A couple of months ago the Macon Telegraph published on its opinion page a brief letter from a reader in Bonaire. This letter is, I suppose, typical of many such expressions that reflect a hostility toward Christians and the Christian church.

Here is the entire text of this letter: “It is a hoot having local Christians tell us how their religion is tolerant. This is the same religion that placed Galileo under lifetime house arrest for saying the earth was not the center of the universe. If Christians had the power of law, they would make life as miserable in America as it is in Iran or Saudi Arabia.”

The writer of this letter is certainly ignorant, or, at least, appears to be ignorant. But even more troublesome, I think, is what appears to be his blatant animosity toward Christians. It is difficult to know, from only three sentences, where this man is “coming from,” but it is equally clear that he seems unaware of where Christians are “coming from.” And I take it for granted that he does not care to become enlightened.

I immediately wrote a response to the Telegraph, expressing my opposition to the letter, and I assumed that mine would be one of quite a few replies attacking this man. But days went by, and the Telegraph never published a single response to this writer. Finally, I e-mailed the Telegraph opinion page editor and expressed my dismay that he let such an open attack on Christianity go by without being receptive to any comment from the other side. I received no reply to my note.

But there certainly is plenty to be said against the comments of that letter writer. Let’s take the three sentences one at a time:

1. “It is a hoot having local Christians tell us how their religion is tolerant.” I have no idea what “local Christians” he may have been listening to, but there are absolutely no grounds for anyone to assume that the Christian religion must be “tolerant” of anyone and everyone. The writer seems to think that Christians should be willing to accept as valid every desire, viewpoint, and action that come down the pike. The Bible draws a clear distinction between right and wrong, between righteousness and sin. Why this man thinks that Christians should be tolerant of sin is beyond my comprehension — unless, of course, he rejects entirely the concept of sin itself.

2. “This is the same religion that placed Galileo under lifetime house arrest for saying the earth was not the center of the universe.” False. Galileo came up against the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. His sentence was purely the result of power politics in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation. It is pointless to argue that the wrong-headed actions of the Roman Catholic Church, or of any other body of Christians, are accurate reflections of the Christian religion. It may be fair to say that at that time, as at many other times, the Christian religion was being held hostage by people who claimed to be “Christians.”

3. “If Christians had the power of law, they would make life as miserable in America as it is in Iran or Saudi Arabia.” Where on earth does this absurd notion come from! Christians are perhaps the group that is most concerned for the welfare of other people. The humanitarian efforts of Christians are legion, and these loving actions are expressions of our awareness of God’s love for us. There may be a few radically extremist factions that seek to force others into conformity to their views, but they are not really Christians.

Time and again we see that the Christian church is more and more frequently under attack by the forces of atheism and militant Islamic and Hindu sects. We need the encouragement of the old hymn: “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” Indeed, we are at war against sin and evil, but we Christians are sure of the outcome!