In response to William LaRochelle’s letter of June 27, giving his negative assessment of all religions, I agree with him on some of his criticism but fault him for not reporting on any of religion’s redeeming values.

I agree that the Bible is not the infallible word of God, as fundamentalist Christians allege. Although many of its stories are mythical, they can convey positive life messages/lessons when interpreted allegorically.

Where I fault LaRochelle is in his “sin” of omission: that of failing to state any positive values that can be found in religion, of which there are many, a perhaps a cardinal one being religion’s role in sacralizing some of life’s major events: birth, marriage and death, and affording guidance and succor for these events and/or others, as needed.

Another place where I differ with LaRochelle is in his indictment of Christianity as a “hydra-header monster” because of its purported 33,820 denominations. He views this as an unmitigated disaster, instead of finding something possibly good about it — namely, the benefit it can provide by personalizing its services and message. That is something a monolithic church may not do as well. We don’t need a cookie-cutter faith, nor do we all need to worship or think alike.

As for his final thought, “No God, no devil, no heaven, no hell.” On two of the four I agree with him: no devil, no hell. As for the other two, I will just have to wait and see.

Stanley Rice, Turner

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