For God's Sake, Shut Up!

Friday Photo

2009-11-06T20:19:00.001-08:00

We recently visited the home of James Monroe (Ash-Lawn Highland). Here's a statue of him there that looks like it has seen better days. Although Monroe was an influential early president, he is often overshadowed by others in historical accounts.

BGCM Strategic Planning

2009-11-05T19:28:00.001-08:00

The Baptist General Convention of Missouri is going a strategic planning process right now. I enjoyed being part of the last strategic planning process five years ago. This new process is designed to help plan the next five years and build upon the work of the past five. BGCM Executive Director Jim Hill has explained the goals in a couple of columns, such as here, here, and here. Additionally, BGCM Missions Mobilization Team Leader Gary Snowden recently wrote about interviewing Tony Campolo as part of this process. Missouri Baptists are encouraged to offer their input by filling out an online survey here.

Take Care with the Words You Speak

2009-11-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

More than 300 rabbis have issued a statement urging Americans to refrain from using Nazi references in the political discourse. Here is part of the statement:

The willingness of supporters of public policy positions to employ the demonizing rhetoric of Nazism not only does nothing to move conversation forward; rather, it has a chilling effect on people of conscience who find the appropriation of such imagery to be disrespectful of the victims and reinforcing of the politics of personal attack that has damaged public discourse in the United States. ... 'Sages,' warned the Rabbis of the Talmud, 'take great care with the words you speak.'"

Last week, Ethics Daily ran a good column by Richard V. Pierard, professor of history emeritus at Indiana State University, that critiqued Southern Baptist leader Richard Land for using Nazi comparisons in the health care debate. After initially defending his Nazi references, Land apologized to the Anti-Defamation League and promised to stop using such references. Yet, Land then reneged on the promise and defended the use of such references, claiming it was his free speech right. Pierard rightly criticized that argument:

No one is more committed to the principle of free speech than I, but I also realize that the words that flow from my mouth or pen do have consequences. I do not exercise this freedom as an absolute because I know it is possible for me to needlessly harm a person through the thoughtless and injudicious use of words.

He is correct. Just because we have a right to say something does not mean it is right to say it. Hopefully, Christian leaders like Land will in the future do a better job of setting an example of civility. It is truly great advice to "take great care with the words you speak."

Friday Photo

2009-10-30T20:30:00.001-07:00

Here is a shot I took last weekend up in the Shenandoah National Park.

MBC Lawsuits

2009-10-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Many messengers at the Missouri Baptist Convention's annual meeting today voiced opposition to continuing the MBC's legal efforts, which has seen $5 million wasted over the last seven years. Efforts to end the lawsuits and prevent Cooperative Program funding of them were not successful, but there were clearly many people voicing their strong opposition. One individual declared, "In the name of Jesus, stop!" Some efforts to bring motions against the lawsuits were wrongly not allowed, which is apparently what happens when one of the main attorneys is one of the parliamentarians. An interesting development is that the messengers did approve a motion from the Convention leaders to give the Executive Board more authority during the time between annual meetings, including the power to end the lawsuits. Although the comments of MBC President Bruce McCoy were clear that he wanted to see them brought to an end (although not with a sudden messenger vote), the report from the head of the Agency Restoration Group and the MBC's lead attorney were just aggressive and combative as always. Not sure which side will prevail now that the Executive Board has more freedom in deciding the legal path. Interestingly, McCoy said he asked developer Bill Jester to drop his countersuit against the MBC since it violated Scripture. Yet, the MBC sued him first and MBC leaders continue to fight attempts by messengers to drop the lawsuits. McCoy has expressed his belief that the MBC's lawsuits are also unbiblical.

On this topic, Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Patterson, Missouri Leaders Send Mixed Signals on Lawsuits." It covers the contradictions of Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson. Although Patterson publicly denounced Christians suing one another after he was sued, he privately encouraged Missouri Baptist leaders to sue five Baptist ministry organizations. The piece also covers some of the contradictory statements from MBC leaders concerning the lawsuits, especially their false denials that Cooperative Program money has not been used.

