CHRISTIANITY: A dim view

Been reading lots of columns written by Kootenai County residents. All these residents insist that the United States of America is a Christian nation.

I’m a veteran. I’m a Jew. I’ve lived here since 1996. My husband, who was born at Sacred Heart in Spokane, is a native of this area, but I am not. We met in Alaska many years ago and when he decided to move back to Kootenai County, he begged me to come with him. When I told my father, he was horrified. My father told me, “You can’t move to the Coeur d’Alene area! That’s where all the Neo-Nazis live!” Alas, if only I had listened to my father, a wise man.

I moved to Rathdrum with my husband. I began to travel around the area. Remember, this was 1996. I said to my husband, “Where are the people of color?” As a native of the Midwest, I thought it was weird not to see any black people. Then I went to work. I was a veteran. I had served with the U.S. Navy Seabees. Nobody wanted to hire a woman who had done construction and maintenance work. I had accounts with Johnstone Supply and Honeywell. When I went to Johnstone in Spokane, they refused to sell me parts when I was working as an HVAC mechanic. They couldn’t sell parts or supplies to a woman.

Now, let’s address Christianity. I’ve been reading a whole lot of stuff written by people who say they are Christians. I KNOW they are Christians. Christians are the people who ran the Inquisition. Christians don’t believe in love. Christianity is the religion of blood and death.

Christians are writing in now about how America is a Christian nation. I once took an oath to serve my country. An oath I will never renounce. I love America. But you Kootenai County Christians had better take another look at what it means to be a Christian. Jesus talked about love. You gun-totin’, ass-kickin’ mothers had better re-examine what you think Christianity is.

BETSY ROSENBERG

Rathdrum