The vultures were circling yet again, but I had some other clues that Stephen Von Eck (rhymes with "yeck") had written me again, even before I opened the envelope.

Memo to Van Eck: Putting a return address label from your pal in Ohio solves part of the problem of trying to fool me into not knowing it is you writing, but not all. For one thing, why would I get mail of any kind from "Leland Ruble" whom I know not from Adam? For another, why the heck would someone living in Toledo send a letter with a postmark from Friendville, Pennsylvania? And really, your habit of using windowed envelopes is quite distinctive. I take it they were on sale at Wal-Mart? You've got a ways to go before you're half as sneaky and clever as you need to be. More later. Luv, JP.

If you think Eck went out and researched Mithraism or something in response to our last encounter, think again. No, there was no mention of anything at all in that last article (though allusion is made to "prolix gyrations" which is presumably intended as an all-refuting compact statement) and there are the usual bawlings about how "Christian love" is not represented by satire (try again on that); and it is said that there was a "great amount of verbiage" which he found it incredible I went through for one I deem "worthless".

Memo to Ecky: Actually most of that article had already been written and it was just a matter of copy and paste. When you have the resources already in hand, that makes it more worth the time to take the little fellows to the cleaners. You'll see the same for the latest you sent. The eck02 article anyway took me only about 30 minutes. You're worth that, though not much more. Now any chance we'll see you actually ANSWER any of that? Didn't think so. Kisses, JP. PS, ever seen my list, "You may be a fundy atheist if...?" This one applies: "...you think if a Christian won't address your arguments, they are too frightened to do so, or know they can't answer them; but if they do address your arguments, you think it is because they are 'threatened' by them."

So what was in the package this time? Nothing new:

• A couple of stumps for a copy of Age of Reason. That's nice. Been there, done that. (Can you see the link, Steve?)
• A drawing of a foot (that looks rather goutish) where Eck says, "I know you were begging me for footnotes. Here's one." And on that foot written, "Liberating the Gospels" by John Shelby Spong. Might want to wash considering where it has been. See here. See the link, Steve?
• A list of 8 Bible "contradictions". All old and moldy:
  1. God lying and deceiving -- see link here
  2. God as source of evil? See here
  3. God "works in league with Satan and other evil entities" -- same answer as #1 above
  4. God "causes suffering" -- see here and also remember about the restrictions of proverbial literature
  5. God "violates free will" -- who ever said He didn't? Steve, you "violate free will" every time you interact with someone. Get real.
  6. God tempts -- see here
  7. God "gives bad laws" -- see #2 again
  8. God "is a god of war" -- to which we say, "yeah, and what of it"?

And that's all for this round. In close.

Memo to my man Eck: I'm so glad we found you something to do with your life. Now how about answering that material on Mithraism? Or even anything I wrote? Didn't think so. Ta ta. Planning on driving to Ohio next time to mail your letter, BTW?