August 27, 2001
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Enough is enough
___The Baptist Standard expended three pages of copy to the very unfortunate fall of Russell Kaemmerling (Aug. 6). The hashing, rehashing and hashing the matter again was distasteful to say the least, and abusive. I suppose it gave tremendous satisfaction to the "editor of SBC hate" to be able to write so much concerning Kaemmerling's scandalousbusiness.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
___It is so patently obvious that Kaemmerling's fall was as a landfall of opportunity to arouse more hate and discontent between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. Frankly, enough is enough. No, it is exactly too much.
___Please honor my request to be off your hate-rag list. I would nearly as soon have some porn magazine as the Slander in my home. At least they are up-front and honest. They do not hide behind any claim on legitimate journalism. You want hate and discontent; I am sure that you will reap what you have sown.
___ Bill Ragsdale
___ Ingram
Need to know
___Thank you for the Russell Kaemmerling story.
___This story should have made headlines in all the major newspapers in this country. Then maybe true, mainstream, moderate Baptists would try to find out what is really happening.
___Yes, thanks for all three pages or whatever. We need to be informed.
___ Mildred L. Clark
___ Highland Village
Young universe
___Depending upon what you meant, it may be unfair to criticize your editorial "Scientific questions, ultimate answers" (Aug. 13), but you did not qualify your statement, "New research, which actually records cosmic activity that took place billions of years ago ..." You appear to accept as fact that the universe is billions of years old.
___You also refer to a Time magazine article. As opposed to canceling my Time subscription, I have long since determined to continue it, in order to stay current on what those misguided souls are saying about science and the gospel. They always maintain a pro-evolution and anti-Christian bias.
___That the universe is billions of years old is most definitely an open scientific question! We know (or should know) that truth is absolute (unchanging), and that all truth comes from God. God cannot lie or contradict himself. As Sir Francis Bacon observed, God has given us "two books," Scripture and nature. True interpretations of each likewise cannot be contradictory.
___Recent scientific discoveries include the apparent decreasing speed of light; the apparent effect of changing gravitational forces upon atomic clocks and radioactive decay; the apparent existence of anti-gravity; and the conceptual existence of a white hole (a black hole running in reverse).
___If any one or more of these matters is proven to be true, then the universe is not billions, but probably thousands of years old. We should avoid adjusting theology to comport with prevailing and popular unproven scientific theory.
___ Tom Edwards
___ Houston
Debt of gratitude
___Allow me to thank First Baptist Church in Amarillo for kindness shown to my family.
___Late in the afternoon of July 5, my son, David Feagins, his wife, Dawn, and their sons, Porter and Preston, were in an accident near Clayton, N.M. Soon, the hospital there notified me David and Porter had died, Preston was unconscious and Dawn was being examined.
___Dawn and Preston were transported on a helicopter to a hospital in Amarillo. While I made travel arrangements to meet them, I was overcome with concern that they would be all alone before I could arrive.
___My pastor, Stephen Hatfield of First Baptist Church in Lewisville, contacted Howard Batson, pastor of First Baptist in Amarillo.
___When I arrived, not knowing what I would find, I saw the most beautiful sight: Preston sat on Dawn's lap, and they both had been released from the hospital. Surrounding Dawn and Preston were Howard Batson and Linda Dudley, the children's minister at First Baptist in Amarillo.
___Howard and Linda met Dawn and Preston when they arrived by helicopter. Howard comforted and counseled Dawn, helping her deal with her loss. Linda continually took care of Preston. They helped with other arrangements and did not leave us until we drove away--more than seven hours after they arrived.
___We owe First Baptist in Amarillo a debt of gratitude for providing comfort to complete strangers. Howard Batson and Linda Dudley are extraordinary examples of Christians who help others in ways that can never be measured.
___ Jimmy Feagins
___ Lewisville
Wrong impression
___I was deeply honored to be part of an interview in the Baptist Standard (Aug. 6). In it, however, I feel I left the wrong impression. As I read my own words, they strike me as arrogant. Readers could easily draw the conclusion that I'm unappreciative for my Church of Christ heritage.
___I'm not.
___I wish I could re-cast my comments, but I can't. I can, however, apologize for them, and I do.
___ Max Lucado
___ San Antonio
Worldly habits
___The positive slant on the new book about "The Simpsons" was apparent as it quoted the author's viewpoint repeatedly. To later offer a "balancing" statement, "It's not that the Simpsons are ideal Christians," is not sufficient from a Christian reporter, especially when it is followed with, "Their failings, in fact, are part of what makes their religious experience so real."
___It is not reality but carnality that "The Simpsons" have to offer the church. The book is another effort at justifying a secular religiosity that has permeated Judaism and Christianity today and made consistent, servant discipleship seem unachievable and a non-issue.
___Are we strengthening the work of Christ by suggesting the book has enough redeeming value to serve as literature for study groups and evanglization efforts without offering cautions?
___Can the Baptist Standard not simply report the news without slanting it and trust us? And please spare us a similar slanted article when "The Gospel According to Disney" is published.
