Invoking God’s Blessing in Conflicts

Prof. John J. Thatamanil’s Sept. 25 commentary disputing that God takes sides in disputes between nations and groups is quite problematic. The central value of religion is to affirm the moral feelings upon which a society is organized, and if it does not do this, it loses its very reason to exist.

Now, it may be that the religion that Thatamanil believes in does not support the array of moral convictions that holds American society together. But then he should more carefully spell out just what religious doctrines he does believe in. From what he says, these doctrines appear to be those of submissiveness to oppression and loss of hope in the attainability of justice in this world. If so, I think he should say so up front.

Larry Selk

Los Angeles

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Amen, Prof. Thatamanil, for your invaluable, clear thinking on God’s role in this horrific human conflict.

After thousands of years of God blessing both sides in all conflicts, we seem to have progressed no further than “my God’s better than your God.” This is dangerous, childish reasoning for a serious adult problem.

Mark Rosenblatt

Los Angeles

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To quote Prussian King Frederick the Great (1712-1786): “God is always with the strongest battalions.”

Michael D. Mellgard

West Hollywood