Condemning Christians Is Basis of Argument

Crispin Sartwell’s commentary (“Brimstone Becomes the Christian Right,” June 15) is a perfect example that Christians are the only social group left that can be vilified with impunity. His commentary has no point except simply to condemn those of the Christian faith.

Had he used African Americans or homosexuals as his target, these groups would have appropriately risen up in righteous anger and exposed his pretentious and inaccurate diatribe. When he gloats about the “excesses” of Christianity such as the Crusades, the Inquisition and “forced conversions,” he refuses to acknowledge the wealth of recent scholarship that proves how little a role Christianity played in these events and how large a role politics played. And of course, he conveniently overlooks the incredible number of social institutions like hospitals, orphanages, universities and libraries that were begun by people driven by Christian ideals.

Phil Cooke

Burbank

Sartwell’s commentary on the wrathful and loving sides of Jesus is correct and well-argued as far as it goes. What he omitted is the object of Jesus’ wrath. The bulk of Jesus’ anger, by far, was aimed at the rich, comfortable and self-righteous men who condemn others while ignoring the plight of the poor and hungry. Similarly, the lack of morality that so angered God at Sodom and Gomorrah was not sexual sinning but the failure of those towns to show charity and hospitality.

If conservatives continue to condemn President Clinton for lying about sex while ignoring the sin of Reagan/Bush in forcing millions of Americans into poverty and despair, then Sartwell hasn’t convinced me that Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and his cronies are not un-Christian.

Ken Lanxner

San Clemente