Reader: How can people spread hate in the name of Jesus?

What an inspiring story. I've never been really religious, partly because I've seen the division engendered by the church. It was always confusing and frustrating to me, because I thought Jesus was supposed to be about love: How could people spread hate in His name? It's heartening to learn that there are people working to break down the barriers that keep many people from finding or believing in God. If this is a sign of things to come, I feel much better about the future of humankind.
Kahlilah Kilgore
Aurora

Great article in the November 28 edition of Westword. Everyone should read this article. It's time we all grew up about GLBT issues. Thank you to Josiah Hesse, Brian Henderson and Mel White for helping to enlighten the world. Everyone matters, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. After all, we are all God's children.
Jeannette Holtham
Highlands Ranch

Atheists are discriminated against? In what way, exactly? They get their way about everything. Holidays that are only in existence due to religion are now their crying time. For example, no employees at major companies are even allowed to say "Merry Christmas." They are forced by policy to say "Happy Holidays" because some crybaby who doesn't like Christianity might be offended. He'll still take the day off, though.

I don't even believe in god, but I think atheists as a group are a bunch of bullies taking the fun out of what other people like and believe in. They're the ones who are discriminating most of the time. Trying to take away peoples' right to believe what they want by abolishing religion is fascism. Keep your beliefs to yourself.

Tom Spain
Posted on Facebook

So if this minister doesn't believe in heaven and hell anymore, why doesn't he just admit it's all bullshit, renounce the religion and help others realize the same thing? You can't change what the Bible says. It's either true or it's not; I don't think muddying the waters helps anyone. The more people realize and speak out about the Bible being a bunch of ancient fairy tales and nonsense, the better off we'll be. Morality comes from empathy for other human beings, not a bunch of ridiculous stories from people who thought the world was flat.
Jerod LaChance
Posted on Facebook

"The Secret Garden" was biased toward the losers, so perhaps misled readers. A small local foods/gardening group desired a sizable school property and enlisted Trust for Public Land's help, but two years of dithering accomplished nothing. The land was on the open market. When a subsequent offer was made by Dan Russell, Keep Polston Public (KPP) sued, almost two months after the contract was accepted, just after closing. Allegations against the school board and buyers included:

1. A signed, non-binding TPL/board letter of intent. It was valid only four months in 2012, for preliminary agreement, not reached. In 2013, TPL proposed an option agreement, never signed.

2. TPL would have offered full appraised price of $755,000, paying $1,000 option money, if allowed another year to locate funding. KPP said the accepted offer was therefore an illegal "giveaway" or "donation" of $255,000 and demanded recision of sale.

3. The reporter stated correctly that the board's decision was properly made in open meeting, meaning no illegal act.

In late October the case was heard. The judge declared the board acted reasonably, denied all KPP's claims. On November 26, he signed the written "Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order," filed in District Court in Alamosa. The plaintiffs lacked any "credible evidence," so "the motion for preliminary injunction is denied and the TRO is vacated."

On December 4, city council held an open hearing; KPP repeated legally denied claims. Resort supporters spoke favoring the classy RV park development. Council then voted unanimously to direct city staff and Russell to develop an annexation agreement that includes a small land exchange, for presentation to council. KPP now considers an equal site, previously rejected, but continues opposition.

Hopefully this clarifies some of Westword's article.
Margy Robertson
Monte Vista

I'm not sad I left Alamosa at all. I grew up there, and it is one of the most shadily run, deal-with-people-in-the-back-room towns I've ever had the displeasure of living in. If it doesn't involve lining the pockets of the legacy families that live in the town, nobody's interested.
Ryan Terpstra
Posted on Facebook

Gardens are stupid, pave everything! Alamosa needs a McDonald's and Starbucks there. Duh.
Brandon Fischer
Posted on Facebook

That is sad. It's disgusting how greed will trump common sense or community or civic loyalty.

By the way, Alamosa has built-in tourist attractions, not to mention a really good college. If that town is having money problems to the point that the school district needs to sell the land for something like an RV park eyesore, then that is bad city management.
Charlene McCune
Posted on Facebook