I wanted to take a moment to comment on last week's cover story "Fantastic World" (issue of June 13). To begin with, the attempt at associating Creationists with terrorists -- i.e., the cover headline "Ignorance Is a Form of Terrorism" -- is utter, unveiled fear-mongering at its worst.

Evangelicals who adhere to Young Earth Creationism (YEC) do not generally blow up buildings, hijack airplanes and participate in suicide bombings of mosques, churches or synagogues. While it is granted that we find the unfortunate existence of such individuals as Paul Hill, such anomalies do not represent the population of generally law-abiding and peaceful evangelical Christians who believe differently from the article's author, Lew Moores.

Secondly, I'm fascinated at the utilization of straw-man arguments in this feature story. Evidently objections regarding the style of Abel's sandals in an exhibit are to be construed as demonstrable proof that Creationism must be false. You would think in such a case -- what with the various scientific authorities interviewed for this article such as Lawrence Krauss and Gene Kritzky -- better proof of this would be provided for the reader.

Instead we find the usual stereotyped predictions that the Creation Museum will lead us into the next Dark Ages and that businesses in the technology field won't want to move to the area because of this. As a Computer Information Systems major with two professional certifications under my belt, I find this laughable.

I was never asked on my Linux certification exam whether I was a YEC or an evolutionist. It seems that you can compile a Linux kernel with relative ease of mind knowing that it'll work even if the admin believes the Earth is less than 10,000 years old. I'd imagine administering a Mac or NT system can be done without respect to which origins model one adopts.

In either case, while railing against Creationists and accusing them of the utmost prejudice, Moores fails to acknowledge and grapple with his own prejudices. While this is convenient for Moores, it's as specious as it is malevolent.

With that said, I would urge CityBeat to continue its vitriolic campaign against the Creation Museum because, although I'm not in the advertising business, I'm sure the costs of advertising can be problematic for non-profit organizations such as Answers in Genesis. CityBeat's paying Lew Moores to advertise the Creation Museum on your own dime suits me just fine.

-- Kenneth C. Vendler Dearborn County, Ind.

Juvenile, Snarky, Ironic
I must say that I expected your article on the Creation Museum to be slanted and biased ("Fantastic World," issue of June 13), but I was appalled. I did not expect such a juvenile and snarky piece.

I would attempt to discuss and debate the lack of merits of the article, yet the cover headline you used says it all: "Ignorance Is a Form of Terrorism." Edwin Kagin is a major part of the devisive aspect of our culture, and it is encapsulated in his misuse of both the word "ignorance" (lacking knowledge) and "terrorism" (the use of intimidation to advance one's cause). A person has to pay to view this museum, not to mention make the effort to travel there, and Ken Ham's biography shows he's not ignorant: His bachelor's degree in applied science (with an emphasis on environmental biology) was awarded by the Queensland Institute of Technology in Australia. He also holds a diploma of education from the University of Queensland, a graduate qualification necessary for Ham to begin his initial career as a science teacher in the public schools in Australia.

I find it deliciously ironic that in your article Kagin, Gene Kristsky and Lawrence Krauss engaged in a more extreme version of the exact same thing you all are excoriating Ham and the Creation Museum for. But, hey, you guys got your money quote.

-- Leslie Ward, Delhi

Everyone = Everyone
Last week, CityBeat laid the smackdown on Christians. I've had my share of experiences like Larry Gross portrayed in his Living Out Loud column ("Have You Been Saved?," issue of June 13). Even as a Christian, I get annoyed by random acts of evangelism.

Yet we're all guilty of the same thing to some extent. I'm certain that many people who agreed with Gross' article also believe it's their right to impose second-hand smoke on others. And don't tell me that's different!

It's the same thing: We're right, they're wrong. One camp believes they have the right to hit me with the Jesus stick, the other camp believes they have the right to expose me to toxins. There are no exceptions. Everyone imposes themselves on others. I'm the jerk driving up Ludlow Avenue blasting Senses Fail.

