Church has it wrong
I only get into religious arguments when they become embroiled in secular politics. This is one of those occasions. So here goes.
Moscow’s Christ Church was recently featured in the national television show, “Meet the Press.” Some of the statements in the Daily News coverage breach fundamental Christian principles. Others, an astounding rupture in logic.
Pastor Doug Wilson has politicized his theology with a campaign to make Moscow a Christian city and supports perverting the U.S. Constitution in making the United States a Christian nation.
I’ve read the Bible — Old Testament and New Testaments alike — several times and haven’t found a single Scripture that justifies Christians taking over secular governments.
But, he did tell his followers, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” Caesar being the head of the government that then ruled Judaea, now part of Israel.
Efforts to make cities and nations Christian governments are a ruse. Supporters don’t want Moscow or the United States to just be Christian governments, they want them to be ultra-conservative religious governments.
That’s something that the broad majority of Christian churches oppose. Wilson’s complaint that the “Meet the Press” showed “typical leftist liberal bias” is a jaw dropper, as if rightist conservative beliefs don’t reflect bias.
Wilson allegedly said that women should be subservient to their husbands.
I think Wilson and his followers should be submissive to Jesus Christ and quit trying to take over secular, civil government, which is government for all citizens, regardless of their religion or lack of it.
Terence L. Day
Pullman
Small acts matter
A 2018 scientific report about climate change was wrong: Climate change is accelerating at a rate faster than predicted. Rising sea level from Greenland’s melting glaciers (i.e. “zombie ice”), the focus of a recent study, was not considered in 2018 reports. We would be wise to brake hard. Now.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a positive step toward deceleration. It includes significant investments in clean energy technologies that steer us in new directions. But it is not enough. Joining the more than 50 nations (including China) that imposing fees on carbon and investing in carbon capture (Iceland Orca) would have a major impact. Immediate carbon reduction will save trillions in the long run. U.S. individuals and companies emitted 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide waste in 2019. We spend 300% more than previously calculated to mitigate effects of carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuels, according to a recent publication. In 2019 our tax dollars paid about $925 billion for climate-related damage (it costs about $185/ton of carbon dioxide to pay for crops, homes and health destroyed by fires/storms/drought). This figure, a conservative estimate, increases every year.
Most people are aware of the problem — more than 70% of Americans acknowledge climate is changing. Sadly, only 52% believe their own actions can affect climate change. Many feel powerless when confronted with such an enormous problem. An African adage, “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a tent with a mosquito” reminds us that small acts matter.
The greatest threat to our planet? According to polar explorer Robert Swan, it’s “the belief that someone else will save it.” Contact your elected officials. Tell them you support funding for carbon capture and a fee on carbon pollution. Small acts matter. They add up.
Trish Hartzell
Moscow
Native species need our help
Winter is coming, and one of the most valuable things we can do to help native pollinators and other insects survive until spring is to provide them with winter shelter. Female bumblebees, for example, are searching now for a safe place to hibernate. We can do something today to help slow the decline of native species.
In our garden, we allow leaves and flower stems to stay put, helping native bees, moths and butterflies survive the winter. Some species crawl underneath layers of leaves and others burrow into old stems of coneflower, sunflower, bee balm and other plants. Creating a bit of backyard habitat will also help wild birds feed their young next spring.
Leaves are my favorite mulch; they are beautiful, provide shelter, enrich the soil and feed vital soil microbes. Just set some leaves aside in a corner of your yard — under a tree or around flower beds. If you don’t have any leaves, a friend or neighbor may be happy to share.
Designating a corner of your yard as backyard habitat can be a great family project. Our favorite resource for inspiration and guidance is the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation at xerces.org. It provides native plant lists, printable pocket guides, community science projects, webinars, activities for children and species information galore.
Evelyn Simon
Moscow
The cost of energy
I am writing in response to the Moscow City Council’s plan to ban natural gas. Looking at Webster’s Dictionary, we may define energy as a fundamental entity of nature … usually regarded as the capacity for doing work. Therefore, when we increase the cost of energy, we increase the cost of doing work. This hurts the poor the most.
The products from using natural gas are carbon dioxide and oxygen. These are directly essential for vegetation production which in turn is essential for animal food. Increasing the cost of energy increases the cost of food (as we are witnessing now). This, too, hurts the poor the most.
Any substitute for natural gas pollutes more and costs more producing not green energy, but brown energy.
Why is our local government attacking our community, our environment and our most vulnerable people?
Peter C. Warwick
Harvard
Arkoosh deserves support
If, like me, you are yearning for nonpartisan or bipartisan candidates to vote for, we are in luck. Tom Arkoosh is the ideal candidate, and he is running for attorney general of Idaho. Arkoosh has been a lifelong independent. He is a seasoned attorney who understands that the job of attorney general is to be the people’s lawyer. He will be focused on the Constitution and on state laws. He has years of experience and familiarity with the work of the attorney general. As an attorney he took an oath to not pursue frivolous lawsuits. He registered as a Democrat in order to provide a choice on the ballot for the position of attorney general. He believes the AG’s office is a law office bound by the rule of law, and not a political office (as his opponent does). He is running a bipartisan campaign and intends to serve the people of Idaho (not special interest groups) in a bipartisan and professional manner. Please give your vote to this fine man, Tom Arkoosh. You won’t be betraying either party by doing so.
Constance Brumm
Moscow
