We should worship God in a respectful manner
Editor:
Again, I would like to address the intolerant positions of Mr. Reed Mowrer and his neocom faithful.  These positions and the problems they create are numerous and great.
Mr. Mowrer and his group have a strange way of viewing God. They think of God as some sort of a pop culture icon to be worshiped with big screen satellite feeds and rock and roll bands, often times complimented by people waving their hands in the air speaking in gibberish and basically drawing attention to themselves. 
God should be worshiped in a solemn, respectful and humble manner.  If one wants the other, the next season of American Idol starts soon.
This group also cannot see the gospel forest for the biblical trees. The true miracle of what Jesus came for was his words and not the other things associated with him by the neocons.
When Jesus said love each other, he did not mean love everybody except gays and lesbians or people of other faiths or races. He said love each other. 
These are such simple words, and that is their true miracle and Mr. Mowrer and this group cannot grasp the miraculous simplicity in them.  Jesus spent time with tax collectors, Roman soldiers, prostitutes and other groups on the fringes of society. The neocons of those times, the Pharisees and Sadducees, criticized and condemned him for this.
The neocons also seem to worship mammon. The so-called mega churches and their ministers do not take care of their flocks so much as shear them with the use of tithing and other religious scams. These modern day apostles of Elmer Gantry are more concerned with fattening their pockets instead of saving souls. 
Some of these neocon ministers even tell their congregations that God wants them to make money and be financially prosperous. I could be wrong, but I do not think that the master of the universe gives a flip about money or bestowing His blessings on those with big bank accounts. 
Also, if I am wrong, Mother Teresa has a lot of explaining to do.
Mr. Mowrer and his band of brothers also seem to suffer from a severe lack of humility. A little bit of Jewish guilt and a few Catholic mea culpas are good for the soul. They keep us grounded and unpresumptuous of God’s mercy and salvation.  
Lastly, Mr. Mowrer and the neocons like to use the Ten Commandments as weapons to tear people down rather than as teachable guidelines for a moral life. Instead of erecting these in government buildings and on park lawns, should we not be keeping them in our hearts.

Antonio Flores
Los Lunas

Lottery games promote gambling addiction
Editor:
To some degree I am amused, but more outraged by the New Mexico Lottery Board’s decision and rationale for adding another  game to gambling in our state.
This is exactly what we need to increase gambling addiction or to simply take away dollars that could  be better spent on family and human needs, especially in these dire economic times.
The lottery board’s contention that the new game will generate more money for scholarships (a misnomer at best) is self-serving.  If anything, it will be a break-even outcome when compared to revenues generated by the Powerball now in place.
In my mind’s eye, there has got to be a better way for the state to fund monetary awards for post secondary education.  Moreover, I continue to believe that awards should be need based. 
I’ve said it before and I say it again. Some students that get lottery money can show little or no justification for the windfall.  Worse, those that truly need the assistance don’t get what they actually require to continue their education.
When are elected officials and the people of New Mexico going to wake up and accept the fact that the “house” (the Lottery Board or the casino) has the edge. The odds favor it; that’s the way it is and will always be. 
Expensive professionals who understand human behavior are paid to keep it that way. If you don’t believe me, read “Never Enough,” Michael J. Burke’s tragic gambling addiction story.
People who spend hard-earned money on the Powerball or other lottery offerings, or at the casino, would be better off depositing those dollars in a savings account that earns interest and is protected by the federal government.
Wake up New Mexico!  Wining at gambling is pie-in-the-sky. It isn’t going to happen.

John Lopez
Bosque Farms

Missler’s videos are ‘debunked’
Editor:
Mr. Mowrer proudly used the word “debunked” in this sentence: “The intellectual dishonesty of the Bible debunked in 322 words.”
Actually, the Bible is a book, and as such, not being a human, the book is incapable of being intellectually dishonest. People though, and the words, etc. of people, can easily meet the definition of such dishonesty — whether spoken, in a book or, in the opinions column.
So, Mr. Mowrer offered one name of a person he identified as a Bible scholar, Chuck Missler. I was familiar with the name, but not his scholarship. I did my thing; I did some research.
Mr. Missler has several video programs on YouTube. The first one I visited, which is more than two hours long, is titled: “Return Of The Nephilim.” The material begins with the discussion of flying saucers, and later, crop circles, etc.
Mr. Missler eventually attempts to connect the stories to scripture, and merely, with too many “ifs” to count, suggests that some of the stories might actually be true and that the saucer’s occupants and the crop circle’s makers just might be demons or fallen angels. I suggest any reader interested should visit the video and make up their minds as to the maybes.
The second, short video I watched is entitled: “Peanut Butter, The Atheist’s Nightmare!” wherein, Mr. Missler attempts to disprove the rather complicated Theory of Evolution.
Please, watch the simplistic video and make up your own mind what it might prove empirically, in the real world.
Then my research paid off, I found the video wherein Mr. Mowrer’s material claim of debunking originated. That video is entitled: “How We Got Our Bible — Session 01.”
The video is interesting inasmuch as it deals with different language transcriptions of the scriptures and the meanings of words and language structures. The video not only deals with language and transcriptions, it also makes forays into numerology, astrology, and many cultural beliefs from around the world.
I also learned where Mr. Mowrer got the suggestive phrase, “God breathed” (note I used quotation marks). However, if you are a believer, do not expect your beliefs to be challenged, merely caressed.
Again, I suggest any reader interested should visit the long video and make up their own mind concerning the contents (if so, you can be your own “fan club.”)
But I suggest you listen closely, very closely, because, there are admissions, suggestions, and many “ifs” — and/or, I don’t know what it means, if anything.
Hopefully, I will find the text for the purpose of later deconstruction. If not, it is hard to remove the faulty guidance of emotion as the primary filter (ears love biased dogma and fantasy). It is that, “believe nothing you hear” advice, almost wholly dependent upon emotion as a primary source for reality.
Finally, you can decide for yourself about Mr. Mowrer’s use of the word “debunked” and/or the need of a mirror — defined as: “Expose while ridiculing; especially of pretentious or false claims and ideas.”
Oh yeah, there are many more Missler videos to explore. Move over Hal Lindsey and J. K. Rowling!

Terry Mehaffey
Los Lunas

Fight continues from last century
Editor:
What a juxtaposition!  G. E. Nordell v. James Crawford  — the fight of the century (continued from the last century).
Nordell is especially productive: Fox News is oxymoron, right-wing propaganda machine, false witness, and, my favorite, right-wing sheeple.
Not to be completely outdone, Crawford counters with corruption, extortion, tax evasion and whore mongering.  Keep up the good work, boys!
In full disclosure, I admit that I’m a sheeple and unreconstructed believer in free enterprise, capitalism and individual responsibility; unlike my leftish brethren.

Robert Sanders
Belen