To the editor:

At least one letter each month has ridiculed the Bible and its Christian and Jewish believers. As Bob Dylan said in one of his songs (on another topic): “Don’t criticize what you can’t understand.” That is good advice.

Some letters condemned the Bible for its honesty in describing sinful behavior. That critic didn’t understand the reason for these historical accounts and overlooked the spiritual messages about why imperfect humans need God.

Other letters criticized Jesus for saying that he came not to bring peace but a sword. He was not promoting hatred, conflict or violence but was making a prophetic statement about intolerance and persecution. Remember that Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

A recent letter ridiculed the story in Genesis about a snake in Eden speaking fluent Hebrew. The Bible doesn’t say that a real snake actually spoke. The talking serpent was a Satanic illusion but hostile skeptics won’t accept that possibility.

A skilled ventriloquist can make it seem like a dummy is speaking. What about Satan and a serpent? Also consider the talking animals depicted in realistic forms or as cartoon characters in motion picture animation.

Modern humans with scientifically-advanced technology can do many things unknown to their ancestors. According to the atheistic view of reality, the mindless forces of nature accomplished even greater things by creating the universe and all life forms on our planet. However, divine or demonic spirit beings are incapable of doing anything.

There are scientists who believe that superior beings exist in outer space and are more intelligent than humans. Refer to them as God, the Son of God, angels or Satan and you will be ridiculed as an ignorant, religious nut.

Robert Kohtala

Chassell