I found Bruce Thweatt’s Church Corner column (Courier-Herald, Sept. 7) very helpful in determining who needs help in our society and the type of help they might “really” need. His insight was very informative and helpful for others who would like to try to make a difference in our community.

I do, however, have to take issue with his reference to people with faith in Jesus being the ones who should “genuinely care.”  I have never ascribed to any organized religion and I’m pretty sure I never will as I find them all to be no more then a scheme to hold sway over large groups of people for power, monetary gain or any number of other issues.

That being said, I have nothing but respect for those Christians, or people of any other faith, who use their beliefs to help others. I feel that I very much care about the plight of others less fortunate than myself and have always tried to live my life accordingly.

There is one simple rule that I am pretty sure is not in the Bible or any other religious book that pretty well describes how I have tried to live my life, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  One rule, the Golden Rule, if followed by the whole world, would virtually eliminate all strife and conflict. No religious dogma, no belief in ANY higher power, nothing but man’s humanity to man. I don’t want to suffer from hunger, ie. I don’t want you to suffer from hunger; I don’t want to be homeless, ie. I don’t want you to be homeless.

How much easier all of our lives would be if we, as a nation, ascribed to these goals. Oh wait, we do, or at least we did. I recently read a quote from FDR, it goes like this, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” Caring for and wanting to help others doesn’t necessarily require religion; it does, however, require compassion.

As any good Christian might say, “There, but for the grace of God go I.”

Larry Benson

Enumclaw