NM pastor wrong to play victim card

THIS letter is in response to Steve Smothermon’s editorial dated Jan. 6. I, for one, am more than tired of evangelical Christians playing the “victim” card.

In the first place, his reference to a Danish study is questionable at best. When, where, and why was the study done?

Certainly, here in the U.S., Christians are not victims. They do not pay taxes on the huge amounts of money they collect for their churches, pastors, etc. They have recently collected PPP funds from the government and apparently are eligible to apply again for this latest round of funding.

They are able to conduct their schools outside parameters set by the state department of education. Unlike public schools, for example, they are not required to provide services to students with disabilities. In the recent past, their businesses have been given permission to deny services, including medical, to persons who do not believe as they do.

His criticism of the governor’s efforts to stem rampant outbreaks of COVID-19 is ill-considered. How Christian is it to object to efforts to save people from becoming ill and/or dying? If people with asthma and PTSD can’t stand to wear masks to protect themselves and others, perhaps they should stay home and watch the many Christian services available on TV or on the internet.

Wearing a mask would be, in my opinion, the Christian thing to do. It’s my understanding that a Christian is supposed to be concerned with the welfare of others, not to be

“free to decide how best to conduct themselves” even if it means endangering others . ...

JAMIE DAVIS LOS LUNAS