Different Books, Common Word

2009-10-26T19:12:00.001-07:00

Ethics Daily announced today that its newest documentary will air on ABC affiliates beginning January 3, 2010. This one is entitled "Different Books, Common Word: Baptists and Muslims." You can watch the trailer and some short clips here. Some of the filming was done at the first national Muslim-Baptist dialogue, which I reported on in January in Boston (see articles here, here, here, and here). Ethics Daily's most recent documentary, ""Beneath the Skin: Baptists and Racism," has won several awards and been played at some of the regional meetings of the New Baptist Covenant (see articles here and here).

Friday Photo

2009-10-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here is a shot I took of the fall colors during a recent hike in the mountains.

Richard Land Flip-Flops on Nazi Apology

2009-10-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Richard Land Flip-Flops on Nazi Apology." It is about the efforts of Land to backpedal from his apology and promise not to use Nazi comparisons in the health care debate. It is a follow-up to a article on his initial Nazi comments and another article on his apology to the Anti-Defamation League.

Silver or Gold?

2009-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Biblical allusions are common in American politics. Before using one, however, it is probably a good idea to at least make sure to get it correct. Consider this comment from an article about the Republican primary race for Florida's U.S. Senate seat:

"He was Judas to the Republican Party in the state of Florida and across the country," says Robin Stublen, 53, of Punta Gorda, co-state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, a loose national coalition. "He sold us out for 13 pieces of gold."

The statement was intended to be an attack on Florida's Governor--and frontrunner in the Senate race--Charlie Crist. However, it seems to say more about the speaker. After all, Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver not 13 pieces of gold! It is bad enough to use such a loaded religious analogy in a political campaign, but it is pretty sad when he cannot even get the reference correct.

Friday Photo

2009-10-16T20:24:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we took a hike into the West Virginia mountains to enjoy the changing fall leaves. Here's a shot from the hike.

Two Articles

2009-10-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest two articles today. One article, entitled "SBC Leader Apologizes for Nazis Reference," provides an update to an article last week about recent health care comments made by Richard Land. Although Land stood by his comparisons to the Nazis in an email to me last week, he has now apologized after being contacted by the Anti-Defamation League. The other article, entitled "Former President Sues Baptist Convention over Election," reports on the new lawsuit filed by Henry Lyons. This is a follow-up to three articles last month detailing Lyons's unsuccessful legal efforts to stop the recent National Baptist Convention presidential election and then his loss in the election (see pieces here, here, and here).

Symbol-Minded

2009-10-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Last night, Stephen Colbert covered the recent Supreme Court case concerning a cross in the Mojave desert that many view as violating the establishment clause of the First Amendment (for background, see this piece by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty). Colbert does an excellent job of pointing out how the cross should be seen as a religious symbol. I made a similar argument--in a much less entertaining way--a couple of years ago in a column entitled "Getting Our Message Crossed."

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Friday Photo

2009-10-09T19:55:00.001-07:00

When Poco was running on the beach on the Outer Banks (see last week's photo), she suddenly got swamped by a wave. She did not like it! But after that she learned to run away from the waves.

Debating Religion

2009-10-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I critiqued the fact that religion was being injected into a state delegate race. Unfortunately, the issue is being raised again. The two candidates in that race held two debates this week and religion became a topic of contention during the first one (see articles here and here). Hopefully, the candidates, journalists, and voters will focus more on the issues that need attention in this race.

SBC Leader Invokes Nazis in Health-Care Discussion

2009-10-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "SBC Leader Invokes Nazis in Health-Care Discussion." It is about comments made recently by Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Despite complaints by Jewish leaders about comparisons to the Nazis being used in the health care debate, Land stands by the comparison.

UPDATE [10-9-09]: Ethics Daily ran a column today by Richard V. Pierard that deals with the comments by Land.

Friday Photo

2009-10-02T20:29:00.001-07:00

Here is a shot Jen took of Poco doing her best "Chariots of Fire" impersonation on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Two Pieces

2009-10-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

Have two new pieces that just came out. The first is a column in the BGCM E-Message, which is the monthly newsletter of the Baptist General Convention of Missouri. The piece is entitled "Building Theology" and reflects on the importance of thinking about the messages churches are communicating about themselves. The second piece is an Ethics Daily article entitled "Ambitious Senate Climate Change Bill Introduced."

