Letters to the Editor

I do not deny the need for women to have a more active role in the Mennonite Brethren community. But the appeal for the Herald to print more female perspectives (Letters, Dec. 18) is problematic. Apparently there are more male than female writers. Should we deny some of them the right to express their opinions? There is no male conspiracy to remain the dominant voice. If there is an MB woman with ideas and insights into relevant matters, who is adept in journalism; and this woman remains silent, then it is her own fault that she is not heard. In the media there is a lot of equality rhetoric which has led many people to believe that the fault lies at the top. It is a justification for feelings of being intimidated when there is not any reason to be.

Edith Neumann-Toews feels that "Brethren" does not apply to her (Letters, Jan. 8). Though it may sound like t, "Brethren", but refers to a bond of closeness. "Brothers and Sisters in Christ" is what we are, and the feelings of closeness implied by our title are shared by all members.

"Brethren" does name us all because it is the name of our religion. We must strive to replace not an antiquated name but antiquated feelings of inadequacy.

J. Lepp, (E)
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Edith Neumann-Toews (Letters, Jan 8) again raises the issue of our denominational title. She states that the name "Mennonite Brethren" does not name her. I believe she is correct. In fact, it should not name any of us, whether we are male or female. I do not find any passages of Scripture calling us to be Mennonite Brethren, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. What I do find are Jesus' words in John 13:35: "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Our name is to be Christian, not Mennonite Brethren.

I believe that over the past few years we have allowed ourselves to put far too much energy into discussing whether we should be called Mennonite Brethren or something more inclusive both those who do not see anything wrong with our denominational title and those who desire it to be changed. Perhaps we should place that energy into making sure we are recognized as disciples of Jesus. I wonder if placing our focus back on Christ Himself may cause us to realize that our concern over a denominational title has been unwarranted.

Konrad Loewen, (E)
Linden, Alta.

I respond to "The biblical injunctions against homosexuality can only be properly understood in the light of the context in which they were written. What seems right in one culture and time may make little sense in a new context" (Letters, Dec. 18). This sounds like somebody looking for a reason not to accept the Bible as the divinely inspired Word of God and a guidebook used to live our lives by.

The argument about examining the culture around the Bible is certainly valid in some situations. One is Matthew 24:19: "Iit is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." This does not make sense because the only thing that goes through the eye of a needle is thread. However, when this was written, the eye of a needle was the small entranceway to a gated city used when the large gates were closed for night. A camel had a very difficult time getting through this small entrance. Our culture does not use camels nor have gated cities. Without knowing this, one would assume that a rich man could not enter the kingdom of God.

Leviticus 18:22 says, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." (cf. I Corinthians 6:9) Homosexuality 2000 years ago is homosexuality today no different, no more acceptable. Murder, idolatry and homosexuality do not change over time and across cultures. They are the same now as they were at the beginning of time wrong.

Robert Klassen, (E)
Winnipeg, Man.

I have just started getting your magazine and read the one page article on the use of the Internet for witnessing (Jan. 8). I grew up in the MB church, although I have been attending different denominations for some years. Let me share with you what the Internet has been for me that the church has not.

The Internet has been a place that I have found God. I have finally found how to have God as my God not just a God that you go to visit on Sundays in church. I have found out how to put on the armour of God. I am now getting up 1-1/2 hours earlier to put on this armour.

I have found love and acceptance. The biggest turn-off of church is the cliques, the judgements from others. Also, people of the church are so busy doing their "activities" that they have lost sight of the need to help people. I still believe we need one-to-one contact with actual people, but just because these people are miles apart and never "see" each other, does not mean that the Internet is not a useful witnessing tool.

It does not work to compare "what if we had the Internet in Jesus' day". It is like this now. The enemy is most definitely using the Internet, and we need to combat Satan. Jesus is alive and wishes us to preach the gospel in whichever way we have access to.

Name withheld (E)

Victor Fast should be commended for the sincerity of his letter (Jan. 22) and his desire to show love to homosexuals. His reasoning, however, is questionable.

