What do you think? Send us your thoughts in a letter to the editor. Click here for a form and letters policy or send to letters@gainesvilletimes.com (no attached files please). Include your full name, hometown and a contact number for confirmation.
Alan Shope in his view, "America, let's embrace our true liberal soul" (Friday) selectively defined the word "liberal" to advance his political view.
Unfortunately, like the word "gay," the definition of the words liberal and conservative have been, by popular usage, so misused that they no longer convey their original meaning. Everyone should be careful in their use or risk being misunderstood.
Liberal is now used to describe those who believe in entitlement, immorality and irresponsibility. It is used to describe those who believe in big government versus states rights. It is used to describe those who support the murder of the unborn. It is used to describe those who approve or support alternate lifestyles.
It is used to describe people like our president, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, all of whom would replace our constitutional form of government with a socialist, progressive and oppressive bureaucracy.
Conservative, on the other hand, has been become a word used to slander those who believe in constitutional governance, fiscal responsibility, self reliance and moral integrity, both in one's personal life and in government.
Mr. Shope goes on and describes Jesus as a classical liberal. Using any of the dictionary definitions of liberal this is untrue. And, with current usage of the word liberal, no characterization of Christ could be a worse prevarication.
Jesus taught first the love of God and secondly the love of fellow man. All of the commandments are fulfilled in these. He taught obedience to law and submission to government. He was the embodiment of compassion.
Jesus was the incarnate God. In Jesus were found all the attributes of God, including God is love. But that is one-dimensional. In order to comprehend the true nature of God you must realize that God is a hater of sin.
Scripture says that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. It can also be stated the God so hated sin that He sent His only begotten Son. What this means is that God's punishment for sin is so severe and His love of man so great, that He sent Jesus to be the atonement for sin for all who will receive Him. Without this understanding, we will not be able to appreciate the glorious promise of heaven or experience the purest dread and fear of hell.
I believe the soul of America is better represented by those who, in current usage, are described as conservative.
Thomas Day
Buford