A reality check on homelessness

In response to Chuck Monroe’s letter (‘Homelessness a national disgrace,’ March): I would just like to say that I sleep soundly, despite the fact that I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge, and despite my awareness of homelessness in Canada.

Recently, while biking through Vancouver’s downtown eastside, I saw free food handed out from temporary kitchens in at least three locations: Oppenheimer Park; in front of the Main Street police station; and in ‘Pigeon Park,’ at Carrall and Hastings.

Having built up an appetite,         I stopped at a small McDonald’s in the area. In this eatery were at least four persons who were obviously high on drugs, but who seemed to have the means to purchase ready-to-eat meals.

According to scripture, St. Paul seems to suggest that those who will not work should not, therefore, eat. I also know that the pangs of hunger tend to concentrate the mind intensely on the problem at hand.

I hate to sound cruel and insensitive, but is it possible that these people are in dire need of a reality check? Is it also possible that Christian charity in this area only helps to encourage such conduct, among the drug-addled?

This, and the secular obsession with ‘human rights’ – which protects them from responsibility – is at the heart of the problem.

Does ‘bleeding-heart liberal’ ring a bell?

Larry Bennett, Burnaby

  Re ‘Churches, open up your doors!’ (Readers Forum, February): This letter mentions greedy corporations who love to make obscene war profits.

These corporations were very useful for us during World Wars One and Two, the 50-year Cold War and now the ongoing World War of Terror. Otherwise we would have had to surrender and succumb to our enemies –  who would have closed all of our churches.

Ralph Forshaw, Nanaimo

Christians not obligated to tithe

Nowhere in the New Testament are we taught to give 10 percent of our money to the church.

Jesus taught, in Acts 1:8, that the church would evangelize the world through the Holy Spirit – not through money!

If a pastor says “you are giving 10 percent to God,” that is a misleading statement.

I was a head usher years ago; so let me tell you what happens to the money you drop in the offering plate. It is taken into the back of the church and counted. It is then deposited into the church’s bank account.

Two weeks later, paychecks are made out to church staff. None of your money goes to heaven, or to God. More than 70 percent of the money pays for leaders’ salaries. 

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The New Testament  doesn’t say that, if you give your 10 percent to God, he will bless you with more. Such a claim is outright fraud.

Earl Banks, North Vancouver

Why is it okay to mock Christians?

It is time  Christians started standing up for their beliefs, and publicly taking to task those who would belittle us and church teachings. So, in mid-March, I sent the following e-mail to the editor of the Victoria Times-Colonist:

“As a Christian, I am offended by the Dilbert comic strip you have been running . It uses the name Jesus, and a comic strip character, to mock and belittle the works of Jesus Christ.

“You would not dare to offend Muslims, Jews or any other religious body in a similar way – for fear of being brought before the Human Rights Council, or worse. Why then do you feel at liberty to mock Christians with impunity? Must Christians take punitive action to get respect for their beliefs?”

Leslie D. Saul, Saanich

West has moral debt toward Africa

The number of children dying in the world each day, due to the absence of basic sanitation, is estimated to be 4,500. This tragedy is particularly serious in some African regions.

Satisfying such a basic human need in these countries would require a relatively small financial contribution from our country. The amount represents a fraction of what it costs Canada to occupy Afghanistan as a vassal country of the United States.

In a Western country like ours, it would mean giving back only a tiny part of the money taken from them in interest on the illegitimate debt we force them to pay.

I believe Western societies like ours have an immense moral debt toward Africa, and many countries elsewhere in the world. This financial help is the least Canada could do to help Africa save its children.

Bruno Marquis, Gatineau, Quebec

Kudos to Anglicans for carbon tax

Kudos to the Anglicans (albeit probably few in number) for their stand against fossil-fuel pollution via a carbon tax (‘Regional Roundup,’ March). May their initiative spread trans-denominationally.

Besides the fossil fuel and noise pollution created by ground vehicles and aircraft, there is the very real danger of ever-increasing smog and ozone-depletion from such machines.

However, I seriously doubt our politicians will practice green-orientated goals and place controls over such pollution. The B.C. ‘Liberals’ are more concerned with creating jobs, at the expense of our water, land and air quality – i.e. our earthly life-support.

Frank G. Sterle, Jr., White Rock

April 2008