June 16, 1999
Texas Baptist Forum
Teen violence
___Why is there so much teen violence? The answer is simple, but no one wants to hear.
___A couple of generations ago, the majority of children grew up in a home that consisted of a father who provided financially for his family. They had a mother who nurtured and raised them. And religion was an important part of their family life.
___Today, children have mom's new boyfriend who yells a lot. They have daycare because mom's six weeks of maternity leave is up. That sack lunch with the special surprise mombaked is now a Lunchable bought at the store. Instead of supper around the dinner table, it's Happy Meals in front of the TV. Instead of neighborhood football games, it's bomb-making on the Internet. Instead of dad playing catch after dinner, it's violent video games.
e-mail marvknox@flash.net
___What about religion? Sunday is our only day to "sleep in."
___Until we have a majority of children growing up in "traditional" homes, we will continue to see psychopathic teenagers.
___ Wallace Pippin
___ Grandview
Combined effect
___What can we do to improve the safety of our children in school? We have God's divine answers.
___"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we individually will comply with this scripture, then we can indeed play a role in improving school safety.
___"If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). We can claim this promise of God, and then we can know what our response to the Columbine tragedy should be.
___God will do the works through us. It will make a difference. They will not have died in vain.
___It starts in the heart. Each heart--and the combined effect will be great.
___ Jess Olive
___ Texas City
Sixth option
___You failed to publish (May 26) the sixth option we have for giving to the Cooperative Program unified budget: "None to the Baptist General Convention of Texas."
___ J.T. Wyatt
___ Pharr
Honest report
___Your editorial about the new Cooperative Program giving option (May 26) was a breath of fresh air.
___Although I disagree with the new option, finally someone in Texas Baptist life is plainly saying that the BGCT has been distancing itself from the Southern Baptist Convention, which contradicts the well-versed denials from state convention leaders over the years.
___Rather than giving disingenuous answers like, "We never were a franchise of the SBC to begin with," the editorial explains the traditionally close relationship with the SBC is coming to an end, one step at a time. Thank you for your honesty.
___ David Sweet
___ Buda
Resettle Kosovars
___I am compelled to respond to Lloyd Mabry's letter urging Baptists to refrain from sponsoring Kosovar refugees (May 26). He worried that Kosovars are Muslims, and upon arrival in the United States would "work with all other Muslims to stamp out Christianity."
___This kind of muddled thinking could jeopardize the opportunity Texas Baptists have to live out the real calling of Christ in this situation. The heartbreaking tragedy of Kosovo provides us the chance to show refugees God's redeeming love. If we shun Kosovar refugees in their darkest hour, then we lose any hope of sharing Christ with them. Texas Baptists should beware of fear-mongering and instead open their hearts to a broken world.
___Remember that Jesus was no stranger to the terror of genocide. He was a refugee in Egypt after Mary and Joseph fled with him to escape ethnic cleansing. Let us try to understand the Kosovars' plight through his eyes.
___ Wayne Martin
___ Fort Worth
Screwball diet
___(Late Editor) E.S. James would have a fit--and rightly so--should he see the deterioration in the Baptist Standard to the point it prints a full page about a screwball diet (May 26). Such publication will cause some people to pursue illogical treatment for illnesses until it is too late.
___ Jack Cox, M.D.
___ Teague
Effective diet
___Thank you for the article on the Hallelujah Diet (May 26). I have been on it for almost a year, and I am very glad I have made this move.
___I have not been sick, but it has lowered my heart rate from 88 to as low as 58, mostly in the 60s. My blood pressure from 140/88 to 116/75. I do not have the allergy problems I once had. I just feel good. I was feeling too old for 47.
___I do want to warn people. This is a very safe diet, but do not stop your medicine without talking with your physician. I know one man that did this and was very sick for about three weeks. He is now doing great but is fortunate that he is not dead or had a stroke from stopping his blood pressure medicines so abruptly.
___ Jim Stanton, R.N.
___ Bryan
School missions
___While waiting to go overseas on a Cooperative Services International position, I had several months to be a substitute teacher.
___The public schools desperately need mission-minded substitutes. A regular teacher may reach 250 students a year, but a substitute can influence 1,000 students per week.
___They can minister without "preaching" to the students. In history, they can emphasize America's rich religious background. They can read a very religious speech by Abraham Lincoln in the context of history and social studies.
___Subs have every right to emphasize creation science over evolution. I had numerous occasions to pass out materials on the fossil record and tell why I did not believe in evolution. To have an impact on the next generation, all you need is any bachelor's degree, even if your major was Bible.
___ Victor Vaughn
___ Richardson
Baffling vouchers
___The school voucher idea baffles me. I know why the state wants private schools to use vouchers. I do not understand why the church or other private schools would want to take them.
___In this world, we understand the "golden rule": He who has the gold rules.
___Why do we want the state to ruin the private schools also?
___ Wayne Moore
___ Seagoville
Intrusive rules
___The school voucher system sounds like a viable solution to many educational ills, and as letters to the editor have stated, it provides a wonderful opportunity to witness.
___Have you ever noticed, however, that when the federal and/or state government becomes involved in any entity, its rules and regulations must be implemented? Regardless of the promises by politicians, slowly but surely these regulations may be required because the private schools will be taking state/federal monies (via the voucher).
___Is it beyond comprehension that perhaps one day the government could and would ban prayer and religious education in religious schools?
___Certainly, I cannot say for sure this will happen, but it is something we all need to think about.
___ Gaynell Thames
___ Robstown
Keep praying
___I appreciate Charles Mwakitwile's desire to pray for the missionaries (June 2). He can pray for them even when the International Mission Board does not, for safety reasons, print the country in which they serve.
___Keep praying; God knows where they are! I prefer that our IMB continue to take steps to protect my parents and other missionaries around the world, and I applaud the board's continued efforts in this regard.
___ Randy White
___ Kaufman
Women ministers
___I read the letter affirming women ministers (June 2). How does one reconcile Romans 16:1 with 1 Timothy 3:8-12?
___ Wayne Smallwood
___ Athens
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