June 25, 2001

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
God's judgment
___"The Lord said, 'Come, let us go down there and confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech'" (Genesis 11:7).
___What was the linguistic confusion of the Tower of Babel? What was the nature of that confusion?
___The diversity of languages began as recorded in Genesis 10:5, 20 and 31. Babel derived its language from Cush, son of Ham (Genesis 10:6-8). The confusion of Babel was from

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within its own language. Same words were being used, but their meaning was different to different people. One person would be saying one thing, but the other person would be hearing something different. Now that is confusion.
___For the Scriptures to say, "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built" (Genesis 11:5) indicates he was being left out. Confusion was his judgment on Babel. That would disrupt the people from carrying out their plans and purposes.
___The Lord also communicates in Psalm 33:10: "The Lord brings to nothing the counsel of the nations (peoples); he frustrates the plans of the peoples."
___Whether we want to admit it or not, it is evident that the Lord is judging Southern Baptists with all the confusion that is going on in all areas of denominational life (as well as the nation's life).
___He is being left out, regardless of all words and pious terminology to the contrary.
___ Ernest V. May Jr.
___ Livingston

Terrible thing
___In your last editorial (June 18), you take the position that the Baptist General Convention of Texas is so much better than the Southern Baptist Convention. I am offended at this blatant attack on the SBC. I am truly sorry for your distress over the conservative resurgence, but you do not have to use your influence as editor of the Standard to express your overtly biased opinions.
___The phrase "Texas Baptists tend to trust each other more" and "BGCT Baptists tend to be more optimistic than that" are grossly opinionated (I realize editorials are opinions!) and borderline libel.
___This is really a terrible thing when Christians lash out at each other. I really hoped that we were beyond this type of thing.
___ John Hill
___ Aquilla

Amazing writers
___I will never cease to be amazed at writers like J.B. Edwards (May 28) who think local church autonomy is a modern concept foisted on the SBC by liberals, instead of what it is, an original part of Baptist doctrine agreed upon by the SBC until the fundamentalists took control and started trying to change our doctrine to suit their own misguided concepts of Baptist doctrine and leadership.
___In addition, Joe E. Brumbelow writes (June 11) that Marv Knox is accusing SBC leaders of misinformation, misrepresentation, clouding the issues, defaming, deceiving, disrupting fellowship, scare tactics, etc.
___Unfortunately, all of those descriptions of SBC leadership behavior are true. Take it from one who has been a Christian, raised with Baptist doctrine for over 60 years. In addition, these men and many others slam the BGCT for not making peace and reconciliation by themselves, with no cooperation from SBC leaders who continue to try to trivialize and destroy anyone who disagrees with them, and who consider themselves above accountability to those whose money they receive and spend.
___ Frankie R. Latham
___ Point Blank

Tabloid comments
___As I began reading the June 18 editorial, I thought, "How nice, the Standard is focusing on the positive aspects of the SBC for a change!"
___Well, my delight was short lived as the editor transformed the promising paragraphs into an all-too-common "brag-on-the-BGCT-attack-the-SBC" broadside.
___I won't waste my limited time addressing each charge, save one: "For the most part, the SBC meeting was free from attack on the BGCT that has characterized the SBC for the past year or so. However, some could not resist." After reading this latest in the Standard's string of tabloid commentaries on Baptist life, I wonder, "Who couldn't resist?"
___ Allen T. Coffey
___ Victoria

Missions methods
___The church in La Feria (June 11) has a great idea of encouraging every member of the church to have a personal mission in life. Texas Baptists are fully capable of doing all the mission work within their own state as well as helping others across the nation and the world.
___Stories like this are helping change the focus in the denominational struggle. The basic question in our relationship with the SBC is: "What is the best manner to do missions?"
___If my memory is correct, the original purpose of the SBC was to enable us to do our mission work in a more effective manner. Does it have to be done on a national basis, or is it better done on a regional basis?
___You are proving it can well be done on that regional basis.
___ Dan Keeney
___ San Angelo

Praying churches
___When you enter the next Baptist church in San Antonio and the surrounding area, look for a large blue poster titled "Prayer Partners."
___These churches have agreed to pray for one another and, with God's guidance, attempt to witness within their churches, in their communities and to all nations in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
___They are committed to prayer and the Great Commission.
___God bless them.
___ Dorothy Thomas
___ San Antonio

Faithful servant
___Two months ago, God called home a very special yet simple woman, my mother.
___In her 78 years of life, she served the Lord with all her heart and was the epitome of Christ's love to her family and those who knew her. She fully devoted her life to serving God in her church, Primera Iglesia Bautista in San Antonio. She was a very gifted Sunday School teacher and was faithful to teach her Sunday School class until her stroke in February. Her greatest concern at that point was not her health but a successor for her Sunday School class.
___Juanita M. Trevino was a woman who placed all nine of her children in the Lord's hands, and they knew Jesus as Lord and Savior. The desire of her heart was to serve God faithfully and love him and his word.
___No pomp and circumstance was needed for her home going, because her welcome home was all she desired.
___God needs simple men and women like Juanita M. Trevino to serve him with all their hearts. Though she was only known by her Sunday School class and her church, she was known well by her Savior and Lord.
___I can only imagine hearing God speak these words as Jesus escorts her home, "Enter, Juanita, good and faithful servant." What a grand welcome for a simple woman.
___ Dan Trevino
___ Corpus Christi

'Free' speech
___I find it appalling the SBC would endorse the anti-democratic corruption of American government.
___The SBC resolution (on campaign finance reform) against limiting "divinely granted" free speech contains code phrases for allowing rich special interests to continue using their money to corrupt America's political process.
___Even ancient Rome had laws against using one's wealth to injure the public interest. If speech has to be bought with money, it's not free speech. The Supreme Court recently ruled that money is property--not speech.
___Because we don't have fair and effective laws limiting the influence of money, America has the most corrupt government in the industrial world. We have the greatest mal-distribution of wealth of any industrial nation. The richest 1 percent of Americans hold 40 percent of the wealth. Meanwhile, America has the most poverty, the most crime and the lowest minimum standard of living in the industrial world.
___The recent tax cut passed by Congress gave one-half trillion dollars to the richest 1 percent and gave nothing to minimum-wage workers. That is a result of the influence of money.
___If we are to end government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich in America (the definition of plutocracy), we must limit the corrupt influence of the rich on American government. As Jesus said in Mathew 6:24, "You cannot serve both God and money."
___ Charles Reed
___ Waco

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