First, it's not an issue of excluding churches because they "publicly welcome and affirm gay and lesbian persons". Sinners of all types are welcome in our churches; we affirm that God loves them and sent Jesus to die for them. The real issue is: Do we affirm and encourage sinful behaviour? Of course not. Homosexuality is no worse than other sexual sin. We need to love and discipline all members involved in sinful behaviour.

Second, Mr. Fast states that "it would be a serious error to dismember churches because they have taken a position which differs from that held by the majority." Again, the issue is not whether or not anyone agrees with the majority. Both the Protestant Reformation and the Anabaptist movement came from minority groups standing up for what the Bible plainly taught. Is that what is happening here? Our decisions must be based on God's Word, not on which side has more people.

Third, Mr. Fast suggests that people misunderstand the context of the Scriptures condemning homosexuality, but he offers no new understanding. Looking at the context, homosexuality is mentioned along with prostitution, adultery, thievery, greed, drunkenness, etc. Each of these is prevalent today. To follow this reasoning is to throw away God's entire moral law.

This issue isn't about homosexuals; it's about how we deal with obvious sin in our churches. We need to love all sinners, as God does. We also need to take sin seriously. God certainly does.

Craig Dicker, (E)
Abbotsford, B.C.

We should not disregard Scriptures which specifically state homosexuality is abhorrent to the Lord (e.g. Romans 1:26-27). In the beginning God created male and female not "male and male" or "female and female". They were created as helpmates, companions and procreators. Are we saying God was mistaken when He did this? Our marriages are to be an example of Christ and the church. He is the One who speaks time and again of the Bride and the Bridegroom—not the Groom-groom or Bride-bride.

We are allowing Satan a strong foothold if we do not condemn this sin. Those who practise this may have many good traits—so may adulterers, liars, etc.; it does not change the fact that what they are doing is wrong the Lord's words, not mine.

Sharon Henschel,
Dawson Creek, B.C.

I share the same questions as A.M. Klassen (Letters, Dec. 18). I have done some studying and searching, but I am not clear. I want to look to the older people of the church to answer my questions but many times I am faced with blank faces or "Well, I was taught.…"

I am surprised at the comment that "there's no need for these sign gifts." Where in Scripture does it say that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are only for a short time? If there isn't any Scripture that covers this idea then have we been taught that we have control of how God works? Doesn't that destroy the teaching God has everything under control? In I Corinthians 12:4-6 I don't find that God has changed His. It does say "distributing to each one individually as He wills." We are being disobedient if we are not willing to allow God to give us His gifts and use them.

We need to ask for the Holy Spirit to come so that we know what is written in the Bible. We need to be teachable and seek out the Scriptures so that we know what is right and wrong. We need to remember that God is the same God that raised the dead, healed the sick and gave clear directions to all that follow. If Scripture is telling us that the Holy Spirit gives us the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues, why are we not using them in our churches? Have we been deleting things in the teaching of Scripture? Was there misinterpretation in the past? Or is God jumping out of the box our forefathers have put Him in?

As for worship, I enjoy the singing, clapping and drama, but am too scared to join in because of the teachings I have received. I want to know where we came up with all the rules on worship, and are they backed with Scripture?

These are strong questions. Where do we go to find some of the answers?

Walter Wilson,
Fort St. John, B.C.

I agree with Dale Enns that it is God Himself and not actually the Bible that has authority over us. However, his distinction between "the Word of God" and "the finite human words of the Bible" is troubling. If the Bible is merely composed of human words, why should I accept its messages more than any other book? Many individuals in history claimed to receive divine revelations without the Bible's help. Should I accept their words more than the Bible?

Roland Derksen,
Vancouver, B.C.

Re "God, not Bible has authority over us" (Letters, Jan. 8): What God is being referred to? There are many gods, but only the one true God we read about in the Bible.

The Bible is a map giving direction on how to travel the narrow way that leads to eternal life. It also clearly spells out the consequences of travelling the broad road that leads to eternal damnation (Matthew 7:13-14).

God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit continue to communicate to humankind through the Bible, both directly and indirectly to individuals and groups. In the Old Testament God spoke via the burning bush, and even through a donkey. He speaks no less to us today.

