TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Politics needed
___I take exception to the letter from Jack Stanfield urging "no politics" (March 5).
___In our form of government, we are primarily and directly responsible for the government and government policies.
___We have witnessed the systematic removal of God from our schools. We have seen the outright hostility toward Christianity in our federal government.
___Far too many Christians march to the polls like mindless lemmings and vote for the Democratic Party that has appointed those judges who attack our religion and has so many legislators who are trying to defeat all vestiges of religion in our government.
___If you claim to be a Christian, then you cannot vote for the Romans who fill our legislatures.
___We are responsible for those we put in elective office. People need to start taking some responsibility for the direction of our government. If you don't, then you are one of the reasons for the decline of our once-great nation.
___Our nation was designed for a law-abiding, God-fearing populace. If our populace stops having these qualities, then our Constitution will fail.
___We have a responsibility to help shape the nation. Live up to it.
___ Donald Baker
___ Lampasas
Bad marriage
___The doctrine of separation of church and state, which the Baptist Standard biblically, appropriately and courageously supports, has been the fundamental of Anabaptist faith for over 450 years.
___It is rooted in Scripture, including 1 John 5:19 and Luke 16:13.
___While Christians in countries such as India and Indonesia are fighting and dying to preserve a secular state--which is their only protection as religious minorities--some politically correct fruits and nuts in America are slyly calling for the church and the state here to get in bed together.
___Such politically correct and disingenuous people would be much happier in a country where God and the state are legally one, such as Afghanistan, the Vatican, Saudi Arabia, etc.
___ Robert T. Zani
___ Tennessee Colony
Back to basics
___Institutions of the Baptist General Convention of Texas were tempted by the new Southern Baptists of Texas Convention like Jesus was tempted:
___ They were approached.
___ The bait was genuine. They would receive what was desirable.
___ The demand was to accept new theology.
___So far, all followed the example of Jesus.
___"Sheep-stealing and cattle-rustling" (Feb. 26) is factual. It's sad some good hearts use shallow thinking in labeling men and the Baptist Standard as trouble makers because they report trouble. Rebels always cut communication--thus cut the Standard.
___Trouble? Southwestern Seminary President Ken Hemphill's statement: The revised Baptist Faith & Message is not being forced upon anyone, and requiring faculty at seminaries to sign it should not alarm anyone (Feb. 26). That's double talk. Teachers are someone. "Require" and "forced" are identical when fired.
___Trouble? Missionaries don't have to sign but must live by it, and if they disagree with any part, they are not allowed to discuss it with anyone.
___Will this require a Baptist KGB?
___It's like ultra-conservative theology "not forced" on Gentiles in Acts 15, which Paul fought against the rest of his life but lost. History not heeded is paving another Catholic road.
___Instead of growth, we've lost career missionaries. It's time to rescue them from their ultra-conservative God?-appointed bosses who have fooled the majority. It's time to remove creeds and let them have freedom in Christ.
___It's time to get back to being Baptist.
___ Rex Ray
___ Bonham
Child of divorce
___I feel like a child whose parents are getting a divorce. My father's name is Law, and my mother's name is Grace.
___This split between the Southern Baptist Convention and the BGCT grieves me terribly.
___It has been said that love is not two people looking at each other, but rather two people looking in the same direction.
___Why, O why, can't the leaders of these two groups come together and look in the same direction--toward Jesus?
___Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of the law, while at the same time he is the embodiment of perfect grace.
___We don't have to be in perfect agreement, because we are human. But we can agree to "fix our eyes on Jesus" and cooperate together.
___I grew up in the middle of cooperating Christians, and now I am in the middle of un-cooperating Christians. Don't we realize we all are wrong and only God is right?
___I am a child in the middle of a divorce. My father's name is Law. My mother's name is Grace. My name is Repentance.
___ Carole McLaughlin Sisterson
___ Lake Jackson
Help for marriages
___In response to your editorial, "Marriages, families worth saving" (Feb. 26), I want Texas Baptists to be aware of the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment's fourth International Marriage Enrichment Conference--IMEC 2001--to be held in Charlotte, N.C., July 12-14.
___It is a showcase event with a wealth of marriage resources and leaders.
___All married couples are encouraged to consider this event to "build better marriages, beginning with our own," as the association's co-founders, David and Vera Mace, have said.
___Brochures are available from Mike Lundy, associate director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, or by calling (800) 634-8325, or visiting the www.marriageenrichment.com website.
___The association, dedicated to helping good marriages become better marriages, was founded in 1973.
___Around 1976, the Christian Life Commission invited the Maces to work as consultants to see how Texas Baptists can contribute to the health of marriage.
___ Since then, several hundred couples have been trained to lead marriage enrichment events.
___The real secret to healthy marriages is a marriage enrichment group. My wife and I just celebrated 44 years of marriage, and we are in a group that meets once per month with five other couples to work on our marriage. We have been meeting for over 18 years.
___Consistency in learning and practicing good interaction skills and a group to whom to be accountable has been invaluable to our marriage. Please encourage couples to attend this important event--IMEC 2001.
___ Britton Wood
___ Coordinator, IMEC 2001
___ Dallas
Speak the faith
___Regarding your column on learning to speak Spanish (March 12), I flunked Spanish in high school back in '43! I paid more attention to a blonde beside me than the teacher.
___In 1959, my company sent me to Venezuela. I was 365 days in the Hotel del Lago, where the waiters spoke every European language, but the menu did not vary much. Hunger is a great motivator! (I speak German and French also, as I have had to work where these languages were spoken.)
___I speak Spanish--without an American accent--and after a couple of days to hear the local speech, I use the local vocabulary. Since 1990, I have averaged one mission trip per year. I think the Lord meant me to learn so that I can testify to my faith wherever I go.
___ Julian H. Unger
___ Houston
Side-by-side
___After reading the article by Mark Wingfield regarding Ken Hemphill's statements concerning the Baptist Faith & Message (Feb. 26), I decided to read the two articles by Hemphill on Southwestern's website.
___My encouragement to readers is simply this, read Hemphill's articles from Southwestern's website in complete context of what is said.
___My understanding of the utilization of effective media is presenting an unbiased account of the facts. The sections which were chosen for this article seemed slanted toward a particular viewpoint.
___ KW Priest
___ Fort Worth
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