To the editor:

My July 24 letter proving that God is not cruel was contradicted by an August writer who said that most pagans were good and none were extremely evil. Not even Adolf Hitler?

Hitler, who said he was a pagan, wanted to abolish Christianity (because of its Jewish origins) and replace it with paganism. Six million Jews died because of that tyrant.

My letter didn’t clam that all who have false beliefs are evil.

Samaritans had a false version of Judaism but Jesus praised a good Samaritan because of that man’s compassion.

The doctrinally correct or those belonging to the right group can still be spiritually dead. That is why Jesus said “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” ( Matt. 5:7-8).

Jeremiah 19:4-5 tells how Israelites were corrupted by extremely evil paganism:

“…they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent ones. They … burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Ba-al…”

I didn’t say that we worship God for His benefit, as the skeptic claimed. We do it because we love God. That is good for us.