I am a Christian. For that reason, I can say from experience that Christian teachings do not represent a reliable cure when it comes to the ills of our society. Despite having knowledge of good and bad, and presumably the ability to differentiate between the two, all too many Christians I know will do bad, assuming that they will later be forgiven. While this settles the problem of the individual soul, it does nothing to remedy the situation caused by that individual’s actions, those social repercussions.

What our society suffers from, and what was so eloquently displayed in a letter to the editor published April 24, is intolerance. Clearly, this is what we are seeing when a man will write to his local newspaper and call all those who do not share his point of view “stupid.”

This nation’s overwhelming acceptance of violence, in thought and in action, as a means of conflict resolution, coupled with intolerance for others, is what leads to horrific scenes such as those of the recent school shootings. The important thing to remember is that these are not isolated incidences, but are all symptoms of a greater problem confronting us as a community.

When we do finally make the cultural adaptations required to resolve those underlying issues, then we will see improvements. Until then, the downward spiral will continue.

Jamie Beaulieu, Jay