‘All Religions Are Like Mountains’

Based on Dec. 1 articles, it appears that religious organizations within our own country are creating a home-grown variety of the Taliban. The Mormons ostracize anyone who doesn’t share their religious beliefs; the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod threatens its own pastor with expulsion for praying in public with those of other faiths; and Southern Baptists are asked to pray for the conversion of Muslims during their holy days of Ramadan.

Until all religions learn to accept people of other faiths as equals, we will continue to experience the tyranny of terror in both large and small ways.

Charlotte Lobb

Torrance

As I read “Heresy Charges Leveled at Lutheran Pastor” (Dec. 1) I could only wonder: These are Christians? These so-called messengers of Christ are trying to give the boot to the Rev. David Benke for having the audacity to take part in an interfaith ceremony to honor the victims of the World Trade Center attack--accusing him of complicity in idolatry for standing alongside those of (shudder) other faiths as if they were equals: Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Christians of other denominations.

What an absolute crock! I can only imagine Jesus throwing up his hands at these “loving” members of his flock who obviously have no conception of his admonition to love all others as they love themselves. I can only imagine him thinking, “Why did I even bother?”

Richard Kinz

Atascadero

Doesn’t Southern Baptist Convention President James Merritt know that all religions are like mountains? They all reach to God.

Harold Gordon

Los Angeles