Having worked and travelled on many continents, I'm extremely impressed how the Bible and the Holy Spirit continue to change hearts and lives through Jesus Christ. Jesus in John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."

The preacher who threw his Bible out the window was mocking God. Obviously he doesn't know the author or its contents. In all my worldwide experiences, I have never encountered anyone making a graven image out of the Bible. As we focus on and follow Jesus in obedience to His Word, the Bible, all other perspectives will fall into place.

Jacob G. Penner,
Winnipeg, Man.

We eagerly look for the Herald issues, not only for the articles but also for the updated information on all the activities of other MBs across the country. It keeps my son informed of all his Bethany friends. The Herald keeps us informed of issues facing MBs and how they are handled at the administrative level. I find this very encouraging most of the time as I see the integrity with which those in responsible positions deal with difficult and complex issues.

I have spoken with both of my sons (aged 25 and 23) specifically within this past week about the Herald, and each of them has said they read their Herald cover-to-cover regularly. It gives me great pleasure as their mother to realize that God's church carries on, generation to generation.

Nancy Jones, (E)
Burnaby, B.C.

Sin is sin

I respond to "Minority might be right" (Letters, Jan. 22). The MB Church, like many others, is being challenged by the gay and lesbian movement. That, however, will never change God's Word, the Bible, which is very explicit in its confrontation of sin. Sin is sin, no matter how you camouflage it. I Corinthians 6:9-10 is very clear on the sins of humankind, as are Galatians 6:7 and James 1:15. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right. . . its end is the way of death."

Many years of medical work have shown me great diversities of life, including the gay and lesbian lifestyle. From my medical observations, I'm perplexed by the abnormalities and unhappiness that abound. Suicide, unhealthy lifestyles and sexually transmitted diseases are rampant. Tremendous unresolved guilt exists.

Furthermore, as much as some proponents of the gay movement wish to convince themselves and the public of the normalcy of their way of life, it has nothing to do with being genetically inherited. Nor does it have anything to do with culture, race or genetic predisposition.

Jesus loves and died for all humankind, including gays and lesbians. Consequently, we all have hope, provided we are willing to repent of our sins and follow Jesus Christ as our Saviour, Redeemer and Lord. Jesus loves the sinner, but hates sin.

Name withheld

Two recent issues have caught my attention.

1. Re Remembrance Day: In my role with MCC, I often visit countries that are experiencing war. Only rarely do I encounter a glorification of war by those who are close to what war means. A time set aside for reflection is a way of letting those who have first-hand experience tell others about the reality of war. As Mennonites, our faith statement opposes the use of violence and therefore does not condone war. We would, I think, be incorrectly reflecting the message of Christ if we took this position to mean disrespect for those we disagree with.

2. I appreciated the frank discussion in the Jan. 22 issue on the benefits and shortcomings of short-term versus long-term mission involvement. I wonder if we are missing a fundamental point in this discussion. The issue of short or long term is relevant only if we consider mission as foreign. If, on the other hand, we consider that we are called to mission work wherever we are, the notion of foreign no longer applies. In that context, the analogy is one of the perfume poured on Christ's feet. The disciples were critical of the waste of expensive resources, but Christ saw the witness in the act.

Terry Sawatsky, (E)
Winnipeg, Man.

Thank you, Ken Miller, for asking, "Will a just God send millions of souls that have never had the opportunity of hearing the gospel to an everlasting hell?" (Letters, Feb. 5) Please allow me to add a few questions of my own.

What happens to the people who hear the gospel from me and reject it because of inconsistencies in my life? What if they are rejecting God because of my misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Him? What happened to the people who died moments after Jesus was resurrected, but before the gospel was spread to the whole of the then known world? Are aborted babies better off than those who live to grow up and never meet God? Could "eternal hell" be an apocalyptic term which has a less literal meaning than MB's have traditionally interpreted it to be? Satan and his angels fully and personally knew God and then rebelled against Him—would not Father God offer the same opportunity to know Him to the children He created?

