Jesus

The column, "At home with the Jesuses?" (Sept. 24) appears to have been written by someone who is unaware of the enormous Christian population in Maryland and in our nation. As a former resident of Baltimore for 36 years, I find Susan Reimer 's attempt at some form of "humor" to be offensive, and it would be wise to not make Christians a target. We serve God and His only Son, Jesus, who was born of a woman named Mary. God elevated the status of women by choosing to send His Son to us in this manner.

The annual Way of the Cross observance in Havre de Grace began at noon Friday, as participants walked to several points in the city in this decades old Good Friday tradition organized by the Susquehanna Ministerium. "This is my 21st year and it predates me," Pastor Ron Tabor, of the First Christian Church of Havre de Grace, told the assembled group before the celebration began in David Craig Park. About a hundred people of all ages participated in Friday's walk, carrying a large wooden cross under sunny skies and breezy temperatures.

What Sun staff writers like Susan Reimer never seem to consider is whether Jesus was ever a real person ("At home with the Jesus," Sept. 24). He was not. Paul never intended Jesus to be anything other than a spiritual being. Others invented life details later. We cannot have a debate about whether Jesus had a wife before we approach the question of his historicity, because it preempts many arguments. By the way, Santa's not real either. Theodore Houk

Editor: Someone once wrote that "war is hell!" Is this a worldwide, unnoticed, undeclared war now in existence? If there is a World Wide War, why is there only silence, why isn't the media reporting it? If there is a World Wide War are the Political and Religious Leaders of the World asleep? Were there books written about World War II that accused America's leaders of being asleep at the beginning of the war? During World War I there was a slogan "The War to End All Wars", yet, approximately 21 years later World War II began.

Dan Rodricks recently asked "What would Jesus do?" in reference to same sex unions, quoting scripture and concluding that he would support them ("Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25). Reader Sharon A. Knotts, also quoting scripture, came to the opposite conclusion in her letter ("Jesus would have opposed same-sex marriage," Oct. 30). Really though, I don't care what Jesus would think of gay marriage. I don't care if he'd approve. I don't care if he'd disapprove. You see I'm not Christian, so what I care about is people who want the government to care what Jesus would think.

Jesus taught his followers to have compassion for the sick, including paying for the health care of those who can't afford it. In the biblical Gospel of Luke, the Good Samaritan is the person who stops and cares for an injured man left by the side of the road. In this teaching, Jesus tells how the privileged members of society had callously walked past the injured man, ignoring his urgent need for care. No law is perfect, but the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will guarantee that everyone, even the poor, cannot be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition or inability to pay. Based on that premise alone I support this law. As a Christian, I am commanded by Jesus to love my neighbor as myself, and to care for the poor and those in need.

If the archdiocese had formed a commitee to increase the enrollment of Cardinal Gibbons instead of one to decide how to consolidate it, perhaps they wouldn't be facing this sad day. I will support Catholic soup kitchens and the Catholic Relief Services but not the archdiocese unless it changes it's decision regarding Cardinal Gibbons. Gibbons, Seton-Keough, Archbishop Spalding and Archbishop Curley are the only schools with a mission to serve those who are not rich. When they sell the land to St. Agnes, we will know what truly motivates the hierarchacy, certainly not a commitment to education for all. I repeat -- what would Jesus do?

Ocean City is hosting the annual Jesus at the Beach Music & Ministry Festival, a three-day event that began Monday and continues through Wednesday. The festival of ministry, praise, testimony, prayer, dance and drama is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day at the convention center and each evening on the beach at North Division Street at 7 p.m. A baptism on the beach takes place tomorrow at about 1 p.m. The festival has been a fixture at Ocean City for the past 17 years. Admission is free.

While visiting friends in the Baltimore area, I saw Dan Rodricks ' column "A priest speaks up for same-sex marriage" (Nov. 4). As a Catholic priest myself, I am dismayed by Archbishop William E. Lori's assertion that "preaching ... requires subordination of personal views to the word of God" in response to the Rev. Richard T. Lawrence's nuanced distinctions. It was precisely Jesus' personal views that led him to freely and frequently dissent in interpreting Torah Law (word of God)

Dan Rodricks ("Same sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25) ventured all over the map in trying to discredit the Christian view about homosexuality. First, he tried to imply that the Christian view is that homosexuals should be put to death. I don't know of any Christians who think homosexuals should be put to death. Although Dan was all over the map concerning Christianity, lets just stick to the subject, homosexuality and same-sex unions. I don't know of a single major religion that condones sexual relations between two men or two women.

