Play a part in saving chapel
I’m writing on behalf of the Friends of Harshaw Committee and First United Methodist Church to express our deep gratitude to Cameron Killian and the officers who took the initiative to right the tombstones that had
been pushed over in Harshaw Chapel cemetery. Thank you for going out of your way to serve the community, and for setting an example for all of us in doing so.
People sometimes ask what will happen in Harshaw Chapel once it’s restored, and I’ve said my hope is that it remains a place where faith and the best of our community’s heritage still come to life. This instance of selflessness and service is a picture of that heritage, a spirit that rallies to a need and also lifts up our neighbors.
That sort of spirit is contagious and inspiring. As Christians, we don’t wish anything ill for those who pushed over the tombstones. Instead, I hope they see how mutual care and service help create a community where everyone belongs and has a part to play.
We know the chapel holds a place of deep significance to many people. We hope you’ll join us as we keep working to restore the chapel and breathe new life into it. If you want to share your story, as Stacy VanBuskirk did in the Cherokee Scout, we’d love to hear from you.
To play a part in restoring the chapel – making a donation, telling your story – you can reach out to me at pastor@murphyfirstumc.org or share your story through https://harshawchapel.home.blog. Thank you.
Wil Posey, Murphy
The writer is pastor of Murphy First United Methodist Church.
No peace with the Taliban
We had the opportunity to obliterate Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and end this in December 2001 at Tora Bora, but decided to do it on the cheap; relying upon patently unreliable Afghan militia who everyone knew were moonlighting for the Taliban, while monsters like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, with his simpleton sock-puppet George H.W. Bush, focused all of their attention and resources on plotting their unprovoked imperial war of aggression on Iraq.
We’ve been there for 20 years and have spent $2.261 trillion ($19 billion of which simply evaporated; our martinet Hamid Karzai made Nguyễn Văn Thiệu look like a choirboy by comparison). At least 3,623 ISAF personnel have been killed, as have at least 230,849 Afghanis.
We’ve known for a long time that similar to the ARVN and the Iraqi Army in their rout before ISIL, the Afghan Army is riddled with Taliban and comprised of a great many “paper battalions” of imaginary “ghost soldiers” who exist only solely on paper; their hopelessly corrupt commanders pocketing their very real salaries. Long experience has shown that showering them with more billions won’t change anything for the better.
Is the situation horrible? Yes.
Did America create this situation? Yes.
Is there anything we can do about it? No.
When you discover that the horse is dead; dismount.
It was Donald Trump who committed the United States to a precipitous withdrawal with his peace accord with the Taliban, but President Joe Biden is absolutely correct when he said, “How many thousands more Americans, daughters and sons were you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay? I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome.”
Emmet Bondurant, Hayesville
God sent us the vaccines
As a Christian, I believe there are two forces that try to control the world and us. There are the forces of evil controlled by the devil, Satan, and there are the forces of good controlled by God.
Satan would like to see all of us destroy ourselves before we claim the promises of God and accept His salvation. God would like to have all of us to claim His salvation, live Godly lives and join Him in heaven when He comes for us.
Because Satan likes pain and suffering, he helps spread disease and sickness by any way possible. To counter Satan’s devices, God works with scientists to create ways to stop the spread of deadly diseases such as smallpox, polio and the Covid-19 virus, which has taken so many lives and ruined many more.
I take issue with the letter to the editor last week outlining bad effects of the vaccines. After research into the virologist mentioned by the author, I found that at least two theories have been proven false by the majority of other scientists.
A parable I heard a long time ago goes like this. After many days of rain, a man was stranded on his roof praying for God to save him. A man came by in a boat and offered to help him, but he refused saying God was going to save him.
Later, a helicopter came, and he waved them away saying he was waiting for God to save him. When he drowned and arrived at the pearly gates, he asked God why He didn’t save him. God replied that He sent both the boat and helicopter to save him, and he refused.
Don’t refuse the vaccine, unless advised by your doctor, while praying for God to keep you safe from Covid.
Judy Halleron, Marble
Animal shelter needing help
Last week, I attended an emergency board meeting for the Valley River Humane Society in Marble.
I have recently been elected to the board and am in charge of fundraising. Times are really tough right now for the shelter staff, with a shortage of workers.
I have been shocked to find out that half of the board has stepped in to do this work. This can be challenging work for individuals who do not do it regularly. Even the president is on her hands and knees cleaning cages.
I actually felt guilty last night that I was not helping. But this is not my job. My job is to raise funds. So I am asking for your help.
Any donations, gift cards or cash that you can spare would be greatly appreciated. If we can get the board off the floor and focused on doing our real jobs, that would be wonderful.
Lisa Pursel, Murphy
The writer is a member of the Valley River Humane Society Board of Directors.
More efforts to control us
Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us. Who hasn’t seen through the plandemic narrative yet?
Dr. Simone Gold, founder of America’s Frontline Doctors, said, “The entire pandemic has been based on PCR testing – to identify cases, justify lockdowns and to ascribe cause of death.
Now the CDC is saying these COVID ‘cases’ might actually have been influenza cases? It is absolutely essential these tests are accurate, reliable and validated. The public has a right to know how the CDC made the decision to recommend that the public rely on this test. Anything less than full transparency is tantamount to an admission that CDC manipulated data and intentionally or through incompetence misled the public.”
PCR tests set above 35 cycles gives 90 percent or more fraudulent results. There have been a plethora of notably underreported adverse side effects and deaths attributable to the experimental injection.
Fully vaccinated are catching COVID-19 all around the world – research it for yourself; fake news media won’t show you anything that refutes their narrative. The experimental injections have more reported adverse events and deaths than all other vaccines combined.
Since vaccines are ineffective against respiratory viruses – why is this one (and its ever-growing list of boosters and variants) being pushed so aggressively? Why were proven effective treatments – such as Ivermectin, Vitamin D and Zinc – downplayed and mention of those or HCQ heavily censored on social media platforms?
Cal Thomas in his Epoch Times piece Aug. 11 summarizes it best: “… Isn’t this really just another excuse for government to take even more control of our lives and impart only those liberties government in its beneficence allows us to have? Aren’t we seeing those liberties threatened when it comes to wearing or not wearing masks or choosing to get vaccinated or not?”
Mrs. Dennis Foster, Murphy
Family thanks all for support
The family of Maggie Dockery Davis would like to extend heartfelt thanks to our communities, churches, friends, family and neighbors for the love and support you’ve shown us during this very difficult time. It will always be remembered.
The outpouring of food, flowers and encouraging words helped to us to handle our loss with strength and
grace. Your acts of kindness and helping hands for our family cannot go without acknowledgement.
A special thank you to pastor Eddis Dockery of Boiling Springs Baptist Church for the service, and to local musicians Donna Cook, Judy Kephart and Betty Kidd for their beautiful rendition of “Sweet Beulah Land” at the graveside service.
The generosity in your donations to the cemetery fund at Hanging Dog Baptist Church and to the Gideons for Bibles are much appreciated. So far, 55 Bibles have been donated in her memory. She would be very pleased to know she was helping to spread the good news of the Holy Bible to those who need it.
The entire family much appreciates everyone’s thoughtfulness and generosity. Blessings!
Jonnie Davis, Opal Radford, Debbie McDonald, and the family of Maggie Dockery Davis, Murphy