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

DATE: FRIDAY, February 5, 1993                   TAG: 9302050419
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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CHRISTIANS SHOULD ESCHEW PREJUDICE

RECENTLY, there was an article about a white pastor who resigned from a small church near Roanoke. One of the reasons he resigned was because his congregation had to vote on whether to accept the pastor's black foster child as a member of the congregation. I am not shocked by the attitude of the congregation because I realize that religious persecution exists worldwide.

I am deeply saddened by this incident because Jesus walked this Earth nearly 2,000 years ago, and people still harbor racist attitudes toward those of another color, race or class. Once a believer accepts Christ as his personal Savior, there should be no room for hatred and bigotry because he belongs to one family and that is the family of God. If this is not being practiced in the church, then no wonder things in this world have gotten so wicked and evil.

Believers everywhere should do a better job of reaching out to someone of another color or race. DAVID A. DICKEY ROANOKE

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