Non-Prophet

Graham crackers: I just read an old article of yours about Fred Phelps' gang picketing the Billy Graham crusade and also about a tyrannical cop who wrote tickets to bicyclers in a small town (Backwash, October 14).

My comment is, Phelps is correct. Billy Graham is going to hell because he is a false prophet. As to the tyrant cop, he should be gutted and thrown to hogs to eat his sorry carcass! Thanks.

Gary Simpson
Milton, Kansas

Origin of the Specious
Scientific Americans: Here are a couple of thoughts on your article about intelligent design and why proponents for ID are often looked at as presenting dismal arguments (Kansas City Strip, February 17). I think the crux of the issue is that we're teaching something that is a theory. And not just any theory but a theory that tries to explain something that is intersected by religion and has implications on lifestyle and morality. It's not as if people are arguing over two scientific theories about how superstrings connect the universe, something that has no discernible relevance to how we live and what we believe.

And in a matter of belief, don't sheer numbers matter? It make sense to me that if millions upon millions believe something, it deserves a chance just to be heard. From a Gallup poll: In 1990, the population of the United States was 250 million, with 175 million Christians. You cannot ignore such a massive collection of your community pointing to one idea -- there is a God, who, in this context (Christianity), did create the world.

I'm not an expert in what "scientific" evidence exists in support of ID. But if you're going to teach one theory on how the world was formed and how animals and human beings got to where they are today, it makes sense to teach all the popular theories on that subject -- maybe not in a class called "science," due to religion not giving a rip about the scientific method, but the side-by-side presentations should be happening. As for who decides what theories make that list -- Christianity, Islam, or your pet cat Whiskers -- I don't know, and to be honest, I think common sense would prevail in determining that, but that's not the point, is it?

Nick Johnson
Olathe

Kans-ass: I've been meaning to congratulate the Strip on the very good piece on intelligent design a few weeks back. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Kansas was a sort of statewide Truman Show contrived specifically for my entertainment benefit.

Mac Tonnies
Kansas City, Missouri

Aisle Seat
Take a vow: Regarding C.J. Janovy's "Open Wide" (February 10): Jerry Johnston, who is very contradictory to Christianity, has an extreme point of view, which has more political connotations than it does religious ones. Some contradictions from the article:

His religious-right view: It's unconstitutional for gays to marry; at least they want to specify that it's between a man and a woman. My issue with this: What if our forefathers truly meant "between two people" -- regardless of one being a male and another being a female? We weren't there to really know if they meant one man, one woman when writing the language for the rules of marriage.

Johnston says people shouldn't use human logic; instead they should only use spiritual wisdom. If God wanted us to use only spiritual wisdom when practicing Christianity, then he would not have granted us human intellectualism. Consider the technologies in health, business and food production -- all of which have a daily impact on our survival.

Johnston warns the liberals in Kansas that he's going to make sure children have a normal lifestyle; he fears other minority groups will seek acceptance (Mr. Johnston, they already have; they're called women and blacks); and he wants to prevent gays from having something as simple as civil recognition. I'm scared of him!

Andrew Thomas
Kansas City, Missouri

Writer's Block
You herd it here: I would start this off with how I hardly write to publications and how I am urged to do so after what I read, just as every fucking yokel in this community, let alone world, does. But that isn't the truth.

This letter isn't about the Pitch's articles or editorials. This letter is to the dumbass demographic that the Pitch writes to. Are you that snowballed, or are you that jaded to see that all magazines, publications, television and Internet reports are biased and slanted according to the writer's sexual preference, religion, race, belief structure and whims? And, I will repeat "and," all reports are biased upon the publications' lobbyists -- i.e., sponsors and advertisers. They are there to sell nothing more than Roadrunner broadband, Pampers, and "sensual late night massages."

So buy more furniture, clothes and Doritos, you pompous, self-righteous, money-driven whores. The herd is calling. Tomorrow is slaughter day, and I'm hungry for lamb chops. Quit your bitching; I had your mom for lunch, and oh, my god, she was tasty.

Adam Koehler
Kansas City, Missouri