A response to religion

Dear Editor:

I'm responding to the two religionists who wrote in the opinion section on Sept. 22, the free thinker and the liberal. You stated your views on religion. I agree that religions of the world saddle men with empty rules and a promise of an undefined reward in heaven; however, those who put their faith in the Lord our God are not bound to the outward form of religion; faith is not religion; it's spiritual. The religionists of Israel; the priests, scribes and Pharisees were the Lord's greatest enemies. He called them a generation of vipers. They perverted God's commandments, and led the whole nation astray to the extent that God removed His blessings and they were taken into captivity. Embedded in the Almighty God's commandments is a stern warning for those who received his law:

For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children

Upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

And showing mercy unto thousands that love me

And keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:5(b)

To those of us who read this part of scripture and understand it, we can remember a time like the nation of ancient Israel when we transgressed His laws throughout the past generations. Laws that defined our country were based on God's commandments. Now we've replaced God's laws with the religion of paganism, and we are paying a price.

I can remember back to just a few generations agon when places of business were closed on Sunday to honor the Sabbath day of rest. Many workers also had Sunday off. It was a quiet day, and many families attended church. We generally visited grandparents and relatives as a family. We ate dinner together on Sunday with the whole family present. We didn't have fast food restaurants everywhere then.

We didn't have to live afraid behind locked doors, because we knew who our neighbors were. We'd keep an eye on their house when they were gone for an extended periods and they did the same for us. Husbands honored their marriage vows to their wives and children enjoyed the stability of a structured home life. Life wasn't very exciting; women kept house and took care of children, and had their supper waiting for their husbands when they returned from a hard day's work. If we children got into trouble or stole, a parent took us back to make restitution and a sure punishment followed; we didn't commit the transgression again. We learned from our mistakes. As children we learned to be satisfied with what we had. I remember the times I was sent to the grocery store on an errand. I'd be given $5 for milk, bread, coffee, a pack of cigarettes for my dad, and a candy bar for my trouble. I brought change home. While driving, we could stop at a roadside stand and take the vegetable that we wanted. Based on a common trust system, the money was put into a slot in a wooden box.

People didn't live on public assistance; everybody worked. Hardly any nursing homes existed; nor were the hospitals like the mega centers you see now, with special cancer wings. We weren't familiar with the words pandemic, epidemic, heart disease, diabetes or autism. We were healthier years ago. People dressed modestly and children were respectful and understood authority. We were a free people then. A short decade later, during the 60s things began to change. Prayer was taken out of the public schools and was replaced with a moment of silence for children had forgotten how to pray. Rock and roll, drugs, liberal teachings in colleges and universities, free sex and corruption all flowed freely throughout our society as John Lennon sang "Imagine," and the atheists tooted their "God is Dead" slogan. Now in our modern era, stores stay open 24 hours around the clock. Convenience stores and banks are robbed on a continual basis. We can receive abortions on demand. The law allows mothers to not only kill their unborn babies, but the abortionists will even murder a healthy baby at its birth (partial birth abortion). Children are raped and our elderly are abused and killed by family members for their money.

The threat of World War II is upon us and our economy is at the edge of collapse. Foreigners now own our country and widespread corruption is everywhere. Our air, water and food are polluted and we're sick and dying. The citizens of our country are dummied down. Everyone is absorbed in games, computers, cell phones and sports. Our dollar is worthless, and the younger generation doesn't take it to heart. There is no soundness left in our society. We're lost our integrity. Men are taking on the attributes of women and women are becoming more brazen than men.

We as a nation have rejected God in every way and now everything is falling apart. We were once regarded as the head of the world; a sovereign Christian nation, and we've enjoyed the leadership position, but now we're last in everything. We're living in the technological age of "big brother," and on the verge of a one world government and a one world religion. Now that we have given up our God given rights, we are reaping what we have sown. We are headed for sure destruction.

A faithful witness of God once said, "Your God is the one you turn to in trouble." Who will you call on when the trouble comes? Will it be the government, technology, education, doctors, drug companies, or the powers of this world? Maybe you will have the answers. God's word says that those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Every word that the Lord spoke in his word has come to pass; except for his return. So to you liberals I say, that there is no reason to cling to religion, but we should repent before an angry God instead.

Respectfully submitted,

Faye Ruckhard,

Nesquehoning