Responses to Anne Rice's Christmas Story:

Thanks so much for this article on an honest and intelligent woman who hasn't just played at church but really has had an encounter with God. I didn't agree with all of her first novel about Jesus, but I recognized her sincerity throughout it. A woman in my church is into gothic things and shocks some of our church folks without really meaning to. She was talking with me and another church member about her love of vampires and werewolves and Anne Rice. She had heard that Anne Rice had found Jesus and couldn't write her wonderful books anymore. This friend of mine feared giving up her life totally to God because she was anxious for what He might ask her to do. Well, this other man who was talking with this woman along with me didn't know anything about Anne Rice, and he decided to go to The Internet and do some research. He discovered very soon that she had an e-mail address and welcomed letters. He sent her a quick letter asking some of the questions that this sister of ours had. We were amazed. Within hours, Anne wrote back to him telling something of her conversion and commenting on our sister's questions from her perspective. You would think that she has enough things to do already and would take at least a week to get back to us. What she wrote cleared up a lot of things for all of us, and this sister in the Lord took another important step in her walk with Jesus as a result. Famous people don't have to do this. - John White

Ann Rice is another example of people that are off the deep end until they are touched by God. People who fight hardest to deny God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, become the best witness to the power of God the creator of the universe and the one that most loves every human being. People such as Ann will have a special place very close to The Trinity when she arrives in heaven. Thanks for the article and I thank God For Ann. - Carl Lawrence Facilities Coordinator FBCOL

I copied the story on author, Ann Rice, over to an email to the secretary group in our law office, some of which play at faith when it is convenient or at the holidays, but struggle to completely cross over and allow the internal changes that the Holy Spirit works out in our day to day relationships and activities. I will be praying for Ann. As she has confronted Hell's Gate, there will be continued battles to prove out her decision for Christ. - Tammy Cochran , Fishers, IN

Thanks for that superb piece on Anne Rice and the side bars as well. That Ms Rice is subjected to claims of dementia for believing in a God active in this world mirrors the abusive hate mail that Professor Antony Flew, former arch –atheist, received when after decades of being the elder spokesperson for disbelief embraced the reality of a deity. As Prof Flew has written, “I follow the school of Socrates. I go to where the truth leads. - G. S. (Orthodox Jew)

Very interesting. - D. B. S.

Responses to other tothesource articles:

D'Souza used some interesting illustrations to argue that there had to be a first cause, but that doesn't satisfy the question how that can be. If everything needs a cause, why doesn't God need a cause? He should add the explanation that God isn't something that comes into being; it is the latter that needs a cause. Everything that begins to be is caused. God didn't begin to be. - Rick Wade Probe Ministries

Dear editors, The Rev. Peter Waid may have been referring to the work of Kenneth Bailey in his posting about the word "inn" in Luke's Christmas story. What he did not make clear was the context in which the word makes a difference. One of the things that makes the reading of the Bible so fraught with possibilities for misunderstanding is the very different cultural context in which we live. We in 21st century America hear "inn" and we think "Red Roof Inn" or something similar. (See the Dec 20 To the Source letter by Dan Hillard where he says that there are no mangers in the hotel rooms where he stays.) In the first century an inn would have been a noisome place not at all suitable for the birth of a baby. Also a village the size of Bethlehem would probably not have had one. Now if Jesus was born in the spring (shepherds out in the field at night) then the animal section of the house would have been empty. Since there was an influx of people into Bethlehem, all of them staying with relatives, it makes sense that the sleeping chambers on the roof were full so that the child was born on the main floor and laid in the feeding trough which was not being used at that time. No inn. No inkeeper (never mentioned by Luke). Just a child who is born into the lower classes of first century society in less than favorable circumstances. In other words, the Son of God is one with us and takes his place with the lowest of human society. - The Rev. John F. Dietz, Edinboro, PA

I just read the Dinesh D’Souza article pertaining to the relative costs of Religion and Atheism. The issue is not whether we have an agenda because we all have agendas. The issue becomes that of judging accurately which agendas are the best. Now you see that there are lots of people who believe they have the way that works best. Every religion and every dogma has adherents who believe they are on a meaningful path to a meaningful place. So clearly, just believing in an agenda is no proof that your way is the one that should win out. If an argument is based only on faith, anyone’s faith-based claim of morality would be equally as justified as anyone else’s faith-based claim. To the degree that one’s belief hinges on evidence, we are then in the realm of science, which involves measurement, probabilities and uncertainty. This is an agenda of adjustable growth. This is the reason I advocate a process of science as the most meaningful agenda for the human path. If agendas of faith or dogma are allowed to prevail, then by definition we have selected a probably less healthy future. - Don Spencer