Radical Christian Wingnuttery in my home town

With the disatrous damage of Katrina still swirling around the Gulf Coast, and Hurrican Rita swelling to the third largest storm in U.S. history and heading for Houston, you can expect to see more and more theocratic born-agains coming out of the woodwork. Here's one, penning a letter to my local paper, who lives a little too close to my house for comfort.

New Orleans "Purified"

Some people think that hurricanes such as those we have experienced in the last year and the damage they have caused are not uncommon. Michael Brown's book Sent to Earth says that throughout human history whenever a society has become decadent, natural disasters have become more intense and frequent, destroying civilizations.

Prophecies have been multiplying throughout the last 15 years saying America and the world are going to be purified of evil. Natural and manmade disasters are going to increase to awaken our consciences so that we return to God.

New Orleans was noted for its gambling, gay parades, and rampant voodoo and strip joints. Katrina means purity and New Orleans has certainly been purified. The sad thing is that innocent people have to suffer, too.

We need to change our ways or we will suffer even more.

MAUREEN VANDUSEN

BINGHAMTON

I really hate to be the one to point this out, but you're living in Upstate New York. The bus for Mobile, Alabama leaves in a couple of hours. If you hurry....

For the record, I would like to point out that I quoted this entire letter in full. I did not do this to steal any traffic from the Press & Sun Bulletin, which is a fine paper, but because they only keep their editorial section links active for one week, after which they are moved (with no forwarding link) to a hard to find archive. The letter at the link destination would have been lost next week.