To the editor 鈥 A local letter writer recently cited Old Testament examples of 鈥渨arriors for God,鈥 slamming Pope Leo for saying God didn鈥檛 honor the prayers of those with blood on their hands.
The writer ignored Isaiah 1:15, where God refuses to hear prayer from those with "hands full of blood." That was the Pope's actual citation.
The writer claimed that David was blessed after killing thousands.
He ignored I Chronicle 28:3, where God told David he couldn鈥檛 build the Temple because 鈥測ou are a warrior and have shed blood.鈥
The writer also misapplied Jesus鈥檚 words on bad fruit. Bad fruit came from false teachings.
Warrior theology is bad fruit. Jesus taught the opposite: 鈥淟ove your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.鈥
Mr. Trump recently was invited to read aloud publicly this passage: 鈥淚f my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.鈥
Ironically, the folks inviting him to read it missed that it was addressed to them: "My people."
HANK MANN
Yakima
