There is comic irony in the recent letter written against intolerance, irrational thought, and closed-mindedness. The Flathead High School student who criticized others revealed by his arrogant comments his own intolerance, irrationality, and close-mindedness. The student's version of bigotry has become popular as it is promoted in our schools and in the media.

      This type of bigotry is open-minded toward homosexuality as a healthy alternative and toward a woman's right to kill her unborn child. Its proponents say you can't and shouldn't legislate morality. They consider it a First Amendment right to portray sexuality and foul-language on television and to tout pornography. They are intolerant towards those who push for laws, rules or regulations against these things. This type of bigot thinks that all belief systems are equally valid and are intolerant toward those who think otherwise. Yet if all belief systems are equally valid then so is the belief this type of bigot so disparages--that there is only one true God. They support removal of all reference to God from our government buildings and meetings, and are intolerant of that majority that wants it to remain. In short, they are narrow-minded and intolerant toward anyone that disagrees with those views that they hold dear--every bit as much as those they criticize for narrow-mindedness.

      If you pin them down on their view about legislating morality, most of them would agree that we need laws against acts of violence such as rape, incest, child molestation, forced slavery, murder, apartheid, genocide, and hate crimes. Only the extremes of "open-mindedness" would consider racial or sexist slurs and child pornography to be First Amendment rights. Obviously, they are not truly against legislating morality. They want the laws to reflect their views of right and wrong--the same thing they criticize others for doing.

      You may say, but these violent and exploitive acts are obviously wrong. Who wouldn't be against them? Understand; to many of us it is obviously wrong to legalize the slaughter of unborn children. The fact is, we are a frail species expert at justifying our weaknesses, and all kinds of atrocities have been considered culturally acceptable. Southern US culture once thought forced slavery was great. There are cultures where the blood sacrifice of children and sex between adults and children have been promoted. Genocide was commonly accepted by the World War II Germans as was apartheid commonly accepted by South Africans. Communist China has promoted infanticide of female children. Most cultures denigrate women to inferior status.

      These are a few of the many examples that could be given to demonstrate the problems that arise when rules and regulations are based on concepts developed solely by humans. We are fortunate that our country was founded on a higher set of standards. Though we have never followed them perfectly, our country was blessed to be founded on Judeo-Christian principles from the Bible.

      It is irrational to state that all belief systems are equally valid. God cannot both exist and not exist, so Theism and Atheism cannot both be correct. God cannot be both influential and non-influential so Theism and Deism cannot both be correct. There cannot be One True God and many gods so monotheism and polytheism cannot both be correct. Based on Jesus' own words about Who He was (the one and only Jewish Messiah who died for our salvation), the only two options are that He is that Messiah or that He is a liar-he cannot logically be both. Anyone who believes Jesus is Who He says He is cannot consider Him on equal par with Buddha, Krishna, etc.

      The only way a person can remain truly "open-minded" is to stop all rational thought, quit earnest seeking after truth, and believe there is no such thing as absolute right and wrong. That makes narrow-minded sound appealing, and I accept that label with perfect serenity since my version is based on the sovereign Word of God.

Annie Bukacek MD