Despite what sign says, Hell is not real | Letters

An Aug. 16 article about the "Hell is Real" billboard says the soccer rivalry between Cincinnati and Columbus pays "homage" to the sign. The message on the billboard, however, deserves to be despised and condemned.

The doctrine of Hell can be terribly abusive to children and adults alike. Among other damage, it can produce anxiety and depression because of fear that they or persons they love may be punished with eternal torment.For instance, David N. Elkins, Ph.D., a former fundamentalist minister, wrote in Psychology Today in 2015: "I was so afraid of going to hell that I became depressed when I was 12. While my friends were outside playing that summer, I stayed in my room, overwhelmed by worry about my eternal salvation. Even later, after I became a minister, my biggest fear was that I might think, say, or do something that would cause me to go to hell."

Another example is in evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins' 2006 book "The God Delusion." He quoted a woman: "I spent many a night being terrified that the people I loved would go to hell. It gave me nightmares." She also said the pain resulting from belief in Hell was far worse than her suffering from being sexually abused at age seven by a Catholic priest.

Hell is not real. By saying it is, an immense amount of unnecessary harm results. If the teams are going to keep "Hell is Real" as the description for their matchups, they should include a warning that literal belief in Hell can be hazardous to people's health.

Joseph Sommer, Columbus

To move beyond polarized politics, we must rebuild trust

In all the talk and analysis regarding Issue 1, I believe one of the most important lessons that needs to be learned has been missed by both supporters and those who worked to defeat the issue. At a surface level, Issue 1 was about how much support an initiative needs to change the Ohio Constitution. One can make a good faith argument that the constitution should be harder to amend than a simple majority and a good faith argument could be made that the current situation has worked well. I personally heard no such arguments from politicians though I did hear thoughtful ideas expressed by ordinary citizens on both sides of that question.

Below the surface, Issue 1 was about changing the rules to make it harder to pass a ballot initiative on abortion as well as future initiatives the Republican majority in the state government oppose. Anyone paying attention knows that abortion access is a divisive issue with supporters on both sides having deeply held convictions about what is right. And many, maybe most, citizens recognize it is a complex issue that needs a well-reasoned and compassionate response. I respect those who feel they know the right approach but too often that conviction comes at the expense of considering the inherent complexities. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said about Issue I, "There is no wrong time to do the right thing." What he and others failed to understand is there are definitely wrong ways to do the "right" thing.

Given the state of our polarized politics and the emphasis most politicians place on winning (as they define that to fit their party’s objectives), our deliberations focus on berating and belittling the other side, not on finding solutions to complex issues. I contend the most important job of every elected official and every politician running for office is to conduct themselves in ways that builds trust. By introducing Issue 1 in an August election, when a year earlier the legislature said clearly August elections are a bad idea, state Republicans eroded trust. By rushing a proposed change to the constitution without good faith discussions, trust was further eroded. We lack trust in our elected officials and our government institutions. To move beyond polarized politics, we need to rebuild that trust.

The thing is officials can advocate for the policies they believe are best and build trust at the same time. Trust is not created by being weak in your beliefs but by simultaneously holding your beliefs and respecting those of individuals who disagree. Building trust requires listening, suspending judgment and identifying assumptions (often incorrect) you hold about the other side. It requires that you know those who hold opposite views and recognize them as your neighbor and fellow citizen; they are not your enemy.

Democrats and Republicans, there is a right way to do the right thing. For those working in the political realm, I encourage you to participate in the Braver Politics initiative https://braverangels.org/politics/ and work to restore civility and trust to our communities and our state. Don’t give up your convictions, just give up animosity and ill-will toward citizens who, like you, want a better America.

Eugene Rutz, Evendale

Lawmakers must make climate change a priority

I know many people cannot fathom the idea of moving away from fossil fuels to make cars run, heat and cool buildings, etc. And I understand jobs are a big concern, but there are many jobs being created in the clean energy sector. The fact is that burning fossil fuels is continuing to heat up the planet, including the oceans. The heat is killing humans, animals and sea life. It is damaging crops and contributing to wildfires, which causes more toxins to be released into the air we breathe while the trees and other things in their path burn. Look at what burned in Maui.

The current administration and Congress have made strides in addressing this problem with passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, but it is critical that Congress agree to fast track the development of more infrastructure for storing and, especially, transmission of energy from solar panels and wind turbines. I know some people don’t think they are very pretty to look at, but neither are smokestacks which spew out CO₂ into the air we breathe every day.

