As a lifelong Christian, raised in the home of my Baptist-minister grandfather, baptized by my own choice at the age of 8, and confirmed an Episcopalian at the age of 14, I was deeply offended by the Nov. 29 letter headlined “Institutional ‘Correctness’? ”
My experience of Christianity is that its primary message is not that of “disallowing sin” but of sharing the universal love of God, available unconditionally to all people.
Quoting from the letter: “Gays who request marriage are asking for legalization of an assumed immoral situation that the state never has any authority to allow.” The state has no authority to assume the morality of a marriage in any event. The idea of an official judgment of the morality of any proposed marriage makes my blood run cold! As the state makes no assessment of the “morality” of the union of two individuals of opposite sexes, whence comes the right to evaluate the relationship between two loving individuals of the same sex?
Quite frankly, marriage has evolved into a non-religious process which grants legal recognition of a relationship between two individuals, and carries with it specific legal rights. Note that the primary function is recognition of a relationship, not judgment of its validity.
As the state has legal authority to allow the dissolution of many, many marriages by divorce each year, which provokes no widespread disapproval, I cannot understand why it should disapprove of recognizing a legal relationship between any two individuals who request it!
— Laura M. Lansford
Salisbury

I am a sophomore at East Rowan High School. I am running a coat drive through the non-profit organization One Warm Coat. I am collecting coats at the Saleeby-Fisher YMCA East-Rowan Branch and Mc’N’Tires Automotive.
I am writing to you today to ask for your help; would it be possible to mention my coat drive somewhere in the newspaper telling people that clean and gently used coats can be dropped off at the YMCA (790 Crescent Road, Rockwell) or Mc’N’Tires Automotive (8645 U.S. 52, Granite Quarry)? This will benefit the homeless men, women, and children at the Rowan Helping Ministries.
The drive will run from now until Dec. 20, during all business hours at the YMCA and Mc’N’Tires. Thank you for your time!
— Hailee Buffett
East Rowan High

I am thankful for gifted writers, especially those who use their God-given talent to share their insights on God’s word. Printed in Saturday’s Salisbury Post, “Give thanks to God with first fruits instead of leftovers” was written by one such writer, Barrie Kirby, the pastor at Spencer Presbyterian Church. Thank you, Reverend Kirby, for sharing this inspiring message. It has been a while since I read an article that touched my heart as much as this one did.
— Donna Wiseman
Salisbury