I cannot help but respond to Paul Everson's Nov. 30 letter, "Christianity short in letter." His personal attack and hate-filled diatribe against me and those like me is so typical of Christian-bashers. Since when is proclaiming the truth about our country hate speech, intolerant and venomous?

First, I didn't say that Christians couldn't pray in school. I said, "We're not allowed to pray privately in many of our schools without persecution."

Second, Everson wants constitutional rights for sodomizers? Maybe this Bible-quoting Christian is not familiar with Romans 1:26-27 and 1st Corinthians 6:9-11. Maybe he's blind to AIDS being strictly a behavioral disease. Except in rare cases from contaminated blood being used in a transfusion, AIDS is spread through dirty needles and acts of fornication, adultery and sodomy. Should we grant special rights to fornicators and adulterers, as well?

Does Everson and those like him have no sense of decency? Do they really care? But they're full of compassion, right? Denying people the truth is not compassionate. I have a brother who's been fighting HIV for 18 years. Withholding the truth about consequences from those who would engage in such a lifestyle is nothing short of hypocrisy. Many, many times my brother has said, "All my friends are dead."

Third, Everson says, "Christ's love is unconditional." And that gays are "genetically disposed to be attracted to people of the same sex." Does he also believe that some of us are genetically disposed to fornication and adultery? How about pedophilia?

Yes, God's love is unconditional. And Christ did lay down his life and raise it up again so we sinners could receive a full pardon for our sin debt. However, this same God of love also promises everlasting hellfire for those who will not admit their sinfulness and repent (Matthew 25:41-46).

Regarding multiculturalism, patriotic Americans have always understood that those who move here from other countries and other cultures respect and tolerate our Judeo-Christian culture and American values, as well as learn our language. Although these immigrants have the right to worship the cow and the rat, the Blackstone and the Golden Buddha, they don't have the right to purge Christianity, its principles and its values from our schools and institutions.

Last, Everson says, "Keep church and state separate." Well, unlike Europe, we have a Constitution that guarantees this country won't become an Anglican, Catholic or Lutheran nation. Christian, to be sure - Trinity decision of 1892 - but not an established Christian denomination. We celebrate freedom of religion and the freedom to worship the God of the Bible - or, at least, used to.

But there I go again, telling the truth. I must be one of those confused, intolerant, Bible-believing, fundamentalist Christians. Well, good for me.