My letter of January 6, 'Hanging on to ignorance,' has drawn quite a lot of fire from those whom I suggest should realise that they may well be a small, 'dogmatically corrupt, religiously intolerant" minority among Christians today.

In that letter, unlike many of the replies I received, I did not state that I knew what God was or wasn't, nor what his motives were, nor even make the slightest suggestion that he was anything less than the almighty being Christians accept him to be. I was not preaching to anyone, but merely observing what was easily apparent from my having read and studied the Scriptures as many of us have.

What is more readily apparent, however, I must admit, and what goes to even more aptly demonstrate the point of my letter, is that this particular minority is for some reason wholly unable to handle what are the obvious paradoxes involved in the interpretation of the Bible. Where, I ask, is the wisdom of their ministers in this matter? Why are they so silent on the matter of hanging for example?

Contradictory

A paradox, for those unfamiliar with the term, is what happens when something appears to mean two contradictory things at the same time. The one I intentionally presented in my letter, much to the apparent dismay of those 'religious understanding-challenged' few who objected to the suggestion, was that God could change.

The problem for some then seems to be trying to figure out how if God were almighty, he could change his nature from that presented in the old to that presented in the new testament. I was amazed at the anger and lack of tolerance behind these responses. It was almost as if the Old Testament God was inspiring them to crucify my ideas.

I can only add that if God can apparently handle these little enigmas without falling apart or discarding his love for us and that he indeed might actually be powerful enough to allow himself to change and improve if he likes, then who am I to believe I am suffering from his creation of the paradox?

I am, etc.,

ED MCCOY

mmhobo48@juno.com

Bokeelia

FLORIDA