Reading the May 29 front-page article “Trump appointees push banknote with his face,” I was not particularly surprised by this latest attempt at self-aggrandizement. My first thought was that a $250 note would be an ideal denomination for drug dealers and money launderers trying to compact cash value into smaller smuggling containers. I would not, though, be averse to President Donald Trump’s likeness on a three-dollar bill.
Robert Ebbecke, Silver Spring
Here’s how I know God made my nonbeliever husband
I enjoyed the May 31 letters package, “I’m an atheist. He’s devout. How do we stay married?,” in which readers shared their experiences with interfaith relationships.
My husband and I have been married for 34 years. I am an active parishioner at an Episcopal church, and my husband does not believe. We were married in a Catholic church because we both had been raised in that faith, and we meant our vows of raising children in a faith tradition. But I knew that my husband really did not wish to participate in Catholicism any longer now that he was independent from his parents. I continued in the Catholic Church until after our son was born, and then I found my way to the Episcopal Church. Our son has been raised in this church, and now that he is an adult, he is continuing that path on his own.
My husband is an incredible person. I feel in my heart that I cannot be unhappy when I believe that God made him this way, as an engineer with a very logical mind, and I don’t push him to take part in something he doesn’t believe in. And we made certain that, as our son was getting to confirmation age, we both explained how we feel and that we did not want to put any pressure on him to make a decision if he did not feel called to do so.
On the big important days, such as when our son decided to be confirmed, my husband has come along with me to services, but he does not recite the creed or any of the prayers. My dear man knows that, on Sundays, our son and I are busy and that it is important to us. He does not try to discourage us or make snide comments or offer any sort of judgment. We understand each other and support each other.
Lori Skalitzky, Crofton
My wife is Buddhist, and I am Catholic. We get along very well by distinguishing spectacle from belief and by respecting others’ (including each other’s) freedom of conscience. We participate in each other’s formal rituals when doing so is the least offensive option, including close relatives’ memorials, as cultural conventions and expressions of respect. One downside is that though we enrolled our sons in Catholic schools by age 12, they are not baptized. She was adamant that they be allowed to come to faith on their own. Our family is happy and harmonious. Our beliefs help us understand the world and our place in it.
Darryl Taggerty, Hagatna, Guam
I am an agnostic/atheist, and my husband is religious. Fortunately, he is a graduate of the Catholic religion. He carries the church with him; he doesn’t need to go to a building to learn.
I was raised Protestant and left the church as a young adult. The church didn’t speak my language; Carl Jung did. I view religion as useful in teaching the lessons of equality, sharing, social justice and respect for others. In my “religion,” what I call God’s Boss (the power of the universe) is the ultimate “deity.” I like to believe that Goddess was in power for eons, until God came along. But neither should rule; mankind should not have a feminine or masculine deity. When mankind has learned how to behave, it can graduate from God and Goddess, and the power of the universe, God’s Boss, will prevail.
My husband and I respect each other’s ideas and opinions, and it works.
Joanne Lee, Fort Collins, Colorado
I hold two seemingly contradictory identities, which together have strained my relationships with friends and relatives. In the modern era, it seems impossible to be liberal and Catholic.
In my parish, we are endlessly reminded of why liberal causes are the antithesis of our faith. Issues like abortion, gay rights and assisted suicide are proclaimed to have only one right side, and liberals are the Devil’s advocates. On the other hand, liberals seem to view Catholics and Republicans as one and the same, and the divide has worsened as politics have become more polarized.
I have found myself struggling with the conflict of my values. Though I am staunchly pro-choice and in support of gay rights, I am part of a devout Catholic family and cherish my faith. I often feel like a “bad Catholic” — and like I don’t quite fit in with my liberal, atheist friends. Both identities come with a set of assumptions that I don’t agree with or align with, and it is an uncomfortable feeling.
Recently, however, I have been realizing I’m not alone in this struggle. I learned that almost half of all Catholics in America lean liberal. Though certain Catholic positions conflict with liberal ideals, other values, such as the importance of social work and acceptance of immigration, are widely accepted by Catholics and liberals alike.
By claiming both of these identities, I can simultaneously practice a “conservative” religion while advocating liberal policies. This is political freedom exemplified, and I can wear a cross around my neck and the color blue with pride.
Evania Ernest, East Amherst, New York
Don’t ask
Start with a statement! The May 25 Health & Science article “The mental benefits of chatting up a stranger” didn’t mention a helpful technique from improvisational acting: Don’t ask a question; start with a statement. Statements do not put others on the spot. They are an invitation to engage.
Tom Klouda, Washington
One does not ‘escape’ the Iran war
In his May 26 column, “Trump’s Iran exit ramp is a risky bet. He doesn’t have a better option.,” David Ignatius discussed President Donald Trump’s proposed Iran framework. For those of us who have felt the hand of Iranian terrorism, this “escape” from war is more than risky. It is frightening.
I am the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995. I am not concerned that Tehran’s rulers will claim victory in the Western press. My greater fear is that millions of Islamists around the world will see the release of frozen funds and gradual sanctions relief as proof that violence works — that the “Great Satan” and the “Little Satan” can be bloodied, pressured and then induced to bargain.
Nor should the Iranian people be forgotten. Those who filled the streets against the mullahs, those killed in demonstrations and those murdered in prison deserved more than another bargain with their jailers. A deal that rewards the regime while merely hoping it will modernize is not strategy. It is wishful thinking.
Iran must be denied nuclear weapons. But any agreement that strengthens the regime risks abandoning both its victims abroad and its prisoners at home.
Stephen M. Flatow, Long Branch, New Jersey
The writer is the president of the Religious Zionists of America.
The crooked croupier
Matthew Lynn‘s May 29 op-ed, “Please take your Intel winnings, sir, and exit the casino,” warned of potential folly in succumbing to the temptation of trying to repeat the success of the U.S. investment in Intel. His caveat to U.S. citizens and the U.S. government: “The trouble is, as with all investing, for every Intel success there will be a dozen failures.”
This warning overlooks a key point: that in the wager at hand, the croupier is dishonest. This gaming table overseer has a magnet on the roulette wheel, his own playing cards and loaded dice. This has already been proved by recent financial disclosures that revealed President Donald Trump’s fortuitous personal investments in U.S. companies immediately prior to their receipt of favorable government treatment or large contract awards. Egregious examples include Dell, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
In any wager or gamble, each side thinks it has the better information or position. In this instance, the game is rigged.
William A. McCollam, Fairfax
Post Opinions wants to know: What things did your father say that have stayed with you into adulthood? Share your response, and it might be published as a letter to the editor. wapo.st/father_knows_best
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