Mr. Bettner (Letters, Sept. 24) commented that the theory of Intelligent Design came to us from the Greeks, and that it has lost popularity among the Christian community.

Actually, the idea of an Å0Ç9intelligent creatorÅ0É0 preceded the Greek culture by millennia. What has lost popularity among Christians was the interpretation of Genesis in the Å0Ç9young earthÅ0É0 model and a literal 6-day, 24-hour approach to the initial chapters of Genesis.

What many Christians object to is not the theory of Creation, but the imposition of only one interpretation when the Bible allows for greater understanding, diversity of thought, and the Hebrew language itself from which we get our English translation allows for longer periods of time. Mr. Bettner does admit quite freely that Intelligent Design is a Å0Ç9debatable matter.Å0É0 And that is exactly the point that Christians generally make. Because it is a debatable matter Å0Ç9within and withoutÅ0É0 the confines of Christendom Å0É3it should be not excluded from the marketplace of ideas and in situations where the origins of life are discussed.

Mr. Bettner also said he could find no evidence on the Internet that President Bush is accountable to God. As much as I like the use of my computer, the Internet would not be the first place I would look to find evidence of God. And the truth is, believe it or not, we are all accountable to God. We might sit back and judge the actions of someone else as being good or being bad, based on whatever value system we hold, but God is judge of all.

Clairann Haney

Oak Harbor