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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 7, 1993                   TAG: 9303050026
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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CHRISTIAN NAMES LEAVE A LOT OF THE WORLD OUT

I read with disgust and astonishment the letter by Sallie Grogan in the Feb. 21 Current.

I agree that religion probably does have something to do with the proposed change in names to winter and spring breaks.

However, it is not a desire to be rid of Christianity, but a desire to show religious tolerance to all views (a good Christian act, I would think). There is nothing wrong with the Christian names other than that they exclude a large portion of the known world. Also, Ms. Grogan stated that "We [Christians] were here first." How untrue!

The first peoples in this nation were the group we collectively refer to as the Native Americans, and they were not Christians!

And as far as Christians going anywhere and being offended if the views of that place were not changed to agree with those of Christianity, it has happened all too often. Christian missionaries not only went to China, but they also did their "great" work with Native Americans and many other cultures.

So it looks as if it is the non-Christian sector that should be fearful for their freedom of religion and not the Christians themselves.

Finally, if your faith in your god and your beliefs are of any strength whatsoever, you should never have to fear that someone else might be able to take everything you believe in away from you.\ Laura Sporakowski\ Blacksburg

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