Speakout 4/21

This is to all the businesses in Sikeston, especially the Girl Scouts. I called a few weeks ago and inquired about the difference in prices of Girl Scout cookies here in Sikeston and St. Louis which was a quarter difference per box. I asked for comments and no one commented. So I just take it that that is the way it is in Sikeston.

I would like to respond to an article in today's Speakout entitled "A sermon." in the paper on April 13. It is speaking of thousands of people who come from thousands of miles away to pay their respects to Pope John Paul. It said you pastors whitewash the word of God. There is one pastor in Sikeston that does not whitewash the word is God. I know this pastor personally and he is a very wonderful man. As matter of fact he is a family member. I have high regards for this pastor. Some pastors are the messengers of God and I don't think any person has the right to bash them. There are some pastors who are exceptional. If this person is a Christian, I hope they get down on their knees on pray. I don't think anyone has the right to bash any religion. We all know who the redeemer of Heaven is and we also know who it is that heals - we know it is Jesus Christ.

This is in regards to the people who are downing the pope. If you are you going to use God's name in a phrase or a sentence or a paragraph, please do not down people's faith, religion and beliefs while doing so.

Why reading "Be like the pope" in Speakout let us not forget that President Bush is a leader of the people of the United States. The pope is the leader of the Catholic religion and was a man of peace as are a lot of religious leaders. The president, the congress and the house make the decisions that govern the United States. Just because the pope and the president didn't agree on going to war does not mean they did not respect each other. I'm proud that the president attended the funeral and showed respect for the pope that allowed priests who abused children in their churches get away with slap on the hand and then promote Cardinal Bernard Law, who instead of dealing with the problems of abuse chose to just move the pedophile priest to another church. As the leader of the U.S. and the leader of the Vatican they both have made mistakes but comparing them is ridiculous.

The state is reducing funding for home-delivered meals by 25 percent while the senior population is growing and the expenses for food and delivery and rising. Without home-delivered meals, many frail seniors will lose their independence and be forced to choose nursing home care. But nursing home care is expensive. The state pays for nursing home care for many who can't afford it. Doesn't it make more sense to provide meals to keep people out of nursing homes? Without the publics help many of our homebound seniors will no longer receive a meal. Please call your state representative - it could be one of your relatives that could be cut.

This is a Speakout about the pope. I know he was a probably a good man - I mean a human being. People called him heavenly father. I will have you know my heavenly father is Jesus Christ. The man that I pray to and worship and call heavenly father, he died and he rose from the dead. He died on a cruel cross on Calvary. He rose in three days. I just wonder if the Pope is going to rise in three days for the people. I don't understand people worshiping a man. When this old man was sick. Why don't the let this old man rest in peace as pope and pray to the real heavenly father - he is up in Heaven - his name is Jesus.

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I would like to Speakout concerning the pope that died recently. I know he was a good man and everything and I don't understand everything because I'm not a Catholic. I don't understand how so many people can act like they worship that man or something because there is only one God that I worship and he is up in Heaven. I don't understand getting on their knees and trying to run over each other and stuff trying to get to pope. You see all he was is just a man like you and me. I don't understand.