No matter what the "faithful" think, noise is one of the growing intrusions on our home lives. Some of us like to retreat to our homes and enjoy peace, quiet, and a respite from the hectic world. Sunday mornings can be especially soothing times; we read the papers, sleep late, have nice breakfasts, etc. No one should decide for us what sounds will accompany our retreats.

Thanks to my God for the County's zoning ordinance. It may not block out all noise, but it helps.

On the news over the weekend, one parishioner said she was praying for the neighbors because they were so mean-spirited. I wonder if she would pray for the teenagers next door to her after they blasted her out of nightime sleep with ear-shattering music "because they were mean-spirited"? Is this what that church preaches - intolerance? Criticize your neighbors, call them names, because they don't share your opinions?

The important point is that the bells violated the noise ordinance. They should have been silenced because of that.

Even with complying bells, I tend to think that their ringing in suburban areas should be restricted to reasonable time periods deemed necessary for the worship of the particular faith.

Okay, I like church bells and find them soothing, particularly after having gotten use their constant ringing during time I spent in school in England. But I know that there are some people to whom the bells are an annoyance and I want to respect those people, too, especially if they live very close to the church.

You can have bells and you can obey the noise ordinance and you can compromise with, and respect, your neighbors all at the same time. Trying to do that is the "proper Christian response" to the bell ringing issue.