Religious Cheer

2009-10-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Controversy has erupted over the decision to ban cheerleaders at a Georgia school from displaying banners with religious messages at football games. Some argue that the public school cannot allow the banners because that would violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment, while others argue that banning the banners violates the free exercise clause. However, beyond the First Amendment issues, it seems that there is another important issue here. Some Christians are arguing that their religious rights are being hurt in this case. But is that really the case? Isn't it actually kind of blasphemous to put up a banner supporting your football team that says "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me in Christ Jesus"? Although it is a play on the word "goal," the sign offers some poor theology. Will a player get to Heaven by scoring a touchdown? Or has the team been chosen by God to win the game? Let us be careful in our zeal to share Bible verses to make sure we do not take them too far out of context. And let us be careful not to fight too hard for someone that perhaps we should not even be doing in the first place.

Religion & Politics

2009-09-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at an Episcopalian church in Staunton about the relationship between religion and politics, with a focus on what Christians should make of this topic. It was a good time of dialogue about an important subject. Christians should take time to consider important issues like how we should act in the public square. However, we must avoid the approach of the Alliance Defense Fund, which yesterday held its second annual "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" (it is a coincidence that I was speaking on the same day). The ADF approach is to encourage pastors to make partisan comments from the pulpit and even endorse candidates for office (and their chosen pastors seem to always endorse Republicans or an occasional conservative third party). This is one of the approaches I criticized yesterday because it undermines the church's higher calling. Also, such an approach could result in driving people away from God. So, while I hope churches will discuss issues of political involvement, let us be careful not to align ourselves with one political party or candidate.

Friday Photo

2009-09-25T21:28:00.001-07:00

Here is a sign at the Wright Brothers National Memorial that is kind of funny. It was from a few years ago and said we would be sending robots to the moon "beginning no later than 2008." Oops! Guess it might be time to replace the sign since it did not happen.

Letting Words Do Their Work

2009-09-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Christianity Today has a good piece entitled "Letting Words Do Their Work." The subtitle explains the main premise: "Why the care of language is more important than ever." Here are a few highlights:

If Christians could use terms like evangelical, progressive, biblical, salvation, or even believe in with more care for clear definition and context, the community of believers might be able to deliver a livelier witness to the capaciousness and complexity of our faith in spirited (and I use that term advisedly) debate.

... The discourse of the church, the subtleties of biblical language and the nuances of translation, the ear for poetry and care for theological distinctions may be eroded when the language of popular media is allowed to overtake the dialect of worship and conversation among believers.

... We who love the God who gave us the precious gift of language have an obligation to help each other tell complex truths and resist the lure of lies. This means to demand definitions, specific language, and clarifications; to learn methods of nonviolent communication, use them, and teach them; where we have identified lies, to turn off the TV, stop the subscription, and discredit them; and to take these obligations quite personally.

... Stewardship of words is a high calling, and truth-telling a matter of spiritual survival.

Amen! The whole piece is worth reading and considering.

At U.N., Gore Urges Senate to Pass Climate Change Bill

2009-09-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "At U.N., Gore Urges Senate to Pass Climate Change Bill." It covers remarks at Tuesday's meeting about climate change designed to build momentum for the climate summit to be held in Copenhagen in December.

Ethics Daily also has a good column today by Robert Parham entitled "Jesus Would Tweet, and Warn of the Temptation of Technology." He considers the question "What Would Jesus Tweet?"

Friday Photo

2009-09-18T20:02:00.001-07:00

Here is a sunset shot I took recently on the beach at the Outer Banks.

African-American Baptist Applauds Carter's "Courage"

2009-09-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "African-American Baptist Applauds Carter's 'Courage.'" It covers the response of Michael Bell, president of the African American Fellowship of Texas and the first African-American president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, to recent comments by Jimmy Carter arguing that some of the harsh criticism of Barack Obama is because of continued racism in America.

Building Symbolism

2009-09-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal recently had a good piece about the problem of church buildings not being handicap accessible. What makes the piece particularly interesting is that it not only considers the physical problem of not being able to get to worship but also subtly considers what this communicates. Here is a part from the piece that mentions a Jewish congregation's building:

At Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka, Minn., no sanctuary steps lead to the pulpit; congregants approach it using a long ramp, symbolizing that all people come to the Torah equally.

There is something powerful in that symbolism. Such an architectural change is not merely about access but also communicates something important about the congregation's theology. It may not often be considered, but architecture communicates. Thus, churches should make sure their architecture communicates messages that match their beliefs. Christianity Today had a very good article a couple of months ago that demonstrated this principle.