To the Editor:
The town is responsible for the current mess of chaotic town boundaries, that’s what’s kooky. It didn’t just happen; the town wanted more taxable area to spend more money.
In 2007, the Town of Bluffton, with many others in South Carolina, tried to get passed in the middle of the night SB202, which would have allowed town councils to just vote you in. Thankfully, it failed. What you want for your property wouldn’t have mattered.
Remember the eminent domain of New London, Conn.? People lost their homes. It’s still a giant blighted vacant lot.
Those who keep pushing “let everybody be part of the town,” ignore those who don’t want to be part of it. It represents another layer of taxes, regulations and zoning, on top of county, state and federal. Blaming septic tanks for the condition of the May River, to cover for excessive over-building on the watershed, is an example of this excess.
What’s missing from the annexation laws is a way out of the town. Once they annex you, there is no getting out.
Many people live out of town and have business or property in town. They had no vote when the Simmonsville Road annexation was held. Now they get a tax bill. Talk about disenfranchised.
This paper has had articles about those clamoring to get into the town. How about articles about those looking to get out, or stay out?
The best thing that could happen is to let the county run all emergency services, and return the town to its original one square mile.
Paul McCue
Bluffton
To the Editor:
My wife and I recently moved to the Okatie/Bluffton area. After reading a number of faith-based columns in this newspaper, I am motivated to share something that has been important to me.
While unpacking boxes, I started to search for one of my older books. I remembered finding an explanation there of Christ’s return as referenced in the Bible (John 14:3).
Revelations 1:7 described it as “coming with the clouds … and all peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him.” This does not sound like a very joyous occasion to me. More like something that went terribly wrong by the torture and crucifixion of Christ, especially with God’s wrath to follow.
But, for purposes of this letter, I would like to focus on the part where, after announcing a future return, Jesus mentioned that He would send “another Counselor” who “will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). And this is the “Spirit of Truth”/the Holy Spirit. But in what form will this Spirit take? Could He possibly have the same form that Jesus had, i.e., a human form?
In a book that I discovered almost 50 years ago, the author comprehensively addressed these and all questions on human spiritual existence. It brought many things in the Bible to life for me, including the part about the Counselor/Comforter. The book is titled “In the Light of Truth; The Grail Message” by Abd-ru-shin. (See grailmessage.com.)
“The Grail Message” bears no connection with any religion, nor does it replace it with another. It addresses the individual reader alone.
Gene Ceccarelli
Bluffton