___ Craig Lile, Larry Shields
___ Jacksboro
Haughty people
___I read with great interest the letter from Ken Tierce (Aug. 13) and agree that the sin of homosexuality is indeed an abominable sin. I also agree that the Bible is clear as to why God destroyed Sodom.
___Like Tierce, I used to believe the teachings of well-meaning individuals who focused only on the sin of homosexuality.
___Then I read for myself Ezekiel 16:49-50, in which God states his reasons for destroying Sodom. I discovered homosexuality was not the only sin that angered God. There were other sins--sins God listed by name--sins of which I myself have been guilty.
___"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
___Sounds to me like God destroyed Sodom not primarily for homosexuality but because of a proud and haughty people.
___People with full bellies and plenty of leisure time.
___People unwilling to share their blessings with the poor and needy.
___People like so many of us.
___And this is what I think of when I read Jesus' words in Luke, "Remember Lot's wife."
___ Vera P. Smith
___ Rusk
Old boy network
___The difficulties in the Missouri Baptist Convention (Aug. 20) represent another example of the fundamentalist takeover efforts throughout the nation.
___It is interesting to note that to justify what the nominating committee is doing, Jeff Purvis, the chairman, says, "It is time that we don't have a 'good old boy' network anymore in the Missouri Baptist Convention."
___I suppose now they have chosen to have a "bad old boy" network, bowing to the control and orders of the Southern Baptist Convention's creedalistic leadership, sacrificing the dedicated experience and excellence and expertise to which Baptist boards and committees have been accustomed across our history.
___ Earl D. Mercer
___ Monroe, La.
The journey of life
___Life is like a train; it starts when you’re born and stops when life ends.
___On your journey, the train makes stops, some people get on, and some leave your life, some only use you, betray you, and some give you insight about what life is all about.
___Along your journey, sometimes the train leaves the main track, and those are the badtimes in your life, when you go into the darkness not knowing what lies ahead. Mistakes and bad choices are made, but your life goes on.
___If you’re lucky on this journey, there are blue skies, and smell of life growing (your children). But not all life is this green. Children and marriages are broken apart, trust is broken and betrayal is added.
___If you’re lucky, you find the person God meant you to be with, and you share a life of peace and trust. Trust is not just a word. It has to be worked on and not just said. You have to earn it, but your train keeps going, still moving to the end of the line.
___If you let life get you down, this is the time that you don’t believe in your Maker. Trust in God, and put your life in his hands. For if you believe, really believe, life changes for the better and your ticket is one way – unknown as to when or where it will end.
___We must be ready. For when the train stops, it’s too late to take back the bad things that we have done, so treat all people you meet on this train the way you would want to be treated yourself, and pray for those that turn against you. Forgive and hold no hate in your heart, for this makes you bitter and not better than they are.
___A kind heart and loving nature bring you closer to the Lord’s wishes to love one another, and forgiveness for hate makes your trip shorter.
___The past is history. The future is a mystery. But today is a gift of God, which is why it is called the present.
___Rae Doran
___Bastrop
R.I.P. SBC?
___Southern Baptist Convention died! My grief is as deep as a dried-up West Texas oil well in the middle of the Permian Basin. I rode SBC for 52 years.
___The obituary was written by John Baugh, "The Battle for Baptist Integrity"! This book
___The funeral will be at High Noon at the First Baptist Church of Commontionville. Mr. Fundamentalist, Dr. J. Frank Norris, will preach his Landmark sermon, "Moses Only Preached from the Ineradicable, Inerrant, Inexpugnable and Infallable King James Bible"!
___My half-a-century-old friend will be buried in the Garden of Deceit. A ninety seven foot high monument in the shape of an open Bible will display the inscription, Fight On and On and On and On!!! This solid-gold tombstone will overlook Dry Bones Gulch.
___Baptist Freedom is the name of my new horse. I proudly call her B.F.! Giddy-up, B.F.! I want to preach the matchless gospel of Christ "in the next town."
___Christian history reveals that the streets of Zurich flowed deep with the blood of Baptist martyrs who gave their lives for religious freedom! Religious freedom is Baptists’ great gift to the world!
___I have been a Southern Baptist for 52 years. I have served as a home missionary and have pastored 10 Southern Baptist churches. I wept at the funeral. Adieu and adios, SBC! Giddy-up, B.F.!
___Lynn r. Matthews
___ Plano
Don't need global semantics
___Concerning Marv Knox’s editorial, "Baptists decry sin of nationalism" (June 25):
___Baptists seek to help others, and the United States has always defended international trade. However, current "global" attitudes involve partnerships that some may characterize
___The Berlin Conference does not speak for many who consider that their faith in Christ is not at odds with being American, or Brazilian or whatever. Paul was no less a Roman citizen for his inclusive ministry and fellowship.
___Global and ecumenical thinking on this scale cannot help but bring to mind a world government and a compatible church.
___Semantics gives our denomination fits already ("inerrant" is misunderstood as "literal," "moderate" as "liberal," "conservative" as "judgmental"). We don’t need to add "nationalist" as "racist" to the list.
___ Jon Snider
___ Houston
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