Friday, December 25, 1998

Letters to the Editor

Regret for ACU

What are they doing to my alma mater? I don’t know Mickey Walker (Dec. 10), but I congratulate him for having the courage to put to task the Abilene Christian University most of us have loved and respected for some 90 years until the present administration. I wonder if they are bowing to the 30 percent of the student body who are not members of the Church of Christ? Or maybe the liberal element of the church has taken over. Probably both.

When I returned to Abilene and ACU after 28 years of teaching in California, I was shocked with the lack of reverence in the worship service during daily chapel. I was so perturbed I requested an audience with the provost and the two deans to voice my concern.

Now the administration is looking the other way when students attend off-campus dances. They used to be kicked out of school. The “ACU difference” is being diluted. I feel the majority of students are God-fearing Christians who would worship in decency and order if some of the leaders wouldn’t encourage them to do otherwise. The New Testament says reveling and such like is a sin and to avoid the very appearance of evil.

Anyone who says there is nothing to do in Abilene is telling off on themselves. They usually mean there are few places to do that which is forbidden. Seekers of “fun” will never find satisfaction. Ultimate peace will only come with the joy of doing for others, being creative in their chosen career and following Christ’s teachings. Heaven is the reward.

J.E. MERRITT

Abilene

Unhealthy branch

I would like to commend U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm for voting to impeach President Clinton.

Despite the enormous pressure to vote no, he voted for the law that must be applied equally to all individuals. Every member of the House of Representatives should have voted the same as our congressman because our founding fathers never intended for this country to be governed by feelings.

Public opinion polls serve an important function in our political system, but it is by its very nature of secondary importance to the rule of law. How easily we forget that the prosperity we enjoy comes to us because the rule of law applies equally to all.

These impeachment proceedings remind me we can enjoy the abundance of tasty fruit only if it comes from a tree with deep and healthy roots. When a branch breaks off from the tree in a storm, it may still bloom briefly and may give the casual observer the impression that it is a healthy branch. Soon, however, its tender leaves and flowers will perish and the branch itself will wither and die. There there is no lasting life apart from a healthy root.

Thank you, Charlie, for helping to keep the root of our country healthy.

PETER MacINNES

Abilene

Via e-mail

Valueless society

The valueless society we have become is epitomized in the three points used by President Clinton’s defenders and endlessly echoed by commentators and editorial writers nationwide.

-- Sex acts performed by the president and a subordinate in the Oval Office of the White House while supposedly running the country are nobody’s business but theirs.

-- Perjury and obstruction of justice are such trivial things that a “You’ve been a bad boy” type of admonition is sufficient punishment.

-- Preserving and protecting the “I don’t want to hear any more about it” attitude of the general public is much more important than going through the constitutional impeachment process.

Does anybody hear what this is saying?

BILL LARGENT

Abilene