Faith or not, advice from Bible has merit

While a student in college, one of my very best friends and dorm study companion was an avid agnostic (proper name for “atheist”). His IQ was clean off the scale. He had a master’s degree in physiological psychology and was in pre-med with me, a Christian. After graduation from med school, he became head of the pediatric neurology department of a major hospital in Kansas City, Mo.

He married and had two sons. He was insistent his children be raised in a Protestant Christian church and background as he felt “it is the best ethical behavioral teaching.” This in spite of his continued denial of a deity.

I think of many of his ideas in these days of deceit and hypocrisy, not unlike the Dark Ages. How much better quality of life for all of us, believer or nonbeliever, if we were to follow, say, the teaching of Peter in 1 Peter 3:8-14.

To wit:

“So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. Don’t do wrong to anyone to pay them back for doing wrong to you. Don’t insult anyone to pay them back for insulting you. But ask God to bless them. Do this because you yourselves were chosen to receive a blessing. The Scriptures say (in Psalm 34:12-16), ‘If you want to enjoy true life and have only good days, then avoid saying anything hurtful and never let a lie come out of your mouth. Stop doing what is wrong and do good. Look for peace and do all you can to help people live peacefully. The Lord watches over those who do what is right and he listens to their prayers. But he is against those who do evil.’”

Hate, false pride and prejudice are not exclusive to any race, politic, belief or human organization. How much better quality of life is available to all if they would only “love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

There is a principle of “garbage in, garbage out.” Based on that, it is wise to avoid those sources who continuously preach hate and instead consider “love” before acting or speaking. JIM HUNT Fayetteville