Letters to the Editor (9/3)

Never thought my cat would be in danger

Dear Editor:

Each night my dear cat "Fluffy" and I would lie in bed, her at my side, and with dim lights on, listening to the radio. As my eyes began to tire and close, I turn out the lights ... Fluffy yet at my side. A little petting, a little massage, she loved ....  Always letting me know her feelings with loud purrs.

Invariably, following turning off the radio, the sounds of her toys shimmered as she scratched on her claw tree, which held up her box of toys ... her way of telling me that she wanted out for the evening. At least a couple times through the night she would meow at the Arcadia door, to come in to cool off, or show me perhaps a tiny lizard she caught, or a little bird ... never having caused harm to this prey. She had the gentle touch and always released whatever the critter be ... after I acknowledged her catch.

It was this morning when I awoke realizing that on this evening Fluffy had not called on me to let her in. I asked my wife if she let Fluffy in. She said, "I called for her three times!"

Still pre-dawn, I went out to the backyard, which she never strayed from. My search became frightening. In one corner of the house I found a brick configuration in disarray. As my search progressed along the fence to the next corner I saw a non discernible image. I went back in the house to retrieve a flashlight. My eyes had to be lying to me! I saw what appeared to be Fluffy's front leg. My search now frantically led me to yet another corner of the yard. An unusual mound of dirt was uncovered. It is where the largest of her remains were found.

I will never forget the images that repeat through my mind ... images of Fluffy attempting to escape the horrors of whatever this predator be. For years I have, as humanly possible, protected my Ring neck Doves ... never once thinking that our wonderful kitty ever be in danger ... in her own backyard!

God in heaven, soothe her precious soul.

Gerald Bloniarz

Hammer steps out into traffic with insightful piece

Dear Editor:

Once again, the Rev. Steve Hammer steps out into traffic with his thoughtful and insightful piece ("Faith and Reason: A mixed marriage, AFN) on Aug. 6.

I applaud his willingness to hear the "new atheists" arguments as just one of the elements needed to weave a coherent understanding of the realities of existence.

His quote from Beuchner beautifully gets at the inability of too many faith-holders to engage in open discussions about ideas that differ with their own. Such ideas gnaw at the absolute certainty of their beliefs, introducing the possibility that these ideas might, just might, have a grain of truth and common sense in them.

But admitting this then makes it impossible to simultaneously cling to the same level of unshakable faith as before. Faith, by its very nature, permits no doubt, no questioning. Thus, faith and doubt seem to be incompatible. Unless, of course, your faith is in the rightness of continuing to seek the truth, from whatever source, appreciating the possibility that this truth is so vast and profound that we may be incapable of ever completely grasping even a small part of it, much less all of it.

If that is the case, it makes each moment, each experience, each relationship we have on this earth in this time all the more precious and worth investing our hearts and souls.

William M. Diekmann