Too Little, Too Late

I found Danny Duncan Collum’s castigation of Paul Simon in his article “Graceless in ‘Graceland’” (January 2019) to be somewhat self-righteous. For Collum to criticize Simon for working with native musical artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, contrary to a political boycott, seems to imply that Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo were supporters of apartheid. “Graceland” came out over 30 years ago, and Collum’s article is too little, too late.

David E. Dax
Lexington, Virginia

New Christmas Tradition

I’m writing to say thank you for Jonathan Rowe’s poem, “Testimony of the Holy Manger,” in the January 2019 issue. Anyone who grew up on or near a farm can relate to the words in this image-making poem. Jonathan’s skill of transformation is wonderful: Thank you, Jonathan. This poem is a keeper and will be read in my family every Christmas!

Craig Kelso
Boulder City, Nevada

An Open Table

In his article “Prophetic Vexation” (December 2018) about politeness resulting in abiding injustice, David Dark crosses a line by suggesting it is appropriate “to refuse service to a press secretary in a restaurant.” A restaurant is a public accommodation. If refusing such service is proper because of a person’s political beliefs and actions, then it follows that it’s okay for anyone else to do the same to anyone whose beliefs and actions they disapprove of. Being properly prophetic is one thing but being discriminatory is another. We’re supposed to show the face of Jesus. I have no doubt that Jesus has some words in mind for Sarah Sanders, but I also believe he would not refuse her dinner.

Gerald Alan Ney
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I Want to Repent

Thank you to Lisa Sharon Harper for her views about supporting Donald Trump in her December 2018 article, “An Open Letter to White Evangelicals.” While I am an 84-year-old white evangelical, I have not been proud of my brothers and sisters in the faith. Harper points out how supporting Trump’s policies often contradicts Christianity. While I do not support such policies, I want to repent for my fellow white evangelicals.

Dick Daudert
Kalamazoo, Michigan