Congress is the real turkey in USPS issues
Editor, Ceres Courier,
I would like to respond to your cartoon on the U.S. Postal Service. There is a great deal of confusion out there and most of it is being caused by the real turkey, the Congress.
1). The Postal Service has not used a dime of taxpayer money in 30 years. All of its revenue is earned from the sale of its products and services.
2). Customer satisfaction and on-time deliveries are at record levels, labor productivity has doubled, and for six years running the American people have named postal employees the most-trusted federal workers.
3). Over the past four fiscal years, the Postal Service has earned a $611 million net profit delivering the mail, despite the worst recession in 80 years.
4). The $200 billion in postal losses you've heard about doesn't stem from the mail but rather from a 2006 congressional mandate that the Postal Service pre-fund future retirees health benefits for the next 75 years and to do so within 10 years - a burden no other public agency or private firm faces. The $21 billion cost since 2007 accounts for 100 percent of the agency's red ink over that period.
5.) In addition, the Postal Service has tens of billions of earned revenue sitting in surplus funds that any business would tap during a recession. As a quasi public agency, the USPS needs congressional approval to draw on its own funds.
6). Congress created this mess, and lawmakers can fix it, without using a dime of taxpayer money. HR 1351, with strong bipartisan support, does just that.
7). If Congress does its part, the Postal Service will regain financial stability. It can then continue to adapt to an evolving society as it has for 200 years; provide ever better service to the public; remain the center of a $1.3 trillion mailing industry supporting 8 million American jobs. The Internet offers opportunities as well as challenges. While more people are paying bills online, they're also ordering more goods online, and the Postal Service's growing "last mile" delivery of those packages for FedEx and UPS saves the private carriers-and their customers-money, because the universal network delivers at less cost. UPS 6% rate increase Jan. 2, 2012
8.) If a dysfunctional Congress fails to take these commonsense steps, severe cuts will be forced on all Americans, including small-business owners, the elderly, rural residents and those needing medicines. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, and a universal network that links the country while enhancing public safety and supporting communities will begin a downward spiral
No decisions have make, despite efforts to cast these cuts as unavoidable. Congress can oversee the stabilization of the Postal Service, or its destruction.
Walt Butler,
Ceres
* * * * * * * *
'Sound Off!' comments are cowardly speech
Editor, Ceres Courier,
Whoever called into the "Sound Off!" with "Criticism lodged at Jacobson, Rushton" - here is my two additional cents. It is my belief that The Sound Off was created so citizens could have a safe place to report problems without fear of reprisal. Of late, it is becoming a refuge for those who want to spread propaganda, while concealing their identity and their true motives. The Courier should not provide a hidden bunker from which tricksters can fire off comments. Instead the Courier should require a full name to be printed of anyone who wants to have an opinion published. Citizens should come into the light and be willing to stand by their words publicly; otherwise, it is not free speech - it is cowardly speech.
Deana Rushton,
Ceres
* * * * * * * *
Mormons are off-base on their theology on trinity
Editor, Ceres Courier,
This is in response to Mike Gain's apologetic of the Mormon teaching on the Trinity. I'd like to thank him for the gracious way he clearly laid out the teaching of the Godhead as believed by the LDS church. His response was kind and congenial and I have found that most members of the Mormon church are, even when there is a disagreement.
That being said, Mr. Gain made a statement that puzzled me somewhat: "Much of what Mr. Broyles said about what we believe is absolutely correct. However, he also said many things that are either very incorrect or very misleading."
God knows I've made a lot of mistakes and I'm not always spot-on with everything I say. However, I fail to understand what Mr. Gain meant when he said that, for I did nothing but quote his own prophets and apostles when it comes to Mormon doctrine.
It may be helpful to have a clear understanding what the Christian church has always taught about the Godhead. The Biblical definition of the Holy Trinity is defined as: "Within the nature of the one true and living God, there exists three persons; father, son, and Holy Spirit. They are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent. They share the same nature. In essence the three persons are the one God."
That is Biblical theology and the concept of the Godhead that has been taught by the Orthodox Church for 2,000 years and we have never wavered on it.
Mr. Gain also said: "Concerning the Trinity, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes differently than some other Christian churches. But, being different does not necessarily make someone wrong. I would offer that the Methodists differ in some ways from the Baptists, and the Catholics differ in some things from the Lutherans, etc."
