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To the Journal editor:

The letters submitted each month to the editors of The Mining Journal where the writer quotes the Bible as “the true word of God” without providing proof for what they claim has always concerned me. However, my primary issue is with the editors of

The Mining Journal who have always given too much leeway to bible quoting writers who violate Journal policy. This is leeway that others who submit letters don’t always receive.

The Mining Journal editorial policy states that letters “that rely on information that cannot easily, or in a timely manner be verified, may be subject to rejection.”

Now, I’m not asking that letter writers who claim that the Bible is the true word of God prove their statements. We all know they can’t. I know of no verbal or written statement by God or Jesus Christ affirming that any of the many bibles is a true representation of their word and life events.

Without such affirmation, however, believing it to be true is a matter of faith, and at this time it is not my intention to question a person’s faith.

What I am saying is, that for intelligent readers to make sense of what writers who quote the bible are saying, they must know two things: (1) the version of the many Bibles that the writer is using as a source, and (2) the religious denomination that the person is a member of, or at least promoting the ideas of. Without knowing these two things, it is impossible to understand where a writer is coming from.

In future letters to the editor, I would like the editorial staff to require that Bible-quoting writers identify in the letter which Bible is their source and what religious denomination is their affiliation.

If they don’t, then the editors should place a note at the end of the letter giving this information.

William Jorns

Marquette

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