If you are as concerned as you should be after this summer’s heat waves, wildfires, tornadoes and flooding, please contact your Kentucky and Ohio senators and representatives, ask them to make climate change action a priority. It must be because we are running out of time to turn this around for ourselves and future generations. '

Janet Hackman, Highland Heights

There's a difference between extremism and tolerance

Regarding, "Extremism could cost us our democracy," by Jill Jonassen (Aug. 17): Your guest columnist should have included the definition of "extremism" in her article: "Having beliefs that most people think are unreasonable and unacceptable." If she thinks that transgenderism is reasonable and acceptable, and if she thinks that abortion is the same, then I'd respectfully suggest that she use another noun in future articles. "Tolerance" strikes me as applicable, because those of us who consider ourselves reasonable people, but who are on the other side of both issues, don't see ourselves as extremists who are outside the mainstream.

Linda Tampone, Edgewood

Cincinnati legacies like Western & Southern Open are priceless

Why should a multi-billionaire be allowed to extract the Western & Southern Open from us, a long-standing Cincinnati gem and the oldest tennis tournament in the U.S. that is still played in its original city? At least with the case of another long-standing gem, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, the only remaining municipally owned railway in the nation, we the people get to register our objection to selling a good part of our historical identity and unique identity to an avaricious multi-billion dollar corporation. Legacy has a priceless value.

Werner Lange, Wyoming

Reds management never learns from bad decisions

Cincinnati Reds management has never learned. Extended contracts they have given to players (Homer Bailey, Joey Votto, Ken Griffey, Jr., etc.) make them look stupid for attempting to have a competitive team every year. They continue their stupidity by giving Hunter Greene a long, huge million-dollar contract, and he will finish with a losing record and pitch maybe two months after he signed.

They need to take a step back and say, we are going to be a feeder team in the future. Yes, a team that brings up talent and trains them on the MLB ins and outs and then trades them after three or four years for dollars. Take those dollars and bring up more prospects every year until their original time runs out. Those young kids want to work hard, hustle, learn and continue in the majors like the team this year. So many of the new guys from Matt McLain, T.J. Friedl, Elly De La Cruz, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jake Fraley want to prove themselves. Surprisingly, they are because who would have thought the 2023 Reds would be in contention this year. Not me or 90% other fans.

So, think Reds management, you need to be like a Louisville training team − bring them up, let them perform and make them better and then trade them for dollars and maybe some older, cheap, fair arms in the bullpen because we know we need arms there like Fernando Cruz who strikes out five of six batters he faces, but David Bell pulls him out and loses the game. We are the only team in MLB that give out manager contracts in the middle of the season. Another stupid move by management.

Glenn Gunning, Taylor Mill

Let private schools find their own bailout to stay in business

I am wanting to share my thoughts about school vouchers. Like Sen. Matt Huffman, who pushed through the bailout, I graduated from a Catholic high school, and I am a public servant. My family believed in Catholic education and paid for my early schooling. I am thankful for the education I received. Now, this kind of schooling is less subsidized by the Catholic Church for many reasons and Huffman wants government to bail them out. I get that, but it is wrong.

Why would you want to bail out private schools when a tight education budget is also a goal? Let those who choose private schooling continue to support private schooling without government interference and let the public support public schooling. If you want to talk about choice, make laws for private schools to accept more students at their sacrifice, not the public's. To be clear, I do not support vouchers. Let private school find their own bailout to stay in business

Ron Thornbury, Morrow

Combine Cincinnati's slogan and mission statement

I read Sue Wilke's recent letter to the editor with interest ("Cincinnati needs a mission statement before brand or slogan," Aug. 20). I'd like to suggest a mission statement/slogan combined. How about "Cincinnati, the Green Umbrella?" That should sound good to marketers who want to draw tourists, which would in turn help create jobs, not to mention put money in the pockets of businessmen. It would give us a fairly apolitical mission. It would sound like an invitation all should consider.

Dan Shatzer, Forest Park

Women don't want politicians, bishops making their health decisions

The women of Ohio do not want Ohio politicians or Ohio bishops making health decisions for them. If anyone is "putting women at risk." politicians and bishops are. They have no medical expertise. I will vote for a constitutional amendment to insure that women's health is protected.

Mary Busam, Green Township

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Despite what sign says, Hell is not real | Letters