Todays Letters: Stabins should keep God out of it

What will the next chairman say? Dec. 30, Webb column

Doesn't Hernando County Commissioner Jeff Stabins have enough to do? I know good writers and bad writers and believe you me, Stabins is no writer at all.

Hernando County residents elected him to an honorable position to conduct official county business and he wastes official time on his personal dribble.

From what I read, I don't think God wants or can be invoked into government actions. In all things, he will be there and "on call" for all individuals, based on their relationship with God.

An invocation is public prayer fabricated to present a Godly appearance, in many instances to mask the actual ungodly business being conducted. Public prayers have no place in public functions. God is for an individual's salvation, not for family groups, churches, religions, communities, cities, counties, states, nations or worlds. A Christian is rewarded according to his or her individual relationship with God. No amount of prayers or actions by others, no matter how worldly or spiritually strong they may appear, can affect another's relationship to God, one way or another.

From Christ's own words, prayer is for an individual to privately communicate directly to God. Christ's sermon to the multitudes on the mount only addressed individuals (as translated, the pronouns he used are all singular: thou, you, your, thy, ye) as to how to pray (Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 5-7).

As for those matters subject to laws separating church and state, I believe the law should be strictly applied, even to clothing, where dress code exists. It is unfortunate that laws are required to force all citizens to do the right thing. However, our systems are governed by laws to assure equality to all.

When our elected commissioners establish an ordinance, all residents must comply, like it or not. Any official who doesn't abide and govern by the letter of all laws doesn't deserve that position.

It's a shame that elected and appointed officials who have affirmed or sworn, as many have, their oath of office, "so help them God," manipulate laws and ordinances to their personal and narrow interpretations, just as Commissioner Stabins has, to circumvent the law of the land.

Commissioner Stabins' actions reflect on the Hernando County Commission and residents because our reactions are, in a way, permission.

R. Taylor, Brooksville

Re: Proposal to make Weeki Wachee a state park

Pack them up and move them out

If that's what it takes to get rid of the poor management that now controls Weeki Wachee, then let's do it and move on.

Keep the mermaids. Bring back the zoo and bird theme parks. Let the glass-bottom boats travel up and down the river. Bring back the original success that made Weeki Wachee famous and a wonderland.

The water slides can go, along with park manager and city Mayor Robyn Anderson and her family who run the park. Don't hire them and make them state employees.

With the state park, then maybe the water theme park that was planned across the street from Weeki Wachee can be built.

So, let's get the state park going. Pack management's bags and send them on their way. It's a good plan.

Timothy Snyder,Weeki Wachee

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[Last modified January 5, 2008, 20:30:02]