Letter: Seek forgiveness, not revenge

Every day we hear about people fighting and killing each other.

There are people within our community who hate their next-door neighbor because of their color, religion, race or any number of reasons. If you ask them why they hate, they will tell you they were wronged by people like their neighbor. They will tell of terrible things that have happened to them, which gives them the right to hate and get revenge.

Is there an answer to this hatred? Can a presidential candidate stop the hatred? Would killing our enemies solve the problem?

Our problems stem from kicking God out of schools, the government and out of our lives. The United States is not a Christian nation, but a godless nation. A godless nation that no longer teaches forgiveness. Instead of forgiving we want revenge. We hate those who insult us, harm us and who look different from us.

There is no moral reason to forgive since there is no god. What would happen if we forgave our neighbor? Nothing. We would live our lives in peace. If we forgave the past and did not hold it against others we would have peace. But you don't know what I have gone through! No, I don't, but Jesus does. He went through a lot worse than you did. He was discriminated against, slandered, assaulted, tortured, and killed. And what did he do about it? He forgave us. Until we learn to forgive, like Jesus did, we will have violence and hatred.

David Washburn

Mount Vernon