Editor, The Gazette:
I write in support of Rosemary Phillip’s letter in last week’s Gazette (Oct. 31, “Billboard show narrow minded attitude”), about the billboard at the west entrance of Grand Forks.
Now Rosemary would be the last person to expect me to agree with her theologically, but that is the point: We who live in the Boundary share a whole variety of belief commitments and questions about the Divine. Even in the world-wide Anglican faith community there is such variety, and passionate debate is constant. But surely we can live together with the mutual respect, inclusiveness and good manners that are essential components of love! As a recent Facebook post put it so well, “We each may light a different candle, but if we all light them and they burn together, it might bring light to this mad world.”
“Jesus is the only God”? Even from a conservative Christian perspective, that is a questionable statement. Whatever happened to Abba and Holy Spirit?
But even that statement is part of the rich mix of belief in our home valley, and should be accorded its share of respect and inclusiveness. But not, I plead, emblazoned in an unmissable sign at the entrance to town, as if that were the defining belief of all residents, and every other perspective, deeply held belief and unbelief was unacceptable.
Let’s all burn our candles together.
Rev. Bob Purdy,
Retired Anglican Priest
Grand Forks
