October 1, 2001
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Why hate?
___We lived through 12 years of the Lebanese civil war. We were there when the Marine barracks was blown up.
___The question always comes: Why do they hate us?
___Sometimes it is pure jealousy and envy of our prosperity and freedom. They often perceive us as bloated with wealth but unwilling to do much for the huge numbers of thepoor people of our world.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
___Sometimes it is because they perceive us as an immoral nation exporting our sinful lifestyle to the world through movies, videos and TV. For them, easy divorce, numerous adulterous affairs, high rates of abortion and the things we do while under the influence of addictions are cause for their claim that we are the Great Satan, which must be punished because we are corrupting the entire world.
___Sometimes it is because of their perception that we give uncritical support to Israel, which, to them, is an illegal state. In addition, the United States has supported repressive regimes and turned a blind eye to the injustices perpetrated by them. They think we are motivated more by our love of money than love of people.
___Sometimes it is because, for the fundamentalist fringe of radical Islam, Christianity is the perceived enemy blocking world domination.
___Then some just want to "tweak the tiger's tail" and then escape for the sake of pride. But sometimes the tiger gets mad, and then everyone in the jungle had better watch out!
___ David King
___ Marshall
Stench to God
___Conservatives and moderates and liberals who would use this terrible occasion to take pot shots at each other instead of proclaiming Jesus really stink.
___You are probably as much of a stench in the nostrils of a holy God as Jerry Falwell ever could be for using editorial space (Sept. 24) to write this judgmental junk at a time when we need a word from God.
___ Robert Tensarling
___ Houston
Devoid of mercy
___Jerry Falwell's comments were tactless, poorly thought out and should never have been made. However, Falwell did apologize, and this takes a lot of courage. It appeared to me that Falwell was truly sorry for what he had said, and he should have been. However, the editorial regarding the same (Sept. 24) was absolutely devoid of mercy.
___Many times the characteristics of other people that anger us the most are characteristics we ourselves wrestle with. Although our perspectives might be different, we can be just as guilty of the same attitude toward those we disagree with.
___Perhaps the Lord isn't as concerned with the theology of Falwell's apology as he is in the condition of Falwell's heart.
___Mean-spirited words are always hurtful and many times do great harm. They can be thrown out from our spirit before we even have a chance to think about them--initially or in response to the words of others.
___ Mike Walton
___ Anson
God's blessing
___Since the tragedy of Sept. 11, we have constantly heard in the media and seen in print the cry "God bless America," and yet in America each year:
___1.2 million abortions are performed. "To those who show no mercy, no mercy will be shown" (James 2:13).
___One in two marriages in "Christian" homes ends in divorce. "'For I hate divorce' says the Lord, the God of Israel" (Malachi 2:16).
___Blatant promotion of homosexuality and other "alternate" lifestyles. "Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, idolators, adulterers, effeminates, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards ... shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
___We live in a society not unlike many before us. "Although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them" (Romans 1:32).
___Unless we are truly willing to follow 2 Chronicles 7:14, I have only one question: Why should God bless America?
___ David Page
___ Sour Lake
Spiritual damage
___Christian fundamentalists like Jerry Falwell (Sept. 24) inflict as much spiritual damage on their victims--labeled by Falwell as the "liberals, pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays and lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America"--as the Islamic fundamentalist hijackers inflicted physically and emotionally on their victims.
___What a shame that our Southern Baptist Convention has changed to such an extent that Falwell now considers the SBC his denominational home. All Baptists will suffer the after-effects of his continuing acts of linguistic terrorism.
___ Dan Malone
___ El Paso
Free choices
___"You may hear misguided minds say (of recent terrorism), 'This must have been God's will.' Nonsense! In a world of free choices, God's will is rarely done! Doing our own will is much more common. Don't blame God for this tragedy. Blame people who ignored what God has told us to do: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
___This quote from Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. (Sept. 17), quite simply says it all.
___ Lina Brown-Holmes
___ Tulsa, Okla.
Strong faculty
___The Baptist Standard devoted more than a page to our faculty "transition" at Southwestern Seminary (Sept 24). The article correctly noted John Newport prepared me for a transition during my first 10 years that would be larger than any in our history. We have made and will continue to make provision for our transition.
