From Our Readers

Greatest Artist Thank you for the series “In Search of the Greatest Artist.” (November 8, 1995) As an artist myself, I appreciated the articles very much. The great variety of God’s creation, the poetic art of the Psalms, and other beautifully worded Bible passages all show that Jehovah not only creates art but enjoys it as well!

B. R., United States

Having been involved in art for over 30 years, I want to commend all who had a part in preparing such a wonderful article! It was nine pages of excellent logic and reasoning regarding our great God, Jehovah, and his dynamic creative abilities.

P. M., United States

Mormons I read the article “The Mormon Church—A Restoration of All Things?” with anticipation. (November 8, 1995) I was raised in a Mormon household and was baptized and ordained into the priesthood as a Mormon before becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One statement, though, caught my attention. You state that the Mormon “version of the sin of the first married couple involved sexual intercourse and childbearing.” As I recall, we were taught that Adam and Eve sinned by eating literal fruit.

D. A., United States

We are sorry if this statement caused some confusion. We did not mean that Mormons believe the sin itself was sexual intercourse, although one might get this impression from the “Book of Mormon” account. (2 Nephi 2:22, 23, 25) Rather, we stated that the sin “involved” sex. How? In that, according to Mormon theology, it paved the way for human procreation. According to the book “Mormon Doctrine,” by Bruce R. McConkie, prior to his sin, Adam “could have no children. . . . According to the foreordained plan, Adam was to fall . . . Being mortal he could now have children.” By way of contrast, the Bible does not teach that Adam had to sin in order to procreate. (Genesis 1:28) Nor does it say their fall was due to a foreordained plan of God’s. Instead, it says it was due to their own desire for independence. (Ecclesiastes 7:29) So while we respect the rights of Mormons to believe as they choose, this matter illustrates that the teachings of “The Book of Mormon” are simply not compatible with the Bible.—ED.

As someone who never really knew what to talk about with Mormons, I can say that I am truly informed about them now, thanks to these articles. How can the Mormons say they believe that the Bible and The Book of Mormon are both from God but not see that they contradict each other?

J. M., United States

Computer Porn I want to thank you for the “Watching the World” item “Computer Porn Available to Children.” (November 8, 1995) I read this, and my heart almost stopped! It really showed how much of a danger these programs are and how accessible these can be to children. This article will help Christians weigh the positive and the negative aspects associated with such computer technology.

D. P., United States

Food-Borne Illness I enjoyed your article “Protect Yourself From Food-Borne Illness.” (November 22, 1995) I am a chef by trade, and I’d like to add a point. If one enjoys eating rare meat, this may not be possible where there is a concern for avoiding food-borne illness. True, cooking meat at higher temperatures tends to dry out the meat and may make it harder to digest. A good method for cooking meat well and retaining its moistness is to stew or braise it.

J. P. K., United States

Thanks for the cooking tip.—ED.