Because I claim to be a Christian, I have attempted to act and to speak as Jesus would have me do. As a result, I hardly know where to start with Vi McCoy (Letters, Herald, July 12), whose interpretation of Jesus’ commandment to “love others as I have loved you” apparently includes constantly judging and condemning others, especially “sexual sinners.”

“Judge not! lest ye be judged!” is about as clear as the Bible gets.

McCoy is apparently no more able to cleanse herself from her sin of judging and condemning others than any other human of any other sin, sexual or otherwise.

I see nowhere in the Bible that “sexual sins” are singled out more than any other kind of sin in terms of the ability of Jesus to cleanse us and redeem us. No more, say, than hating our brother, which is adjudged worse than murder, or wearing mixed fabrics or eating shellfish, both “abominations” judged akin to homosexuality in Leviticus.

McCoy’s letter implies that the “King James” version of the Bible is somehow more useful in discerning God’s will than say, newer translations like the New International Version, which is just silly. Language changes over time. While “Thee and Thou” may sound beautiful when read out loud, they simply are not how we address each other anymore. But why stop at King James? Why not learn Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic and read it in the original languages for even greater clarity? Why stop at 1611 AD?

McCoy finally suggests the rapture will provide a “magic escape” from all of this sexual shenaniganery by “true” Christians who only sin in nonsexual ways. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing in the Bible that directly discusses nonsexual sinners alone getting “beamed up.” Could there be a separate transporter beam for sexual sinners who have also been cleansed by the blood of Christ?

I’m afraid the greatest sin occurring here in Durango is that of certain Herald editors who, undoubtedly because of possession by evil spirits, choose to inflame Christians and atheists alike by printing McCoy’s hateful and condemning letters.

Wade Nelson

Durango