Amazement poured forth as I digested the latest missive written by the man from Paris, Arkansas, which appeared in Voices 7-8-2008. The letter shows a man who is lost in the wilderness of his mind. He accuses Paul Greenberg of not reading anything that disturbs his delusions due to his comments on a book by author Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation. Having read many letters written by the Paris man, it’s obvious that he disregards the truth in favor of his delusions.

He wants to be enlightened and refuses to acknowledge that Jesus can bring light into all lives if they will but follow him. In fact, he wrote that, “Those who would deny that religion today is the most divisive force in all the world, and the greatest detriment to world peace, have not been paying attention. He is the one not paying attention. Jesus said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34) The truth is simple: the other religions (call them beliefs in different gods) of the world refuse to recognize the pre-eminence of Christ. Jesus causes the hearer to have to examine his or her life and they don’t like what they see so they rebel against God and blame “religion” for the problem, thus no peace of mind. However, given the former letters from this man, belief in God (he calls it religion) is the target of his words.  

Paul went to Mars Hill in Athens and told the men assembled (Acts 17:22) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. The word superstitious means religion as used in the verse. They were religious to many gods. The Paris man wrote, “Peace can only exist between equals, and because all faiths believe they are superior to all others, peace is not a prospect that’s likely to materialize.”  That’s true as long as Jesus and God are rejected. The letter writer needs to read the scriptures and see the light that Jesus shines on understanding (enlightenment). He said, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5) Jesus is still in the world through the Spirit as told in the Bible and will be until he returns to end all this ungodly madness.

The writer needs to tell us what kind of a belief or religion we will follow that will bring peace. Of all the different beliefs in the world, which one will bring peace? Will no belief bring peace between all men or belief in many? Which one will we agree upon as the solution? It is just as the men of Athens demonstrated with their idols to the different gods as recorded by Luke in Acts 17:23. Paul told them, For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.  What the letter writer fails to admit is that all men have gods and a religion of some kind. That is the nature of man; it always has been and always will be that way. In fact, based on what is written there is no doubt that the letter writer’s religion is railing against God, His Son and those who believe in them and the Bible message.  

Blind is the word that comes to mind for those of the writer’s crowd. Jesus said (Luke 6:39) Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?  We are witnessing the consequences of the blind leading the blind. There is an ongoing escalation of murder and rape, homosexual conduct of all kinds in public, abortion, theft public and private, pornography, greed, envy and all the other conduct found in the Bible that condemns all men as Paul wrote in Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Whether it is liked or not, the way of God in Christ is the only belief (not a religion but a way of life as opposed to the way of Satan) that shows the way to live and at the same time provides a means of salvation for the sinners.

Mr. Man from Paris finished his letter with the following. “Anyone truly concerned with future of mankind should read Letter to a Christian Nation. Oh contraire, anyone concerned with his or her future, this nation and all the peoples of the world must read the Bible, for in it is the path to salvation and eternal life. That’s the future and life that everyone should desire. Jesus Christ will end the darkness found in the mind dedicated to unbelief and bring an end to being lost in the wilderness.

© 07-18-2007 DEC