He is absolutely correct in that being different doesn't always make you wrong. That may be true when it comes to "how many angels can fit on the head of a pin," or a disagreement in church government, or the way communion is served, etc. But we are not dealing with a hair-splitting difference here. We are talking about the person and nature of God. Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, and other evangelical churches have their disagreements on minor issues, but not on the Trinity. In this Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians are all in agreement..
It is not my intention to offend or hurt anyone who is a part of the LDS church. My only intention is to show the differences between Mormon theology and Orthodox Christian theology; and there is a big difference.
Taking another one of Mr. Gain's quotes: "Mr. Broyles is certainly correct when he says that we should rely on the Scriptures. Indeed, in them we can learn the truth. So, what do the Scriptures teach about the Trinity? What is the truth? Are they three separate and distinct beings as the LDS believe or is it just one being as Mr. Broyles believes?"
We have never said there were not three persons in the Godhead. We fully acknowledge the person-hood of each member of the Godhead. However, being three persons does not make them three Gods. That's where the confusion for the Mormon church comes in. All of the Scriptures that Mr. Gain quoted only show a subject/object relationship between the members of the Godhead, but it in no way intimates that they are three separate gods. You cannot find that within the pages of Holy Writ. The three persons are the one God. That is the teaching of Scripture. Three persons who dwell within the nature of the one God. Incomprehensible? Yes, but we can apprehend the concept. God is far above our thinking and ways. Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "If the finite could understand the infinite then the infinite would be finite."
The Eternal God Himself said: "Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He; Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." (Isaiah 43:10)
"...ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any." (Isaiah 44:6).
Every male Mormon aspires to become a god in the celestial heaven of Mormonism. But the eternal God says, there is no God besides Him. If the one true and living God says He doesn't know about any other gods then by what stretch of the imagination should anyone accept the polytheism of Mormon theology? The difference between Mormonism and orthodox Christianity is the difference between polytheism and monotheism. On that basis alone Mormonism cannot be considered Christian in the orthodox sense of the term.
Dave Broyles,
Pastor,
Ceres Christian Church
* * * * * * *
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed with the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters should contain 250 words or less and be void of libelous statements. Letters may be sent to The Ceres Courier, P.O. Box 7, Ceres, CA 95307, or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com
Editor, Ceres Courier,
I would like to respond to your cartoon on the U.S. Postal Service. There is a great deal of confusion out there and most of it is being caused by the real turkey, the Congress.
1). The Postal Service has not used a dime of taxpayer money in 30 years. All of its revenue is earned from the sale of its products and services.
2). Customer satisfaction and on-time deliveries are at record levels, labor productivity has doubled, and for six years running the American people have named postal employees the most-trusted federal workers.
3). Over the past four fiscal years, the Postal Service has earned a $611 million net profit delivering the mail, despite the worst recession in 80 years.
4). The $200 billion in postal losses you've heard about doesn't stem from the mail but rather from a 2006 congressional mandate that the Postal Service pre-fund future retirees health benefits for the next 75 years and to do so within 10 years - a burden no other public agency or private firm faces. The $21 billion cost since 2007 accounts for 100 percent of the agency's red ink over that period.
5.) In addition, the Postal Service has tens of billions of earned revenue sitting in surplus funds that any business would tap during a recession. As a quasi public agency, the USPS needs congressional approval to draw on its own funds.
6). Congress created this mess, and lawmakers can fix it, without using a dime of taxpayer money. HR 1351, with strong bipartisan support, does just that.
7). If Congress does its part, the Postal Service will regain financial stability. It can then continue to adapt to an evolving society as it has for 200 years; provide ever better service to the public; remain the center of a $1.3 trillion mailing industry supporting 8 million American jobs. The Internet offers opportunities as well as challenges. While more people are paying bills online, they're also ordering more goods online, and the Postal Service's growing "last mile" delivery of those packages for FedEx and UPS saves the private carriers-and their customers-money, because the universal network delivers at less cost. UPS 6% rate increase Jan. 2, 2012
8.) If a dysfunctional Congress fails to take these commonsense steps, severe cuts will be forced on all Americans, including small-business owners, the elderly, rural residents and those needing medicines. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, and a universal network that links the country while enhancing public safety and supporting communities will begin a downward spiral
No decisions have make, despite efforts to cast these cuts as unavoidable. Congress can oversee the stabilization of the Postal Service, or its destruction.
