Christians Not Hypocritical

To the editors:

I found Derek Araujo's gay rights piece ("Twig-Picking and Other Sins," Nov. 17) quite amusing. By claiming that religious people are being hypocritical bigots by at once condemning homosexuality and not supporting capital punishment for twig-picking, he demonstrates a sorry ignorance of the Christian faith.

In the New Testament, Christ modifies some of the harsher aspects of the Old Testament, saying at one point, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." This might help assuage Mr. Araujo's confusion about why the religious right has not lobbied for anti-twig-picking legislation. As for homosexuality, the message of Christianity is as St. Augustine described: "With love for mankind and hatred of sins." Had Mr. Araujo a true understanding of the religion he so belittles, he'd see how Christians can reject some of the harshness of the Old Testament and still refuse to yield on this issue of gay "rights." The sanctity of marriage is not something Christians can toss aside in an effort to conform to a shallow, PC understanding of Christian love and tolerance. BRONWEN C. MCSHEA '02   Nov. 17, 1998