M.B. Herald: Vol. 37, No. 6: Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor

Nourishment

"Depression", "pastor burnout", "brokenness and spiritual power", "discipleship", "abortion", "cultural memories"--these issues and many more were of great relevance to my life as a pastor's wife and the struggles that I had to deal with. It helps to know that other Christians also have been facing emotional and spiritual breakdown, and are overcoming it.

I also enjoy reading "Currently in Television", because most of the programs you comment on are also shown here, such as "Touched by an Angel".

I always open the envelope that contains the MB Herald with eagerness, in search of the nourishing articles it contains.

Betty Foth,(E)
Colonia, Uruguay

Second opinion

Re "Helping Christians connect faith and works" (News, Feb. 6): My wife Mary and I were parishioners at the church where Ray Bystrom scored himself a "D" or "F". I believe he needs a second opinion. Ray was always there to notice when individuals' faith was put into action. He encouraged people to give a drink of cold water or walk the second mile. I would give him an "A". We, as he proposes, need to be hearers of the word and doers also (James 1:22).

Jake Klippenstein,
Langley, B.C.

Longer obituaries

I am concerned by the lack of vital information in obituaries in the MB Herald. Obituaries have been cut to the point where they are no longer helpful in deciphering who these people are from a family perspective. Church periodicals are almost the only place we can find relevant genealogical information. The MB Herald tends to focus on the faith journey of individuals. While that is important, it is not helpful to those who are trying to research families.

Peggy Regehr, (E)
Winnipeg, Man.

The full texts of obituaries published in the Herald are deposited in the Centre for MB Studies, 169 Riverton Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R2L 2E5, phone (204) 669-6575, email adueck@mbconf.ca Ed.

Re "Congo:"

Congratulations on the excellent issue on Congo (Jan. 23). My wife and I were educational missionaries in Congo 1955-1974. Many of the people referred to were our students or their children. Mama Kadi (p. 11) was a member of our first high school graduating class in 1970. She was the only girl in the class, and one of the best students. The church in Congo has come a long way. Let's pray that the material wealth which was embezzled by the late dictator Mobutu Ses-Sek will be restored to its rightful owners, the people of Congo.

Ben Klassen,
St. Catharines, Ont.

Too ideological

In "Abortion: everything you didn't want to know", Beatrice Klassen includes the intrauterine device, Depo Provera and the contraceptive pill as "methods of abortion". By placing these widespread methods of birth control alongside abortion techniques like dilatation and curettage, partial birth abortion and saline injection, Klassen appears to support the view that, excepting condoms, modern forms of birth control are equal in intent to abortion. Of course, all methods of birth control are designed to prevent children, but abortive techniques like dilatation and curettage are violent procedures designed to kill known fetuses. That is far different from preventing unwanted children by taking the pill. This wanders into the edges of an ideology that equates birth control with abortion. As a woman and a Christian, I find this ideology irresponsible.

Krista Enns, (E)
Nakatsugawa, Gifu, Japan