Walt Butler,
Ceres
* * * * * * * *
'Sound Off!' comments are cowardly speech
Editor, Ceres Courier,
Whoever called into the "Sound Off!" with "Criticism lodged at Jacobson, Rushton" - here is my two additional cents. It is my belief that The Sound Off was created so citizens could have a safe place to report problems without fear of reprisal. Of late, it is becoming a refuge for those who want to spread propaganda, while concealing their identity and their true motives. The Courier should not provide a hidden bunker from which tricksters can fire off comments. Instead the Courier should require a full name to be printed of anyone who wants to have an opinion published. Citizens should come into the light and be willing to stand by their words publicly; otherwise, it is not free speech - it is cowardly speech.
Deana Rushton,
Ceres
* * * * * * * *
Mormons are off-base on their theology on trinity
Editor, Ceres Courier,
This is in response to Mike Gain's apologetic of the Mormon teaching on the Trinity. I'd like to thank him for the gracious way he clearly laid out the teaching of the Godhead as believed by the LDS church. His response was kind and congenial and I have found that most members of the Mormon church are, even when there is a disagreement.
That being said, Mr. Gain made a statement that puzzled me somewhat: "Much of what Mr. Broyles said about what we believe is absolutely correct. However, he also said many things that are either very incorrect or very misleading."
God knows I've made a lot of mistakes and I'm not always spot-on with everything I say. However, I fail to understand what Mr. Gain meant when he said that, for I did nothing but quote his own prophets and apostles when it comes to Mormon doctrine.
It may be helpful to have a clear understanding what the Christian church has always taught about the Godhead. The Biblical definition of the Holy Trinity is defined as: "Within the nature of the one true and living God, there exists three persons; father, son, and Holy Spirit. They are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent. They share the same nature. In essence the three persons are the one God."
That is Biblical theology and the concept of the Godhead that has been taught by the Orthodox Church for 2,000 years and we have never wavered on it.
Mr. Gain also said: "Concerning the Trinity, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes differently than some other Christian churches. But, being different does not necessarily make someone wrong. I would offer that the Methodists differ in some ways from the Baptists, and the Catholics differ in some things from the Lutherans, etc."
He is absolutely correct in that being different doesn't always make you wrong. That may be true when it comes to "how many angels can fit on the head of a pin," or a disagreement in church government, or the way communion is served, etc. But we are not dealing with a hair-splitting difference here. We are talking about the person and nature of God. Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, and other evangelical churches have their disagreements on minor issues, but not on the Trinity. In this Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians are all in agreement..
It is not my intention to offend or hurt anyone who is a part of the LDS church. My only intention is to show the differences between Mormon theology and Orthodox Christian theology; and there is a big difference.
Taking another one of Mr. Gain's quotes: "Mr. Broyles is certainly correct when he says that we should rely on the Scriptures. Indeed, in them we can learn the truth. So, what do the Scriptures teach about the Trinity? What is the truth? Are they three separate and distinct beings as the LDS believe or is it just one being as Mr. Broyles believes?"
We have never said there were not three persons in the Godhead. We fully acknowledge the person-hood of each member of the Godhead. However, being three persons does not make them three Gods. That's where the confusion for the Mormon church comes in. All of the Scriptures that Mr. Gain quoted only show a subject/object relationship between the members of the Godhead, but it in no way intimates that they are three separate gods. You cannot find that within the pages of Holy Writ. The three persons are the one God. That is the teaching of Scripture. Three persons who dwell within the nature of the one God. Incomprehensible? Yes, but we can apprehend the concept. God is far above our thinking and ways. Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "If the finite could understand the infinite then the infinite would be finite."
The Eternal God Himself said: "Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He; Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." (Isaiah 43:10)
"...ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any." (Isaiah 44:6).
Every male Mormon aspires to become a god in the celestial heaven of Mormonism. But the eternal God says, there is no God besides Him. If the one true and living God says He doesn't know about any other gods then by what stretch of the imagination should anyone accept the polytheism of Mormon theology? The difference between Mormonism and orthodox Christianity is the difference between polytheism and monotheism. On that basis alone Mormonism cannot be considered Christian in the orthodox sense of the term.
Dave Broyles,
Pastor,
Ceres Christian Church
* * * * * * *
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed with the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters should contain 250 words or less and be void of libelous statements. Letters may be sent to The Ceres Courier, P.O. Box 7, Ceres, CA 95307, or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com
