I agree with The Interim (editorial, March 2000) and some of your readers that we must follow God and his commandments, but I disagree when the blame for a morally corrupt society is put on the government, the media, and those who oppose God's laws. At least they persist in promoting their own agenda, as revolting as it may be. We, who believe in God, are by and large wimps and gutless wonders. If you believe that the two per cent of gays we have can destroy the institution of marriage, we are in a deplorable state. Complacency and the courage to stand up for our convictions are our greatest enemies.

On my 635km walk for life last year, I was witness of the most profound faith people had in God. Their dedication to serve him and the cause at hand made me stand in awe. We are very fortunate to have Linda Gibbons, Rev. Ken Campbell and many more who have the heart of a lion. I had tears in my eyes when I read the article on Mary Wagner in the March issue of The Interim.

We have a fair number of such heroes. What we are badly in need of are followers. Most of us are too lazy to get off our butts and lend a hand to preserve respect for the dignity and the sanctity of human life. Each individual can make the difference, and must make the difference. A decent person has the duty to make the difference or let the evil forces take over.

Europe laughed when a scruffy little guy who painted houses said that he would change the world and be the master of it. Hitler started out with nine men. You know the rest.

Are we stupid and gullible enough to think that history will not repeat itself? This time, the total destruction of humanity is at stake. The culture of death will bring on moral decay, in which case we will end up in the quagmire of immorality that will destroy us all. Our do-nothing attitude will demolish human worth where God does not count. At the end of our meaningless lives we go over the cliff in a never-ending freefall of nothingness.

Is this our goal or are you ready and willing to join the brave troops who soldier on to make life meaningful? Become active, and at least participate in stemming the oilslick of evil before it covers us all.

Adrian Keet
Ingersoll, Ont.

The latest abortion statistics for 1997 are now out. One pregnancy in four is being aborted – 115,000 in 1997, even after approximately one-third of Canadian adults are sterilized voluntarily. Since Pierre Trudeau legalized abortion in 1969, and since the Supreme Court gave us unrestricted abortion in 1988, we have killed over two million babies.

Who is responsible? – primarily Catholic politicians. Every prime minister from Trudeau on has been Catholic, with the exception I believe of Kim Campbell, and they have all supported "abortion rights" - including Jean Chrétien. Unless they repent, their souls are all in jeopardy.

But the cant of Bonnie Johnson, executive director of Planned Barrenhood - oops, Planned Parenthood, is delightful. "No woman would willingly use an abortion as birth control" she says. What about the woman I just read about who is going to abort her baby so that her next pregnancy falls after December 31 of this year with extended pregnancy benefits.

Bonnie Johnson also said that "many women are forced to obtain abortions because they have not been provided with the means of birth control or [been] properly informed." Gimme a break. Our teenagers are being taught to put condoms on bananas, for heaven's sake!

The contraceptive mentality is the abortion mentality. In fact many so-called contraceptives are in fact abortifacients. As Human Life International founder Fr Paul Marx has stated, there is no country in the world which has widespread birth control and a nice low rate of abortion. Such a country does not and will not exist. Contraception and abortion are two rotten peas in a pod. They both say to God: "I'll do it my way."

Paul Vendervet
Brantford, Ont.

Let me express my heartfelt tanks to all our pro-life friends whose prayers have been heard and wonderfully answered in response to last year's bout with prostate cancer.

We thank God for the "all clear" report from the doctors in the post-treatment check-up and their prediction that I'll "probably be around until I'm 80 or more!" - by the grace of God and a combination of early detection and the six weeks of radiation treatments arranged at the Hamilton Cancer Center, as Frank Kennedy noted in his gracious report a few months ago in The Interim. I was able to keep a full fall schedule of activism "without missing a beat."

For that, I give thanks to God, as I thank Him for extending my years, as with King Hezekiah (Isaiah 38), that as "a man alive from the dead" the Lord has heard my prayer for the extra time I need to make up for some wasted opportunities and "finish my course" in seeking to serve my generation by the will of God.

Thank you again for your prayers, and God bless you each and all!