April 17, 2000

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM
Television 'fast'
___According to the A.C. Neilson company, the average American watches television three hours and 46 minutes daily. At that rate, a 65-year-old American will have spent nine years watching television!
___While Christians are rightfully concerned about the poor quality of television programs,

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the greatest threat to faith and family lies in the sheer quantity of television in American life.
___Every April since 1995, a coalition of religious, health care and environmental groups has promoted National TV-Turnoff Week. The event calls on individuals to turn off the tube for one week and rediscover real life. This year, TV-Turnoff Week will be April 24-30.
___I encourage Texas Baptists to observe this "fast." Unplug the tube-god and find out what you've been missing--take a walk, plant a garden, read a book, cook a meal from scratch, hold hands with your spouse, play with your children, call an old friend, make a new friend, learn a hymn, memorize a passage of Scripture, pray.
___ Timothy Heavin
___ Graham

Dark ages again
___An early 1960s Baptist Standard letter complained about how Texas Baptist hospitals served fish on Fridays, asking, "Just who are they catering to?" I shared my memory of that letter with a Catholic friend, and we laughed about the dark ages when evangelicals assumed you were hell-bound for being a member of the wrong church.
___After hearing Al Mohler say the Catholics are "teaching a false gospel" (April 3), I guess those dark ages aren't past.
___I'm not a Baptist theologian enclosed by a Baptist academic habitat of Baptist professors teaching Baptist students about Baptist things. I live in the real world. Yes, the Catholic Church has some policies mysterious to me, but I cannot judge myself as better than they.
___We know Baptist persons who give evidence to doubt their salvation! There are faithful followers of our Lord Jesus in the Catholic Church as in other denominations. I have met with, prayed with and fellowshipped with many non-Baptist believers in my non-Baptist world.
___I wish Al Mohler would not embarrass those of us who are trying to share the love of Christ with those who aren't as holy as he is. We don't need more inquisitions.
___ Robert Browning
___ Mesquite

Missed blessing
___On April 6, our church hosted a community Lenten luncheon. It was a time of cross-cultural and cross-denominational fellowship and worship.
___Al Mohler probably wouldn't have been very comfortable at the luncheon (April 3). Two priests and some of their parishioners were present. No "false gospel" was preached. No "false church" was propagated.
___Simply put, it was a time of preparing our hearts for what we Baptists preach as central to faith--the resurrection!
___I regret Mohler missed the blessing. On second thought, Calvinism and Catholicism at the same luncheon table might have been more than most Easter pilgrims could digest.
___ Travis Hart
___ Plainview

Alive & well
___You are right to print letters of complaints and ridicule, as many times these are justified. I take issue with Scott Shaver of Natchitoches, La., who "sees the greener pastures on the other side of the border" (April 3).
___ I am proud to be a part of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and a flagship church, Broadmoor in Shreveport.
___It is not our desire to spend valuable time forming new organizations with which to complain against loving, Bible-believing men and women of Christ in our convention. Further, there is no agenda for criticism toward fellow Baptists or people of other faiths.
___The Louisiana Baptist Convention is alive and well, led by true men of God and a host of dedicated pastors and lay people who carry the baton each day in the cause of Christ.
___ Donald Rankin
___ Shreveport, La.

Let Spirit speak
___Apparently Craig McCloy has forgotten the Bible teaches Christians "shall be witnesses unto the ends of the earth" (April 3)! That means going where unsaved people are and witnessing to them or bringing them into our churches through new and different methods!
___Christ spoke to the woman at the well, who was an adulteress (John 4:1-42). She was "dirty," but Christ did not become "dirty" when he spoke to her. We must reach the sinners in our world the way Christ did.
___One way that has brought both the unchurched young and middle-aged people to Christ is contemporary music. Music with various sounds made by instruments other than pianos and organs is not "sinful."
___Unsaved people produce sinful lyrics. There are many beautiful messages and praises to our Lord through contemporary sounds. I would challenge you to attend a contemporary praise worship service several times and perhaps the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart. Some of us have been Christians for so many years that we forget what our real purpose is. Let's be a little more open-minded!
___ Barbara Hendry
___ Houston

Hate speech
___In regard to the letter of complaint concerning mud-slinging in the letters to the editor (March 27), I would like to make an observation. Certain moderate and liberal Baptists enjoy using the uncomplimentary pejorative "Fundamentalist" in references to those who support the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention.
___As long as the Standard continues to stigmatize conservative Baptists as "Fundamentalists" by publishing letters from writers who resort to such name-calling, it continues to accentuate the division among Texas Baptists. The name-calling of conservatives as "Fundamentalists" is nothing more than a form of hate speech.
___ Royal E. Smith
___ Southlake

Hurtful letters
___I agree with Sherry Westbrook (March 27) about the Baptist Standard having so many hurtful letters. I was unaware of how much mud-slinging and anger there is in the Baptist "organizations" until I started receiving the paper through my church.
___I say "organizations" because I don't see it in God's people. I have always tried to make light of the "organizations'" reputation of discord, by saying, "You know how the Baptists are."
___I pray for the Baptist "organization" that has the reputation of discord among its "leaders." I only subscribe to the paper because I want to be informed and inspired by God's love and how he works through people of his church.
___ Ruby Holt
___ League City

Truly immortal
___First, I would like to give praise to God. Like Ernest Easley (April 10), I am a cancer survivor thus far. I took 36 radiation treatments--seven weeks and two days, with just one day off. If he took 44 treatments, I figure that took almost nine weeks.
___For anyone to truly believe they are immortal until their work is done brings the question, "Why undergo any treatments if you are immortal"?
___ Charles Spurlock
___ Orange

No bad words
___While doing a homework assignment, my 10-year-old son, Brandon, discovered the book from his school library had bad words in it. His initial response was to write the authors and ask them to stop using these words.
___After talking with some of his friends, he decided it would have a greater impact if the authors heard from more people. Together, we created a website, www.nobadwords.com, so children and adults could voice their opinions. Brandon plans to send the results from the poll and the comments to the authors and publishers.
___Many of these books are on the Texas Bluebonnet list. This is a reading program established to encourage Texas children to read more books. It honors and encourages imaginative authors who create books with high appeal to children. The program is co-sponsored by the Children's Round Table and the Texas Association of School Libraries. How can these books be picked as Bluebonnet winners? What kind of message are we sending our children?
___As Christians, we must say enough is enough and protect our children.
___ Cheryl Cowen Lyman
___ North Richland Hills

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