This is in response to Brandi Walker's letter ("Other viewpoints toward Bible exist" SN 7/26). While I do not hold a formal degree in theology, I have received many years of theological and doctrinal instruction (from Christians of many different traditions) and have served as a missionary in Latin America.
The city of East Lansing asserts the Cedar Village area is a poor place for students to gather after NCAA Tournament basketball games because it's congested and hard to effectively police.
As horrific and paralyzing as the July 7 and 21 bombings are for London commuters, the British government seems to be more concerned about showing resilience than understanding why their largest city is being bombed. As reported by Sarah Lyall in the July 27 edition of The New York Times, "Prime Minister Tony Blair promised on Tuesday not to 'give one inch' on British policies in the Middle East, and he said Britain's three main political parties were moving closer to introducing stricter anti-terrorism laws for Parliament to consider in the fall." Rather than not giving an inch, maybe Blair should try to understand these terrorist acts and the people behind them instead of discounting them as senseless acts of destruction.
State House Democrats planned to announce legislation that would allow Michiganians to buy about 150 brand-name drugs from Canada and other countries at significantly lower prices than in the United States. The legislation would aim to allow Michigan to take part in the I-SaveRx program, which is limited to brand-name drugs for treating chronic and long-term conditions.
As I read this ongoing debate about homosexuality and Christianity, I feel that we are inching closer and closer to the truth.
I appreciate John Bice's willingness to interact with the issues I raised in my letter ("Faith needs reason, not blind beliefs" SN 7/5). Yet in his most recent article ("Religion is 'blind faith;' anyone could have written Bible storybook" SN 7/21) he seems to be unwilling to address the fatal flaws and inherent contradictions that exist in the arguments he advances. Space prohibits me from offering a detailed response; however, I would like to briefly address a few of the more egregious errors found in his article.
The general problem with the letter ("Step forward" SN 7/12) stems from a misunderstanding of what religion is all about.
The recent London case of mistaken identity which resulted in the murder of an innocent Brazilian citizen is an atrocious, yet cutting example of trigger happiness and fear that runs rampant in today's world. Jean Charles de Menezes was killed last week when he was shot eight times by London anti-terrorist police.
Benjamin Greathouse seems to have missed the point of my previous letter ("Letter writer wrong with interpretation" SN 7/19). There are pastors with more theological training than he has that believe that homosexuality is not a sin. Perhaps he should seek out and learn about these viewpoints before dismissing them.
I am confused as to why these articles about the Residence Halls Association incident are pretty much the same ("Ex-RHA official pleads guilty to embezzlement" SN 7/25). It seems The State News is scraping the bottom of the barrel to get a story.
In my last column ("Campus radio station should diversify its daytime music rotation" SN 7/19), diversity was the topic, but judging from some of the responses it received, it seems that race might have taken the spotlight instead. Race is an imprecise way to describe a person, or a radio format for that matter.
A commonsensical conclusion would be that misconduct in scientific research wouldn't be lucrative enough for anyone to partake in it at all.
Brandi Walker did very little for us "homosexuals" with her "inclusive" Christian outreach ("Letter writer wrong with interpretation" SN 7/19). I admire her effort in arguing that homosexuality might not be a sin (and for the record, it isn't). I will also give her the benefit of the doubt that she personally doesn't believe homosexuality is a sin.
Karl Rove leaked the name of an undercover CIA agent, Valerie Plame, to news reporters. Even when this issue is discussed in the news, the fundamental crime against our country has been absent.
The expected tuition hike for MSU has finally come, and at 13.5 percent for new students and 9.3 percent for returning students, it's a hefty one.
Phil Bellfy demonstrates the dangerous consequences of the leftist-dominated media in our country ("Gunn's column very interesting, correct" SN 7/19). Though he made a valiant effort to counter my points ("Many at fault for U.S.
We have all heard the tired phrase, "It is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." When it is used in most sports circles, players, coaches and fans usually roll their eyes and move on to something a little more grounded in reality.
I would like to thank Tom Cooke for the years he has spent as a loyal Impact listener, and I would like to extend the same thanks to all of you in the Lansing area who continue to make the Impact (88.9-FM) one of the highest-rated rock alternative stations in Mid-Michigan.
It's 2005. Cameras are everywhere. Almost every new piece of technology - MP3 players, cell phones, electronic organizers to name a few - comes equipped with at least a low-quality digital camera. Many of the images from the April 2-3 disturbances came from camera phones.
In my last column ("Scientology's wild claims no stranger than those of major religions," SN 6/28), I argued that Scientology doctrine, although undeniably nutty, isn't any more fanciful or unfounded than mainstream religious beliefs. One response published in The State News countered my point with the assertion that Christianity is different; it doesn't rely on faith alone but on "reasoned faith" ("Faith needs reason, not blind beliefs," SN 7/5). Let's examine that. Dictionary.com defines "reasoned" as meaning, "to determine or conclude by logical thinking." In contrast, "faith" is "belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence." Reasoned faith is a contradiction. Certainly, reason is absent with regard to the unsubstantiated belief in the virgin birth, the trinity and transubstantiation.