May 18 1998

ARTICLE TOOLS

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The Power of Art
* I am a hopeless nonartist from a family of artists. I am hung up on the cognitive and the analytical. My right brain is usually foreign territory for me to traverse. But when I am suddenly surprised by the power of aesthetic passion (the arts), as I was in the April 6 issue, I am amazed at how my life, my mind, my spirit are so enriched. "Were You There?" is a fabulous addition to ct's pages. Please, sir, I want some more!

Chip Moody
Phoenix, Ariz.

* Another wonderful, thought-provoking, spiritually stretching issue! Many thanks! But when will an artist realistically portray the Last Supper and include the women (and children) who were undoubtedly there?

Millie Samuelson
McPherson, Kans.

Justice and the Death Penalty
* The editorial ["The Lesson of Karla Faye Tucker," Apr. 6] asserts that "Christians know that we all deserve death," implying that capital punishment is unfairly reserved for murderers. But this gives short shrift (pun intended) to the legal distinction between innocence and guilt that is required of our earthly communities by God.

The justice of capital punishment becomes evident when we ask not, "Does a murderer deserve to die?" but rather, "Does a murderer deserve to live?" This focuses attention on the innocent life that was stolen by the murderer, and hence why society requires the forfeiture of the murderer's life. The Bible, in more places than ct cares to cite, suggests this answer, and makes deterrence, unequal enforcement, and consolation of the victim's survivors ancillary issues at best, and rhetorical red herrings at worst. May ct continue this conversation by doing justice to the best arguments for the death penalty, and extending mercy to those of us still beholden to the biblical ...