Mail Call; One Man's Faith...(Letter to the Editor)

Most readers of our Dec. 20 cover story on Jesus offered passionately divergent views on the Christ legend. Insisted one, "Our God-given reason can inform our faith in God; the two are not at odds." Another demurred: "The whole [Christ] story is an impossibility, utterly unbelievable nonsense."

The Story of Christmas

I read with great pleasure your Dec. 20 cover story, "The Birth of Jesus." Jon Meacham's examination of the various factors that shaped the Gospel narratives took me back to a college religion course that prompted me to look beyond the "special effects" of the story of Jesus and to find the more important truth inherent in his message. I have been on that search for a fuller understanding of God for 20 years--rich, rewarding years of personal and spiritual reflection and growth. From studying folklore, I learned to never let facts get in the way of the truth. This statement cuts two ways. Those who look just for scientific and historical facts may end up missing the importance of the story of God's physical presence on Earth. Those who see the printed words of the Bible as fact may get too distracted by arguing about readings and misreadings and thus neglect what God has called us to do. Our God-given reason can inform our faith in God; the two are not at odds.

Alexander M. Bruce

Lakeland, Florida

An 85-year-old reader, I was most interested in your story of Christmas. After 20 centuries, we still haven't found any historical evidence of Jesus' life or his death. We play around with just beliefs. The whole story is a physical impossibility, utterly unbelievable nonsense. While every sane person clearly sees the obvious impossibility, how can so many believe the unbelievable? As you say, without religious belief we don't know why we exist. But do we need to know? Must there be a reason? The fact is we were born and we will disappear like every animal, every plant, every stone, every star. Anyway, isn't the believer's "eternal life" a frightening threat rather than a marvelous promise? Which thinking mind will be delighted to imagine himself motionless for years, unchanging for centuries to come, just gaping at his "Creator"? Awful nightmare, I say; fortunately, it's impossible.

Jose Versluys