Don't Tone Down Don't Tone Down
I cannot believe how much we think alike. Keep up the good work! Recently I have noticed you're taking a lot of heat. I just want to encourage you to stand by your convictions and not give in to the pressure to "tone" your magazine down. I for one like it the way it is.
Thanks for keeping me entertained, and inspiring me and other teenagers to live the Christian life.
Elisha Dorfsmith—Big Bear City, CA
Having a Ball
New Attitude just gets better and better! It's a blast to read, and your articles are right on target. I like all the '90s elements you include in your graphic design and layout— it's so energizing to read.
Keep up the good work. We're having a ball at your party.
Kristin Hernberg—Rochester, NY
Joan Osborne
Thank you for the article "Answers to 'One of Us'" in your winter issue. I have heard the song before, and to tell you the truth, I didn't know what to think of it. Part of me felt it
was blasphemous, while the other part of me was glad that secular music was so accepting of songs about God. I saw the opportunity for real ministry.
Your article made me look the song as a sort of symbol of what a lot of non-Christians might think about. I'm glad Joan Osborne wrote this song and that it was such a success. Whether she intended it or not, I feel that it forces people to ask themselves these questions and thus search for an answer. Thank you for giving us the answers and the references from which you obtained them. I will be sure to show this article to my friends.
Tasha R. Melton—Salem, OR
Unholy Matrimony
We just received the first issue of our subscription to your magazine. I'm glad I took the time to preview it before handing it over to my 14-year-old son. I found several disturbing attitudes embodied throughout this issue. But what finally sealed my decision to not pass the magazine on to my son was the cartoon on the last page. Although I don't wear a head covering, I found it offensive that you mocked women who do by portraying the mother and one daughter in that light. Also, although I myself have only two children, I didn't appreciate your scorn for larger families. And most particularly offensive was your sneer at obedient children! There is nothing edifying about this cartoon.
Please cancel our subscription and send a refund. If our son picked up the "New Attitudes" in this magazine, his spiritual life would definitely be downgraded. I would invite you to review Psalm 1 "...nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful..." in particular. Ask yourself if you've fallen into Balaam's trap— marrying the holy things of God to the attitudes and gods of this world.
Thomasine Morris
Home-School Vogue
What a breath of fresh air every issue brings to our teens (and me!) We enjoy it from cover to cover. We, too, argue over who gets to it first, but most of all we can't wait to see what Lou Spielman, his family, and friends are up to.
The Winter 1995 issue cartoon was the ultimate. What an absolutely perfect pun with picture and words. I AM THAT MOM and so glad to finally be VOGUE! It made my day and that of other moms with whom I've shared it. Thank you for being so honest and authentic! We love you and appreciate all you do to make home schooling "ungeeky."
Cris Thompson—Bellingham, WA
First Kiss
In your article Real Life Love Stories, specifically your review of the book Of Knights and Fair Maidens, I noticed in the overview chart of the book that their first kiss was when they got engaged. I was thankful that you brought that out so that people will know the values found in the book, but I was disappointed that you didn't mention your disapproval.
Josh, what if people read it and get the idea that a little sexual contact is permissible outside of marriage? I thought from listening to you that you believed the Bible prohibited any sexual interaction for unmarried people. Even engaged people have spoken no binding wedding vows and therefore do not have the privileges which come with marriage. To sell a book which encourages sexual interaction before marriage may cause many young people to stumble. Do you want to use your influence to do that?
Obviously, the couple who wrote the book are thankful they courted, but don't fully understand the Biblical model for courtship and engagement. That's too bad, because teens these days need books by couples who have Biblically courted.
Anna Bradley—Carmichael, CA
There was a time in my life, Anna, when I could not have imagined the idea of not kissing till you were married. Well, I've come a long way since then. Praise God there are people out there with standards like yours. I agree that there is no good reason for sexual expression before marriage. I want my first kiss with my wife to be on the wedding day. But I endorse the Myers' book because I don't believe the question of kissing on your engagement or wedding day is a central issue. I am also close to the Myers and know their relationship was pure. For them a kiss at that particular moment was a pure expression of their love. I hope that this issue won't distract people from the very helpful information their book provides.
Legalistic Cubbyhole
Thank you for another marvelous issue of New Attitude! As usual, the articles were interesting, relevant, and excellently written. I especially appreciate your efforts to draw home schoolers together in Christ. You are successfully holding the magazine to high Biblical standards without scuttling into a legalistic cubbyhole. Interaction gets better and better as the topics garner more varying opinions, and Mail is a forum in itself.
Thank you for all your hard work—the results are fantastic.
Lee Ann Bisulca—Alexandria, VA
Home Schoolish Family
We enjoy New Attitude. You've found a niche, but we want you to know others lurk about in the pages dedicated to "homies."
We are a typical home-schoolish family who does not home school. (OK, maybe not so typical!) We go to "your" conferences, listen to "your" teachers (Gothard, Harris, Lindvall, etc.) and have now added "your" magazine.
Our secular college attendee daughter loves the humor and depth of articles, and our 16-year-old gets the challenge and spoof that makes her unique life less weird. We as parents get to have another tool in our hands to forge lives for Christ! Carry on!
Candy Artemenko—Roseburg, OR
Swallowed a Camel
It seems that Michael New has gotten himself quite a fan club! But I'm afraid that Christian home schoolers have swallowed a really big camel by endorsing him.
While it takes a lot of courage to stand up and say "No" when faced with something that goes against our standards, we must be certain that our convictions are not based simply on our own beliefs, but on the Word of God.
Michael New's story tends to appeal to the "independent thinker" mentality so popular with home schoolers, but overlooks one major point. While Michael is unwilling to serve in a U.N. uniform, he is willing to pick up a gun, and kill the men that Jesus Christ died to save. As long as he's wearing a United States uniform!
But what about defending our beloved country? Jesus does not give us permission to kill those who attack us. Instead, he says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt 5:38-39)
Are we more concerned with the United States of America than we are with the Kingdom of God?
So the real question is not, "Should a soldier in one army be forced to submit to another army?" but, "Should a soldier of Jesus Christ ignore the orders he's been given?"
Joe Stevens—Forest Ranch, CA
Prejudice Shows
I very much enjoyed your recent article "Communicating with Non-Homies," but I wanted to emphasize something that I thought was important. During my time at public school, I made friends with several home schoolers. They often invited me to parties at their house where I met some of their home-school friends. When their friends asked where I went to school, it was obvious that they were having second thoughts about me because I was a dreaded "non-homie." I want my fellow homies to realize that your opinion of non-home schoolers shows and can make them feel out of place. Jesus Christ died for all of us. Whether we home school or not makes no difference to Him. It's easy to ruin a chance to share God's plan of salvation when you exclude someone, even when it's unintentional.
Kristi Slaughter—Granbury, TX