Danvers, Mass.: Jesus has received bad press and needs a brand makeover. Thus, we’ve all been the subject of the “He’s Getting Us” marketing campaign. But the evangelicals behind it don’t seem to understand the most basic elements of getting to Jesus.
Apparently, evangelicals dating President Donald Trump was a bad idea to lure people to the Christian faith. The current make of him looks a lot like Trump draped in the American flag, a machine gun in one hand and the Bible in the other. America is certainly becoming less and less of a nation full of Christians. Many evangelicals feel they are losing the cultural and political war for the soul of the country. Frankly, they are. They deserve to lose. Church attendance has been declining for decades, all while the evangelical church grew stronger in culture and politics. The stronger they get, the more people flee.
This campaign will not bring anyone back. Jesus is a way of life, not something you buy. He is a humble and calm faith that heals the sick, welcomes the foreigner, serves the poor, forgives and shows mercy. Does this country feel the love of the current evangelical church? Most people would say no. It’s loud, angry, judgmental, and in many ways biblically illiterate places of self-worship. No one is going to return to him as he is. In my observations as a minister, it fails to do what advertisers do: pretend to be something they are not.
The teachings of Jesus are of great value and could help many to experience a more fulfilling life, especially the millions of evangelical Christians who have completely ignored them. Nathaniel Manderson
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: Texas Tech officials have suspended basketball coach Mark Adams for being “racially insensitive” for privately sharing this Bible passage with one of his players: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Where is the racial insensitivity? All Jesus is saying is that you cannot serve or worship God and material riches at the same time. It has nothing to do with race. But because this passage speaks of “serving two masters,” the authorities attributed racial insensitivity to it. They need to be more careful in making judgments of this nature and could start by learning more about the Bible. black jim
Jamaica Hills: Regarding all the violent crime on our streets and subways and in bodegas and retail stores, how about Governor Woke-ul contacting the Bronx Zoo? Perhaps they can explain to you the importance of keeping certain animals indoors for everyone’s safety. why certain animals can roam free. yvonne scibelli
Copiague, LI: “Wake up” is more than the opposite of “sleep.” It may not be the most well-received English grammar, but it has undertones of both ‘enlightened’ and ‘wise’. When enough people have found out about the systems that have suppressed them, the other people who have benefited from the suppression have to expect things to happen that feel extreme and, from their point of view, outlandish, outrageous, and wacky. . That they say so tells us everything we need to know about them. mitch kessler
Lakewood, NJ: Re “States of Opportunity” (edi, Feb 25): So now we’re calling illegal aliens “irregular immigrants”? What’s next, irregular citizens? Incredible! Juan Yalango
Brooklyn: A recent notice about the daughter of a friend of mine brought this thought to mind: Recently on TV, Robin Roberts, the star of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” thanked his sister for her marrow donation. I mean. She simply shows that leukemia does not discriminate. I want to attract attention and help this girl. Take the time to learn more about being a bone marrow donor. Hopefully, you never need to be a recipient. What a wonderful and priceless gift to someone. Sharon Cesario
Brooklyn: Is Alex Murdaugh’s last name a harbinger of his current situation? Dorothy L. Kendle
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Hamden, Conn.: So the mayor trusts FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh (“Hizzoner Stands Away, Praises FDNY Commissioner,” Mar. 7), a person who has no real fire experience, never brought fire hoses to any fire scene, never climbed several flights of stairs in full gear, connected a hose to a hydrant, or entered a room that was on fire to save victims. And the mayor chose her to change a culture she had no experience with. It sounds like a great idea. christopher lyon
Bronx: Mayor Adams, what if our homeless people live on the streets? Shouldn’t they get priority for free tuition, room and board at our state universities? How do you justify treating people who are here illegally better than US citizens? It’s no wonder people are fleeing our state in record numbers. Al D’Angelo
Brooklyn: Let me get this straight: We have red light cameras, speed cameras, and now they’re adding noise cameras (for loud car mufflers). The fine for speed cameras and red lights is $50. The fine for the noise chamber violation is $800. Little did I know that a car muffler could be more dangerous than running a red light or speeding! Only in New York, boys and girls! jeff kulikowski
Manhattan: Our irresponsible and progressive City Council members are to blame for allowing this growing number of unlicensed electric bikes on our streets. They are a danger to pedestrians on the sidewalks, especially when they ignore the rules of the road in traffic and unenforced bike lanes. Forget warnings about fire-causing battery charging and cheap replacement batteries because it will never stop. E-bikes must be completely banned from our streets and riders must get back on the bike before the next fire kills dozens of innocent people in a building. Susan P Forman
Brooklyn: I read today that the number of electric cars in and around New York City has doubled in the last few years, which is good news for air quality and the planet. The public charging infrastructure is moving forward too, but the app is not keeping up. Electric vehicle drivers need to use public chargers on the street and in parking lots, but they are often blocked by internal combustion engine vehicles, i.e. gasoline cars. If the NYPD catches these ICE-ers, NYC’s hefty $95 fine is well deserved, but how about a tow? And how about a state law against blocking electric vehicle charging stations, Governor Hochul? Stephanie Doba
Brooklyn: I have to agree with Voicer Alan Podhaizer. I don’t know who oversees these bus routes or even if they live in Brooklyn. They have no idea who rides these buses. I don’t want to be redundant, but this is a great community of seniors and students who rely on these buses to get where they need to go. Why is this area being punished? How do you expect these citizens to get to their medical appointments, go shopping, or go to school without adequate resources? It is also taking business from different stores and restaurants. Please reconsider your ideas or come here and take these buses. barbara prince
Manhattan: Regarding the editorial “Popping the bubble” (March 6): I think the SAT and ACT are not the defining measure for students entering college, especially the most prestigious ones. I think the five Regents exams in specific classes are a much better means of evaluating a student’s readiness. In my time, Regents was a voluntary option and only three were required to earn a Regents diploma. Studying and preparing for these tests was just as anxiety-inducing as the SAT and ACT, only now students must study harder to even graduate. Brenda Todman
