News-Record.com

Why does not Jack Stratas stay with his beloved UMC and let others go as they feel led? He left his mark on Thomasville, NC...now he feels the need to go after fellow ministers. When will people learn to talk with one another?

Shalom

The N&R is opening a can of worms with this letter. Next will come Baptist and Catholic slamming...then watchout for riots in the streets, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

Julie Peeples is one of the most kind, thoughtful people I have ever known, and Mr. Stratas must feel pigeonholed down in Denton, looking for some publicity to make him seem relevant again.

I am responding to the “abysmal” letter to the editor written by Mr. Stratas to voice my support for Rev. Peeples. I am a member of Congregational UCC and I agree wholeheartedly with Julie’s column.

I am sorry, Mr. Stratas, that your friend recently left the UCC. However, I feel honored to live in a society where one has that choice. I myself left a denomination once I looked into its background and thought process and realized that it didn’t fit with mine. After some searching I am grateful I found the UCC and feel that I fit in just perfectly.

Rev. Peeples is a great example of those who fill the pews on Sundays. She is open and accepting, she is there in good times and through difficult times, and she is always willing to dialogue. To me she is a hero, someone to be looked up to.

Rev. Peeples, Julie to me, has not taken Christ out of anything. Instead she inspires others to love harder, to understand deeper, and to help more often . . . something I think Christ would have done and something I am sure Christ strongly approves of.

Are you aware that Christmas was actually outlawed by Christians in early American history? It wasn't even declared a national holiday until 1870.

Many Christians, including myself, see ever day as a "holy day" and realize that Christmas is just a Roman Catholic holiday - Christ-mass.

Some Christians do not celebrate Christmas because of its pagan roots and symbolism.

So...you might not want to generalize. I find it problematic that, for the most part, Christmas is just another way for folks to make money off the name of Jesus.

Judge not.......

If you want Christmas to be a religious holiday, then it shouldn't be recognized as a federal/national holiday. You know - separation of church and state. Since we all know Jesus wasn't born on Dec. 25th, maybe we should move the holiday to the next to last Sunday in December and not get any days off of work. That would end all of the controversy. People who celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus could do so. And those of us that celebrate it as a gift exchanging experience could do so. And no one would have to be offended.

"And no one would have to be offended."

I'm offended that you would want to combine two holidays into one (Christmas/New Years) I like having a day off at Christmas even though I do all my celbrating on Christmas eve.

I didn't say anything about combining the two. The New Year holiday can be kept as is. I was talking about Christmas only.

Re. Peeples,Rabbi Guttman and Jim wallis are all cut from the same piece of socialist/marxist cloth. WWJD yada, yada, yada.

"What would Jesus Do?" is a pretty good question to ask ourselves, Cuz. A socialist and a marxist are saved by the same Jesus I worship. Salvation does not rest upon our political ideologies.

By the way, are you related to Marion Wormer? Your posts sound very much like those written by this person.

Why is that Christians are not allowed to defend their faith. Mrs. Peepes attacked those Christians who stand up for Jesus.

She was not kind and gentle when she attaced Christians for supporting Christians. Are they her enemies?

Jesus stood up for his faith. Jews stand up for their faith. Moslems stand up for their faith, but Christians who strongly believe in Christ are supposed to sit silent? Wy?