The quote that the “Concerned Citizens of Yadkin County” used in their advertisement for Brady Wooten is: "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." This scripture from the book of Acts is referring to the leaders of Jerusalem who commanded that Peter and John not give Christ the credit for the miracles they were performing in the city. The advertisement in The Yadkin Ripple tries to draw a parallel between that event and the use of sectarian prayer in Yadkin County commissioner meetings.

I'm sorry, but to compare the miracles that John and Peter performed in Jerusalem to the zoning amendments and resolutions on Civil War markers that the county commissioner's perform in Yadkinville is not only misleading, it is rather insulting to the good apostles.

As for the quote: "Choose from these like-minded supporters of Judeo-Christian values," what values is the group specifically referring to? Is praying in Jesus' name really a Judeo value? For that matter, is housing non-tried, non-convicted persons in cramped, non-air-conditioned facilities a Christian or Judeo value? Matthew 25:42-46 tells us that if we are not willing to take care of those that are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and in prison then we might as well not be willing to take care of Jesus Christ himself.

Is scoring political points by making life more difficult for our Hispanic brothers and sisters a Christian value? Leviticus 19:33 says "And if a stranger sojourn with you in your land, you shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself." Exodus 23:9 reminds us "Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

So what are these Christian values that this group claims to hold dear?

Is it thriftiness that is deaf to humaneness? Pride that is immune to progress? Faith that is susceptible to intolerance?

Some use Christ to change the world. Some use him to win elections. As for me, I’ll bet on and cast my vote for the former.

Bradley Hardy is a 2006 graduate of Forbush High School and a North Carolina Teaching Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.