Opera AACC is celebrating its 11th anniversary this month with a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar," running Feb. 1-9 at Anne Arundel Community College's Robert Kauffman Theater at the Pascal Center for Performing Arts. Director Douglas Brandt Byerly, chairman of AACC's performing arts department, said he hopes the show reflects his admiration of Lloyd Webber's groundbreaking work, as well as his own appreciation of the production's three leading players: Emily Sergo as Mary Magdalene, Robert Bradley as Judas and Benjamin Lurye as Jesus.

While visiting friends in the Baltimore area, I saw Dan Rodricks ' column "A priest speaks up for same-sex marriage" (Nov. 4). As a Catholic priest myself, I am dismayed by Archbishop William E. Lori's assertion that "preaching ... requires subordination of personal views to the word of God" in response to the Rev. Richard T. Lawrence's nuanced distinctions. It was precisely Jesus' personal views that led him to freely and frequently dissent in interpreting Torah Law (word of God)

Dan Rodricks recently asked "What would Jesus do?" in reference to same sex unions, quoting scripture and concluding that he would support them ("Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25). Reader Sharon A. Knotts, also quoting scripture, came to the opposite conclusion in her letter ("Jesus would have opposed same-sex marriage," Oct. 30). Really though, I don't care what Jesus would think of gay marriage. I don't care if he'd approve. I don't care if he'd disapprove. You see I'm not Christian, so what I care about is people who want the government to care what Jesus would think.

I write in response to Dan Rodricks ' column, "Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" (Oct. 25). I more or less agree with his befuddlement with the "extravagant manifestations" of modern day religious Christianity. Nevertheless, his personal opinion concerning what Jesus would do in regard to homosexual marriage runs counter to Christian doctrine. The Bible preaches repentance, not unconditional love to those in willful rebellion against God. Mr. Rodricks makes the common error of confusing God's unconditional love for those who have repented and turned to him in faith, as manifested in Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, with a generalized, sentimental acceptance of all behaviors that dismissed the evils of sin and the severity of God's response to it. This is a fatal mistake.

"What would Jesus do?" The Sun's Dan Rodricks asked recently in reference to same-sex marriage ("Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25). He was highly upset by remarks made by a local Baptist preacher regarding a New Testament Bible verse, Romans 1:32, that states that homosexuality, along with other sins, "is worthy of death. " The short answer is, according to both Old and New Testaments, in scores of verses too numerous to cite here, all sin is worthy of death. But the writer took it upon himself to inform us how Jesus felt about the matter, explaining that although he isn't a scholar of the New Testament, nor does he know or feel inclined to be informed about Old Testament teachings, "I know in my bones what Jesus was about.

I would like to commend Rev. Tom Harris on his letter to the editor ("Bible, marriage and the Lord's Prayer," Oct. 25), as well as Dan Rodricks ' column ("Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25), for bringing to light the wisdom that Jesus would bring us in regard to Question 6, the marriage equality law. Jesus always loved those who were different. The Bible also talks about divorce, and it seems that divorce is now allowed, as is marriage between a mixed race couple.

London -- A THEOLOGICAL storm has affected Great Britain's historic and religious scholars while the source of it, a rewrite of the Gospel of St. Matthew by Greek scholar and controversial British politician Enoch Powell, has yet to reach the bookstores.the heart of the discordance are two central themes: that the generally held view that the Gospel of St. Mark was written before St. Matthew's is erroneous and that Jesus was not crucified, but stoned to death by Jews for what they believed was blasphemy.

Anybody besides me wondering about that giant rooster in West Baltimore? If you live in the area of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road, or drive through it, as many commuters do on their way to and from downtown, you know the one. A huge, sketchlike image of the bird appeared a few weeks ago on the side of a boarded-up rowhouse at 406 N. Franklintown, across from the Hess station. Unusual graffiti to say the least, even if the rooster hadn't been wearing a leather jacket and cradling what appeared to be the head of the crucified Jesus . Perhaps owing to the charcoal-drawing style, or the bumpy canvas provided by the weathered rowhouse, the picture had the appearance of something that had been there for years.

Dan Rodricks ("Same sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25) ventured all over the map in trying to discredit the Christian view about homosexuality. First, he tried to imply that the Christian view is that homosexuals should be put to death. I don't know of any Christians who think homosexuals should be put to death. Although Dan was all over the map concerning Christianity, lets just stick to the subject, homosexuality and same-sex unions. I don't know of a single major religion that condones sexual relations between two men or two women.

In Dan Rodricks ' column on Christians' view of marriage he says "I can't imagine Jesus condemning gays, [who] should be able to marry under the law" ("Same-sex unions: What would Jesus do?" Oct. 25). But the law stipulates that marriage is between a man and a woman. With the referendum Question 6 on the ballot in November, its supporters are now trying to change the definition of the law. Marie Mullen, Joppa