Stephen Farrand’s letter in response to my letter begs for correction. The most up-to-date English translations of the Bible use the word “drunkard” and not the word “alcoholic” because it’s not simply referring to those who need treatment, but those who in recent weeks have been sentenced to jail for driving boats and cars under the influence.

Regarding the biblical condemnation of the “greedy and swindlers,” there are already civil and criminal penalties for both. As far as adultery goes, I am not proposing legislation to ban such behavior; however, it is a good time to ask if no-fault divorce laws need to be re-evaluated in light of the disastrous impact on families.

Civil law and church moral and social teaching are not as different as Mr. Farrand suggests. He is right that “state and church serve different purposes,” but I have no idea what he means when he says that they answer to different authorities. In the view of many, including our founding fathers, both state and church are accountable to God.

I agree that every citizen of Maine is “entitled to full justice and equality under Maine civil law.” However, marriage has not been available to same-sex couples (and others in the prohibited list included in Maine law) for the simple reason that same-sex unions are not marriage. Would Mr. Farrand suggest that incestuous relationships “are entitled to full justice and equality under Maine civil law”?

The Rev. Sandy Williams
Freeport