Christianity has given itself a bad name, and the media has run with it. For your info, not all Christians spend their time saving people. Not all Christians reject science. Not all Christians think they're better than you.

Lumping Christians together with Jerry Falwell is, well, the kind of amateur nonsense you'd expect to read in a zine written by some pissed eighth grader in his garage. CityBeat should set an example: Tolerate the intolerant.

Concerning the Creation Museum ("Fantastic World," issue of June 13), I challenge Christians to follow Christ's words: "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." He did not say, "As I have loved you, you must love one another, except for homosexuals, women that get abortions, smokers, liberals and scientists." On the flip side, this also means loving Creationists, the righteous, people who think the Earth is 6,000 years old and on and on.

Everyone means everyone, whether you agree with them or not, whether you like them or not. That's a true Christ follower.

-- Don Peteroy, Clifton

Paging God
I had to write and commend Larry Gross on the "Have You Been Saved?" column (issue of June 13). My fiancee and I were just speaking about how Christianity is unique in its unrelenting evangelism.

I mean, when's the last time a Hindu or Buddhist approached you in the park with religious tracts? I'm a journalist and cover a multitude of religious events and try to bite my tongue whenever fundamentalists go on a tangent -- they all assume I'm Christian like them, although I'm Buddhist. I had one who spoke for God, saying, "God says we should do this and that and blah blah...." I wanted to ask her if God was available for an interview himself.

-- Rachel Richardson, Walnut Hills

Do You Hate Christians?
I understand why Larry Gross gets so upset about "organized religion" ("Have You Been Saved?," issue of June 13). I'm in the same boat.

But Gross should say what religion he finds distasteful. If it's all religions -- including Islam, Buddhism, Taoism and so on -- so be it. But all he complained about was Christianity.

I fear that our society is becoming too subjective, throwing around statements as truth instead of clarifying what exactly they're speaking about. There are many organized religions, and it's only fair for Gross to be specific of what he's talking about.

And a side note: Christianity is about reciprocation. So these people who are spreading hate are obviously not Christians.

-- Alicen Franks, Covington

Creationism Makes Sense
Interesting column about the lady on the bus ("Have You Been Saved?," issue of June 13), but she was just doing her job. As Christians, it's our duty to spread the word of Christ. Most of us, myself included, are failing miserably at this task, even though Jesus commands us to in Acts 1:8 of the Bible.

I struggle with every aspect of my Christianity except one part -- believing in God. Over the years of my life I've denounced my Christianity many times, and I've always gone back.

The lady on the bus who witnessed to you was doing something that's very hard for religious people -- telling others about what they believe in. We live in a day and age when the media criticizes witnessing of any kind and shows the "Jesus Freaks" on TV, the ones with the "Abortion Kills" signs and the weirdoes who use the devil as a scare tactic.

Come on. We aren't all freaks. We are like everyone else. We too question creation, the afterlife and "doing good" on Earth to make our souls Jesus-like. A lot of people think that living a good life and doing good will be their ticket to a sweet afterlife. What a misbelief.

Creation has always been my biggest issue in my faith in God. Evolution sounds pretty darn good. After some serious study, however, I've concluded that creationism makes much more sense than evolution. Sure, we can always evolve from something, but "something" had to put that there.

I believe that God is so complex that as much as we research, study and preach about Him, as humans we can't truly fathom how large of a force he really is. Nor can we compare him to man, with the exception of Jesus.

I could go on and on about reasoning. But honestly, don't you think that if having an afterlife in Heaven or Hell is a possibility why not take a chance on the Christian religion? What have you got to lose?

It's not just a better-safe-than-sorry apparoach -- it's your eternal afterlife you play with when the evidence is ignored. If something (i.e., God) can put us on Earth, then it can create a Heaven or a Hell.

-- Molly Gambrell, Bellevue