Published: May 01, 2008 05:37 pm            

LETTERS: May 2, 2008

GI bill needs to be updated



The GI Bill, signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt, was hailed as the greatest piece of legislation ever passed, by the late historian Stephen Ambrose. It was credited with creating the modern middle-class, and helping millions of veterans become doctors, teachers, scientists, engineers, lawyers, and artists.

Sadly, the GI Bill has become a shadow of its former self — failing to keep up with the cost of college, so that the average GI Bill benefit doesn’t even cover half the cost of a public college, for an in-state student.

Unfortunately, John McCain has introduced legislation that would undercut the bipartisan effort to update the GI Bill. McCain’s bill would reduce the college benefit that veterans would get, leaving far too many veterans without a path to a college education. McCain’s bill also creates “second class veterans,” those who serve multiple tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, but would not be eligible for certain benefits available to veterans who serve longer. This says to a veteran who serves two tours and loses his legs during his service that he is not as important as a veteran who served for 12 years.

It is important that every member of Congress rejects the watered-down McCain bill, and supports S. 22 – the bipartisan legislation that would restore the promise of a full college education to those who fought for America. Each of us must contact our legislators, and Sen. McCain, and let them know that our GI’s deserve better.

— Jeffrey A. Knoebel, Charlestown



Farr disputes Neal letter



I was glad to initially read the, “Don’t be afraid to learn from culture, science,” title from Rev Jeff Neal’s April 26, 2008 article. This statement is in contrast to the following statement from page 2 of Helen Ellerbe’s book, “The Dark Side of Christian History”: “As it took over leadership in Europe and the Roman Empire collapsed, the church all but wiped out education, technology, science, medicine, history, art and commerce.”

Rev. Neal has given Christians permission to separate the “essentials” from the “nonessentials” which makes one wonder if he is an inerrant Fundamentalist. It was good for Rev Neal to state that Christians need not support the Biblically supported “nonessential” concept of slavery. Dr. AJ Mattill, Jr, on page 181 of his book, “Sweet Jesus Volume Three,” lists 60 verses where Jesus talked about slavery as a fact of life.

Two of Rev. Neal’s “essentials” include Jesus’ sinlessness and resurrection. Dr. Mattill (ibid), on pages 178-185, lists 27 scripturally supported “sins” that Jesus committed. Dr. Mattill, on page 215 of his book, “The Seven Mighty Blows to Traditional Beliefs,” states that Mark 10:18 has Jesus implying that he was not sinless. Along with this is the fact that there are major gaps in Jesus’ life we know nothing about him.

Evidently, Rev. Neal’s permission to consider the Bible with science stops when it comes to Biblical scholarship and the resurrection. The Gospels contain four contradictory resurrection stories including the fact that the synoptic Gospels have Jesus crucified on Friday and John has him crucified on Thursday. The resurrection contradictions cannot be reconciled.

Rev. Neal states that if Christians do not hold fast to the “essentials” doctrines, they, “...become nothing more than religiously minded people.” “Religiously minded people” is a suitable description for inerrant Fundamentalist. For a nonreligious minded, Biblical scholarly perspective on Jesus, see Bishop John Shelby Spong’s book, “Jesus for the Nonreligious.”

— Larry E Farr, Jeffersonville

        

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