Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-08-07
| Letters
We Hit New Low

Doors Is My Church" by Roy Lee
Yinger July "a, 1889.
l have had discussions at times
with many who were opposed to
the Church and some even with
atheists. Upon some of these oc-
casions l had at least to respect
the personal integrity and intel
lectual honesty of my opponents.
Unfortunately Mr.. Yinger reveals
neither of these qualities. He
speaks rather from a pre-judged
bias that shows utter ignorance
of the facts. Furthermore, the
references in the article are dis
courteous if not downright in
sulting to the millions who do at
tend church regularly, and who
are not only inspired by their
worship experience but are re-
newed to a meaningful and pur-
poseful and joyful life thereby.
Mr.. Yinger simply must be oblivi-
Gus to the fact that numbered
among these worshippers are
many of the worlds most out
standing leaders and thinkers:
people whose minds by COMPARE
son leave Mr.. fingers dwarfed
into insignificance.
Actually, this article is so far
short of intelligent reason and
understanding that / doubt that
very many people will take it
seriously. l take the time and
trouble to make this reply only
because I believe that such idle
and false chatter has no place in
a newspaper that supposedly
speaks for the people and there
fore such misconceptions ought
not to go unchallenged.
If all the bad people are in the
churches as Mr.. Yinger implies
then my first impulse is to say
to him, "Come on in; there is al
ways room for more"
At the very outset one cannot
help but wonder how it is that
this author knows so much about
people who go to church and how
they are affected thereby when
by his own admission he does not
go to church himself, He does
admit that there are "some Won
derful and ardent Christians in
our churches who truly go there
to worsip" Then he hastens to
question why they go. Does it
not occur to Mr.. Yinger that
whenever wonderful and ardent
people do anything regularly then
there must be some valid reason
beneath their actions. Granted,
there are some who go to church
out of improper motives. But is
this sufficient and intelligent rea-
son for others not to do so if
there is to be value found in it?
Because some who go to hospi-
tails are hypochondriacs ought
the genuinely sick person stay
away? Or because some people
vote out of some selfish hope of
gain in an election ought we all
stay away from the polls?
Perhaps the greatest difficulty
with this article is that the au-
thor does not know what he is
talking about He does not even
understand some of the very bas-
les of the Christian faith. To be
more specific:
1. Most people who go to church
do go out of a genuine need for
God and with genuine desire to
express their faith in Him.
2. Christians are not meant to
judge others II even those seated
beside them in church. Should
this perchance be one who "robs
and cheats" then there may be
cause to pray for him but not
judge him. Such judgment is
specifically against the teachings
of Jesus.
3. Anyhow, churches are. not
hangouts for robbers and cheats.
Unless they have a willingness to
change they could never feel reg
ularly comfortable in the pres.
ence of the Christian Gospel.
a. Occasionally church members
do go wrong. They are not per-
feet. But l know of no church
that condones their evil. It's task
is neither to condone nor con-
denim persons but to save them.
5. Consequently, churches exist
for sinners (for that is what we
all are-none are perfect) who
are willing to come confessing to
God and with His help to go forth
seeking the more perfect way.
6. Rare is the paid church choir.
Even paid soloists are usually
found only in the large churches.
z. Mr.. fingers talk of minis
ter's motives. insincere sermons,
nd "toneless and tuneless"
hymns merely reveal some of his
personal prejudices and gripes
which are based at best only on