___Some faculty members have retired, and others have been called of God to other opportunities of service. A few have left or taken early retirement over issues related to the Baptist Faith & Message. I appreciate their integrity, and I believe Southern Baptists appreciate the integrity of an institution that holds itself accountable to our churches. Southern Baptists expect our professors to uphold the Baptist Faith & Message.
___Your article implied our present faculty is inferior to the faculty of the past and that this has put our accreditation in jeopardy.
___Our present faculty was in place when we completed our re-accreditation process this spring, in which we were fully reaffirmed by the Association of Theological Schools for 10 more years. The ATS report commended the strength of Southwestern's cohesive, committed faculty.
___As a responsible Southern Baptist institution, we welcome anyone to look at the academic credentials, theological integrity and local church commitment of our faculty. Southwestern is moving from strength to strength in terms of faculty acquisition, and I believe anyone who sits in our classrooms would agree. I would gladly place our faculty against any theological faculty in the nation.
___ Kenneth Hemphill
___ President
___ Southwestern Seminary
___ Fort Worth
Praise for dad
___On Sept. 23, D.L. Lowrie stepped down as pastor of First Baptist Church of Lubbock. As he passes the mantle to the next generation, our state will lose one of its great statesmen, leaders and friends.
___His 47-year pastoral ministry has stretched from his birth home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to his chosen home on the plains of Texas.
___His ministry reaches back to a day when our Baptist family walked together in harmony and on mission.
___During our days of conflict and strife, he has called us to come together by his example of being true to what has made Texas Baptists great through the years--a deep love for the Lord Jesus Christ, a commitment to preach the word of God, obedience to the call of the Great Commission and loving each other as Christ has loved us.
___It would seem fitting in this day when our nation has been brought to its knees and the differences that divide us seem so trivial in light of the trials ahead that we would follow his example and unite under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
___It's my prayer that his mantle will be taken up by a new generation ready to follow his example of our Lord by proclaiming the good news in word and deed to our state, nation and world.
___ David L. Lowrie Jr.
___ Canyon
Pass the ammunition
___Sept. 11, 2001: Can we ever forget this date? Probably not. And perhaps we shouldn’t. Everything we now do in our daily life is almost dwarfed in comparison to this staggering event that we have become so familiar with and yet so unreconcilled to.
___ We all have been in prayer for those personally involved in New York and Washington and we must continue to pray as our country becomes involved in a difficult conflict against a foe that is all but unseen.
___ Psalm 23:4 says, "…thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me…" The staff was for helping pull sheep from a ditch, or a hole, but the rod was an offensive weapon, an attack weapon used to ward off predators that would harm, even kill the sheep.
___We need the staff to help those in trouble in New York and Washington, but now we also need to use the rod in defense of our nation and to protect our own lives.
___I have heard people say recently, "We must not retaliate against the terrorists because we are Christians!" Read again Psalm 23:4 and pass the ammunition.
___James Blackwell
___Beaumont
McGorman had it right
I’ve waited patiently for years to read just the right words on the letters to the editor page of the Standard. Now to my delight, Jack MacGorman has said it just right (Sept. 24).
___Richard Dickerson
___Amarillo
Jesus died for terrorists, too
___I received an e-mail over the weekend, written by an Afghani and describing the personality, plan, and method of Osama bin Laden.
___The author lives in the United States, hates bin Laden, but warns that conquering him
___We must not allow any characterization or promotion of military action against Osama bin Laden or any other identified terrorist groups as a "holy war." What war or war leadership may be considered holy: the Crusades, Napoleon, Hitler, the terrorism of the Ku Klux Klan? We must pray our hearts out and our knees off, but not declare that "God is on our side." People who commit crimes must be caught and punished; those who commit crimes against humanity must face harsher judgment from a broader representation of people groups.
