Editor:

I'm a Christian who attends a local church and I have never attended the Catalyst Church ("Beer Me, Jesus," Aug. 19). I realize your article was written by Deric Mendes, a self-described atheist and that newspapers articles can, without meaning to, misquote or distort.

Dan Davis, being one of four co-pastors of the committee-run church, states that his views are not the overriding views of the church. Davis derives his worldview from Aristotle's philosophy of logic, compassion and ethics, something he feels Christianity best represents. He then states, "I'm an agnostic every other day." As for the Bible, "I don't hold to inerrancy in the text. It's not meant to be taken literally." The article states that Davis, and much of the Catalyst congregation, approach Christianity as post-structuralist philosophers, deconstructing the Bible as a work of literature rather than an absolute truth.

 Davis struggles to find his place in social justice work. Catalyst wants to address issues such as poverty and the environment. Regarding Jesus, the article asked the question: is invoking Jesus metaphorically better for social justice than a literal invocation? Is it even necessary for the cause, or for Catalyst, to invoke Jesus at all?

 To Dan Davis: If the Bible is not the inerrant word of God, if there is no absolute truth, if the finished work of Jesus on the cross through his death, burial, and resurrection is not necessary, then what do you believe?

 The Christian Church is to meet spiritual and physical needs of people. Sometimes the Church fails in the area of meeting physical needs. However, the main ministry of the Christian Church is to point people to Jesus.

To the Catalyst Church: If you are a social services group, I say, "Great, we need more people in our community caring about others." However, if you indeed call yourselves a Christian Church, are you pointing people to Jesus?

Debra Woodman, McKinleyville