I am convinced that there is nothing more lethal than legalism. No mindset is more antithetical to life in Christ. That is why I am so concerned by the recent review of the film “Wanderlust.”

According to the author, “Wanderlust” is a “raunchy comedy” filled with “gratuitous, full-frontal group nudity.” Despite this, it is clear that the author does not believe he has committed a sin in watching this film. On the contrary, he appears to have enjoyed it immensely. Going into the movie, he knew it “could be nothing but hilarious” and was not disappointed. The movie was “darn entertaining.” “Grotesque amounts of nudity not withstanding, ‘Wanderlust’ is another very, very funny comedy.”

In these words, the author has unwittingly revealed that he is a thorough legalist. Contrary to the popular misconception, a legalist is not one who condemns activities not explicitly condemned in Scripture. Many legalists certainly do this, but so do all Christians who condemn abortion, slavery or pornography. A true legalist is one who believes that righteousness consists in the external. Legalists have clean hands and filthy hearts. Legalists are “white-washed tombs.” The essence of legalism is the attempt to drive a wedge between inner and outer, between heart and hands, between soul and body.

No doubt, the author considers it a sin to engage in the activities depicted in “Wanderlust,” but he clearly does not consider it a sin to enjoy them. This is one of the most fundamental and devastating misunderstandings of Christianity. The popular slogan “What would Jesus do?” fails to capture the goal of the Christian life, which is nothing short of total conformity to the image of Christ. Such conformity does indeed include our actions, but it also includes our affections. Not only are we to do what Jesus would do, we are to enjoy what Jesus would enjoy. This requires a total transformation, accomplished only through daily participating with Christ in his death and resurrection.

I am fairly certain that Jesus would not find “Wanderlust” funny. I believe his emotional response to this film would be markedly different than the emotional response described by the author. As the only true human, we should seek to follow Jesus body and soul. God help us.

• Murray Vasser

I struggle to understand what exactly Christians have given the world “to rail about.” For that matter, Christianity has only been around for 2,000 years, many of which were years when Christianity was illegal — from its foundation until Constantine issued an edict of toleration in A.D. 313 — or when Christians were directly responsible for the flourishing of society.

In the Middle Ages, hospitals were founded in an effort to show Jesus’ love to the sick and universities were established by Christians striving to learn more about their Creator. Even the Inquisition and the Crusades, both of which supposedly contributed to the Dark Ages, a period of intellectual repression that was only ended by the Enlightenment, are taken way out of proportion. The so-called Dark Ages took place in “Christian Europe.” Do you really believe that everybody, or even the majority, in Europe during the Middle Ages was Christian? The U.S. is still thought of as a Christian nation and it plainly is not. As Shaefer Bagwell noted in the Feb. 23 issue of The Chimes, many claim to be Christian, but many are not.

Shaefer Bagwell asks in “Shake or Stir: Christians Let The Spirit Settle in the Glass” why the church has the reputation it does. The answer is simple. People do not do their own research, do not go to the primary sources on their own, and simply absorb without critical thought the ridiculous allegations against the church. Certainly, there are many who have done horrible things in the name of Christianity. But those people were not Christians. In fact, the entire focus of this article, that Christianity “causes” atheism, is completely misguided and ridiculous for two reasons. First, Christianity has never caused atheism and never will. Atheism is just a weak excuse by willfully blind non-Christians to justify their patently sinful behavior. Second, Christianity is the best thing that has happened to the world and has most certainly not contributed to “thousands of years of religious and social repression.” Next time, please avoid regurgitating historical revision without critical thought.

• Steven Pridgen