___Pray that bin Laden’s and the Taliban’s call for a holy war against the west will fall on deaf ears. Then, pray that those guilty will be brought to justice at the least loss of life. Whether we care to admit it right now, Jesus died for terrorists, too.
___ Jim Ekrut
___ Fort Worth
We are responsible for our actions
___ God allowed terrorists to commit terrible acts because he has chosen to give all humans free will but holds all responsible for the way this freedom is used.
___Yet the cross reveals that God is not a distant God uninvolved with our suffering but one who actively engages evil, allowing it to destroy itself. God will work through these circumstances to defeat evil.
___ People are crying out to God. Volunteers are donating money, blood and time for others.
___ These evil acts point us to God not because God causes them but because he speaks to us through them.
___ But we must respond to his call. The same free will that caused this tragedy belongs to us all. Will we recognize our need for God to help us to choose the right and refuse the wrong? Will we turn to God or blame him; help our fellow human beings or injure them? Will we accept Jesus as Lord; point others to Christ?
___ We are just as responsible for our choices as the terrorists were for theirs.
___ J.M. Givens Jr.
___ Hawaii
Sins are catching up with America
___ Regarding your editorial response to Jerry Falwell (Sept. 24), it is not that God required the sacrifice of innocent people on Sept. 11 to satisfy his sense of justice. He did not punish the victims for our sins. That is indeed heresy.
___ But I do believe the sins of America are catching up with her. Yes, ours is a battle against pure evil, but America is not as good as we’d like to think. No nation truly under God would tolerate the convenience killings of the unborn, our robust porn and illegal drug industries, our divorce rate, the abandonment of children, the ridicule of Christians, rampant materialism and our increasing approval of homosexuality.
___ Is it little wonder, then, that God would lift his hand of protection ever so slightly from the United States?
___ I do not blame God for this tragedy, but I hear what he is trying to tell America. If we honestly ask him, "Why, Lord?" we may find that the answer lies partially and painfully within each one of us.
___ While others sing "God Bless America," I pray that America will bless God.
___ Bobby Quinten
___ Bedford
Grateful for defense of truth
___ Two letters in the Sept. 17 Standard accuse you of being biased. Neither would quote any specific comments, only saying there were half-truths and attacks by fundamentalists.
___ If they would read what you write, they would see that every half-truth of the Southern
___I thank you for your defense that is always backed up with facts. The cute "liberal/conservative," "moderate/fundamental" is merely semantics. You speak for many of us who no longer have any confidence in the SBC and realize there will never be a reconciliation.
___ In view of the path of the last 20 years of the SBC, I will choose the Baptist General Convention of Texas. May each go its own way and prosper.
___ Clyde G. Smith
___ Midland
Thanks for comfort
___ I’ve listened to people talk the last few weeks about what parts of the papers to save, and I’ve thought there has been nothing I wanted to save and see again--until just recently.
___ Thank you, Marv Knox. You comforted me. You reminded me that there are precious parts of each of our lives that are still there.
___ The real comfort comes from our assurance that we know Who is in charge and that we know the one in charge and he knows each of us.
___ Terri Sutley
___ San Antonio
Confused editorial
___ Marv Knox’s Sept.24 editorial confuses judgment with atonement. The issue in the exile of God’s people to Assyria and later Babylon was not atonement, but judgment on sin
___ Much of Jeremiah’s preaching was a warning on the consequences of a nation falling away. 2 Chronicles associates prayer, humility and repentance with a healing of the land. Even our forefathers wrote that individuals are judged in the next life, but nations must be judged in this life – and strove to live in such a way as to secure God’s favor.
___ The editor seems to rush to judgment only out of a desire to demonize Falwell, who is his Christian brother. Bad theology – not to mention political.
___ Steve White
___ Dallas
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