This is in response to Judson Duncan’s letter, printed Feb. 26.

First, using the Bible is great! Regrettably we often choose to apply only what agrees with our own experience, opinions or politics.

In the first 12 verses of Matthew 25, Jesus shares a parable. In that illustration, the bridegroom rejected the “foolish,” those who failed to have oil for their lamps, and he was pleased with those who were wise. The wise were not instructed to subsidize the foolish. Next, Jesus explained that those who used their “talents” for gain were rewarded, and the one who had just saved what he had was considered wicked and slothful. In fact, rather than extorting money from the industrious men, the poor man’s money was given to the one with the most abundant resources.

That is what it teaches, even though we may not like it.

Only after these two parables do we get the verses cited by Duncan, where it seems he wants people to conclude that Jesus would endorse Democrats.

I doubt that Jesus would endorse either party, but would endorse both behaviors. He wants each of us to be industrious and productive, yet he also wants us to be kind and generous to those in need.

I would ask that readers check Matthew 25 in its entirety to see if the earlier verses lead others to the same apolitical conclusion I arrived at.

Either way, Bible-reading is profitable.

Chuck Welch, Mexico