I have been in an MB church most of my life, and I work and teach in Christian ministries and Christian schools. My questions about "who is saved and who is not" profoundly affect my understanding of the character of the God whom I talk about and live for. Is there room for discussion on this? Is there any teaching out there that answers some of these questions?

Dorothy Peters, (E)
Abbotsford, B.C.

Homosexuality is clearly condemned in Leviticus (twice). Also listed as abominations in Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Isaiah: using incense, eating three-day old sacrificial animals, having sex during menstruation, women wearing men's clothing. But I have seen no move to chastise those churches where women have been caught wearing pants.

The point is simple: the MB Conference already implicitly acknowledges the redactive nature of the Bible. Core principles are always partly a matter of selection and revision. Why live in such fear? The Bible is not a security blanket or soother; it is a mysterious and challenging text, forged and re-forged in history. To deny it is to create a faith like a shaky edifice, with so much dark water running beneath.

Randy Schroeder, (E)
Calgary, Alta.

I respond to the letter by Dale Enns (Letters, Jan. 8). We as God's children are subject to God's authority as directed by His Word. God's Word cannot be separated from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in any way. God, the "I AM", revealed Himself to man through His Word, spoken by His prophets, and in the "last days" He revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. The accounts of Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection and imminent return have been written by "holy men of God, moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21). "All Scripture is inspired by God" (II Timothy 3:16). In Deuteronomy 9:10, Moses records, "The Lord gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God". See also Psalm 1:2, II Timothy 2:15 and Psalm 119, 11,105.

Enns suggests that "through the voice of the Spirit we come closer to God's Word." How can we be sure that it is indeed the "voice of the Holy Spirit", not just the voice of "a spirit"? Jesus does not mention the "voice" of the Spirit, but He does say that "The Spirit of truth . . .will guide you into all truth. . .and He will glorify Me" (John 16:13-14); the Holy Spirit accomplishes this by using the Word of God. The Holy Spirit never works apart from the written Word of God. John 14:26 says "He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." Note, the Holy Spirit does not teach His own things, nor does He have His own agenda, but He brings to remembrance the things of God through the Word of God.

If we no longer accept the Word of God as our absolute guide, but rather each interprets "the voice of the Spirit" for himself, the Word of God becomes a reference book with no authority. May God grant that we will never come to that.

Today, we are not engaged in "bibliolatry", but rather we are engaging in intuitive, personal and experiential pursuit of truth. This is causing our Christian community much grief.

A.M. Klassen, (E)
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Scripture relevant for today

The majority is not always right. In the Bible stories of Daniel, Elijah and Moses, the majority were wrong and the minority right. This is also true in the time of Christ. However, God is unchanging. The Bible is His Word to us and is unchanging. Christ stated, "Heaven and Earth shall pass away but My words will never pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

What God called sin at the time of Moses, is still sin today. Leviticus 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination" (KJV). To say that this Scripture passage is no longer relevant to today's culture, is to disregard God's Word and accept the New Age philosophy of being able to dictate your own moral standards.

I believe that God forgives homosexuals after they repent of their sins and turn away from their practices, but God doesn't tolerate this ongoing sin or any other unrepented sin in the lives of believers.

Darcy Egeland,
Kelowna, B.C.

I respond to Victor Fast (Letters, Jan. 22). Leviticus 19:17 (LB) says, "Don't hate your brother. Rebuke anyone who sins; don't let him get away with it, or you will be equally guilty." This is not a stand against gays or lesbians; it's a stand against sin. Proverbs 25:26 states, "If a godly man compromises with the wicked, it is like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring." I appreciate the tactful manner in which Fast's letter was presented; however, it is like trying to explain six different ways to run a red light at a busy intersection. Don't be deceived.

We are all sinners saved by grace. God's Word never changes; it is a standard by which to compare our lifestyles. When God's Word causes me to feel guilty, then I must take it up with God and adjust my life to comply with God's Word. I have a choice. I don't want to miss the gate mentioned in Matthew 7:13-14.

M.R. Andress,
Port Rowan, Ont.

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