Editor, A few days ago, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley made an accurate remark for which he will be criticized. In his Jan. 11 address he said, “Those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not my brothers and sisters ...”
Well, it didn’t take long for the criticism to develop from the “walking dead and blind.” I’m sure he will be called uniformed, unenlightened and intolerant — and this will come from folks calling themselves Christians!
The immediate comments from The Anti-Defamation League and The Birmingham Islamic Society were utter foolishness and reflective of today’s double standard against Christians. 
Please! Of course the people from these two organizations understand the nature and context of Gov. Bentley’s remarks! After all, do Jews and Muslims consider Christians to be their “brothers and sisters?”  Islam teaches that non-Muslims are infidels.
Make no mistake. This is about political correctness. I’m thankful to see one politician who is more concerned about principle and less concerned with political correctness.
Of course non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during Gov. Bentley’s term. Of course Gov. Bentley can be effective for all who call Alabama home. (I would say more than most, given his Christian values.)
Gov. Bentley is correct from a Christian perspective: Any person who has not received Jesus Christ as their personal savior is not a child of God. Non-Christians are creations of God, valued by Him, demonstrated by His sacrificial and atoning death on the cross.
I wish politicians and religious leaders would get it right. It is incorrect to say, “We are all God’s children.” Actually, we are not. We are all God’s “creations.” The Bible is very clear about who the children of God are: “Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12

— Dr. Tom Smiley
Gainesville (originally
from Gum Branch)