To the Editor:

I believe that Pastor Tripp is entitled to his opinion as we all are. I also believe that when you express it you should be open to being questioned on it.

My first question is where in the Bible is hunting prohibited on Sunday? I’m not saying it isn’t there, I’d just like to know where.

Secondly, Does Pastor Tripp buy anything or eat out on Sunday? The reason I ask is because if someone cites their opposition to something by stating that Sunday is a day of rest then I should think that they should not engage in commerce on Sunday because people then have to work.

Thirdly, is Pastor Tripp also opposed to fishing on Sunday? How is this different than hunting, within the context of opposing it based on Sunday being a day of rest?

The WRC (Wildlife Resources Commission) has stated that prohibiting Sunday hunting serves no purpose in conserving resources and habitats. Does Reverend Creech not believe their findings? I’m not saying that Reverend Creech is wrong, but shouldn’t he produce data to support his statement? He cites the Fourth Commandment as part of his basis for his opposition to Sunday hunting. Where in the Fourth Commandment is Sunday hunting prohibited? I would also ask the same questions of him that I ask of Pastor Tripp above.

Reverend Creech stated that he doesn’t see how the WRC could say that Sunday hunting has no effect on the resource or habitat. He stated that he didn’t see how they arrived at this conclusion because if hunting is allowed seven days a week versus six that more animals would be harvested. He misrepresented (whether intentionally or not) what the WRC is saying. The WRC is simply saying that each hunter has a maximum amount of harvests that they can make per day and per year, regardless of what day the harvest is made.

Reverend Creech also cited safety around churches as a concern. I agree that this is a legitimate concern. Every hunter has the responsibility to be safe, but accidents still happen. This issue could be addressed by limiting the distance from a church that a person could hunt on Sundays. Reverend Creech cited a photo of a bullet hole through a church door caused by a careless hunter. Yes, this could have been tragic if people had been there, but the fact that he presented only one example of this at a church tells me that this is an isolated event. Where are all the other churches that have been shot up by hunters? If his logic is to prohibit hunting on Sunday because of a small percentage of people were careless then shouldn’t he also be opposed to driving or boating?

Reverend Creech cited a study by WRC that requires that three dozen more Wildlife Officers be hired if Sunday hunting is passed. Now if it is true that Sunday hunting is cost prohibitive then by all means let’s oppose it on those grounds.

B.T. Knowles

Windsor