John Edwards and His Populist Appeal

Lorraine Ali watched the HBO documentary "Hard as Nails," and her resulting critique of the film reminded me of how easily our perceptions can be shaped by a communications medium and its gatekeepers. Any HBO documentary is going to include fascinating and shocking footage to pique the interest of viewers. But I urge those viewers to seek out more information before making judgments about Hard as Nails Ministries and Justin Fatica, the main subject of the film. Many moments in the film, also mentioned in Ali's article, capture Fatica making a brief, striking statement during what is actually a lengthy speech or dramatic skit. Without hearing the speeches or skits in their entirety, one can easily draw false conclusions. In reality, our events are typically all-day programs, which are prayerfully and carefully designed. We have great love and compassion for the youth we serve. Our approach should be judged in the fullness of this context rather than by a sound bite from a film. Ultimately, our mission is to articulate the Gospel in a dynamic way that youth can easily understand, so that by God's grace they will know the love of God, develop a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and experience his healing power in their lives.
Timothy J. Hanley, Executive Director
Hard as Nails Ministries
Paramus, N.J.

Huckabee, Romney and Religion
Your cover story on Mike Huckabee reveals several crucial flaws in the presidential candidate ("A Pastor's True Calling," Dec. 17). He used his devotion to the church as a segue into politics, allegedly exhibited dubious spending habits, betrayed his GOP status by cranking up Arkansas taxes as governor and, unlike most of the other candidates, has no solid solution to illegal immigration. Huckabee's personal skills and abundant preaching on the campaign trail may appeal to a wide audience, but those who understand the contradictions in his politics will see he's out of his league.
Adam Sylvain
Rochester, N.H.

As a staunch Democrat and equally steadfast atheist, I honestly have to say that I somehow have taken a liking to Mike Huckabee. Though we have no common ground in faith and he may have a faith-based agenda that I don't agree with, Huckabee still has the essential ingredient all other candidates lack—a footing in the middle class. With his background of coming from no money, it's no wonder that his burgeoning campaign is gaining the interest of many voters, including me.
Fred Haegele
Cincinnati, Ohio

"A New American Holy War" (Dec. 17) implies that the Republican presidential campaign has descended into a kind of holy war. The problem with this conclusion is that the war is one-sided. In Mitt Romney's speech on faith in America, he made no attack on another religion. To the contrary, he paid heartfelt compliments to evangelicals, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Jews and Muslims. He even suggested that he wished his faith would emulate some of their positive attributes. Every observant American knows that Romney has been on the defensive about his Mormon beliefs since the beginning of the campaign. And time after time, he continues to turn the other cheek. One could conclude he has taken the more "Christian" approach.
Glen Mella
Potomac, Md.

I would love my president to be a born-again Christian, but I've learned that closeness to God doesn't necessarily translate to greatness in leadership. God still allows us to make our own decisions, and presidents, like the rest of us, make mistakes. Two presidents most vocal about their Christian faith have been Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. Yet many believe their presidencies were failures. Our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, although he knew his Bible, could hardly be described as evangelical. While I obviously believe that faith is important, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, and every other candidate, must be assessed primarily on their records. We are not electing our pastor but our commander in chief. On that score, Romney is the better choice.
Dev Lobo
Brookfield, Wis.

Your article says it has become a requirement for presidential candidates to "make a public declaration of faith." As a voter for more than 25 years, I don't consider that my requirement. I don't want a "religious" president. George W. Bush's tenure has confirmed for me that religious, righteous certainty tramples the progression of negotiation and consensus building that a successful, diverse society needs from its leaders. His righteousness has led us to torture and to a world that is more dangerous now than before 9/11. Knowing how dangerous a righteous president can be, I will not vote for a candidate who I worry will trust more in his faith than in the hard work of leading and governing fairly.
Todd Milliken
Windsor, Calif.