In an interesting letter to the editor, former Guilford County Republican Party chair Marcus Kindley takes N&R editorialists to task for Sunday’s lead editorial stating that local religious leaders would “do better at doing good if more of them stepped up and reached out. ”

Kindley responds:

The editorial board touts the use of faith to combat social ills, yet in the same space declares over and over that religion, i.e., faith has no rightful place in the governmental square.

You complain when someone of faith gives witness to the model of life given in the Scriptures, yet when Martin Luther King’s birthday arrives — honoring a Baptist minister who has a national holiday named for him — you now champion the usefulness of government and religion.

Dr. King was not a secular individual, but rather a man who witnessed his religious beliefs in the acceptance of each individual as a person of worth. And what of an elected official holding meetings at a church to work in the community spreading their beliefs and thereby changing minds and hearts? You now welcome it?

The progressive secular religion of political correctness has stopped many from exploring the peace of God’s grace, which is portrayed as intolerant and colloquial.

OK, I didn’t see where the N&R editorial complained in the “same space” that “faith has no rightful place in the governmental square. ” And though the editorial cites a strange example of faith leaders stepping into the political arena —– the infamous Billy Yow NAACP T-shirt —- I don’t know where they get off saying they need to do more considering the fact that they’re very visible here in Greensboro, which has a history as strong faith-based community. And maybe the crime problem here in Greensboro won’t be solved by increased activity by faith leaders any more than it will be thorugh government programs. Maybe Police Chief Tim Bellamy just needs to arrest more criminals.

Then there’s today’s Go Triad article on Eric Wilson’s book “Against Happiness.”

The article, written by bleeding-heart columnist Vishal Khanna, states:

“Against Happiness” rails against the happy people of this country who choose to ignore reality in favor of a contrived existence, a Billy Graham-induced theocracy where sadness is a sin and happiness is more than just a virtue; it’s a directive.

The book is a discourse for those Americans who think happy people are shallow and superficial and who believe sorrow is an essential part of a fully lived life.

Look, I basically agree with Wilson. Sorrow is indeed part of any life. In this country, we’re entitled to the pursuit of happiness, not happiness itself. Read the papers, watch TV, and you’ll know that no amount of success, money or fame protects anyone from sorrow and adversity.

But why the shot at Billy Graham? Does Wilson actually say that in the book, or is that Khanna’s own interpretation? Whichever, it’s an overy simplistic view of Dr. Graham’s 50-plus years of ministry. Religious leaders don’t simply order us to be happy; if anything, they address adversity head-on and try to provide some meaning behind it. Without such meaning, how else are we supposed to cope with it?

Religion is indeed a complicated subject, one that will continue to be in the forefront of this year’s election.