Posted: 8/20/04
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Falwell & Carter
I find the contrast between Jerry Falwell and former President Jimmy Carter interesting.
Falwell is encouraging Christians to vote for President George W. Bush because he is pro-life, pro-family and pro-traditional marriage. I'm in agreement, and it's too bad the IRS is after him.
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I voted for Carter years ago but can no longer be part of the Democratic Party, mainly because it is now the advocate of abortion on demand and gay rights to the extreme.
Carter teaches Sunday school. I wonder how he handles the sanctity of life lessons. What does he do with Psalm 139?
God's word has not changed to conform to society and never will. God has a lot to say about the shedding of innocent blood.
Joyce Lucas
Midland
Defense of marriage
The national furor over gay marriage demonstrates the prevalence of institutional intolerance and sanctimonious bigotry.
Long before the Federal Marriage Amendment bill came to the Senate floor, even the most rabid Republican supporters knew they did not have the necessary votes for passage. To their good credit, at least six Republicans voted against this preposterous exercise in political hypocrisy. Clearly, the vote had only one intent, namely, to embarrass Democrats just two weeks before the party's convention in Boston.
According to figures quoted by religious conservatives, gays and lesbians comprise about 1 percent of the population. So, heterosexual couples are responsible for the overwhelming majority of the harm visited upon the American family.
Therefore, if Sens. Allard, Brownback and others genuinely wish to defend traditional marriage, they will broaden the proposed amendment to address the vastly greater problem of adultery, fornication and divorce, which includes, sadly, legions of Christian men and women.
Obviously, this will never happen, since no one in Washington will support legislation that might curtail their carnal liberties.
Wes Duckett
Odessa
Christians & politics
Amen to the editorial, “How can you call yourself a Christian & vote like that?” (Aug. 9)
And I might add that Christians should:
Never be judgmental toward the other side. (And no self-righteous excuses about simply pointing out the truth.)
Hold our own party to moral accountability instead of condemning the other. Remember the story about the speck and the log?
Realize what easy and sometimes gullible people we are. We hear what we want to hear, and it is so easy for others to lead us with spin, false reassurances and “godly” but meaningless words. We are a community of followers and can too easily be led down a destructive path.
Charles Ledbetter
Cleburne
Pentecostal beliefs
Several statements Pete McGuire made in his letter about Pentecostals were untrue. I have worshipped in a Pentecostal church for over 50 years, so I am more qualified to speak to what we believe.
He said Pentecostals teach sinless perfection. This is not true. No human will be perfect until either raptured up with Jesus, or by the grave, and goes to heaven. Salvation is a gift from God. No one can earn it, buy it or deserve it by anything we do other than accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
He also said the doctrine of the Holy Spirit misses the mark of Bible truth. He must not have read Acts 2:38-39. It says the gift of the Holy Ghost is to you and your children and to all that our God shall call.
He also mentioned music. God made everything that was made, according to the Bible. That includes music, and how man uses this music is his choice and responsibility. Satan uses music for “bad,” and we certainly should use it for “good.”
Joan Fink
Hillsboro
Bobbleheaded blasphemy
I am appalled at the article you ran about biblical bobblehead dolls (June 14).
How many of we “Christians” have disgraced our homes by having these grotesque figures in our possession? How degrading to portray God's biblical servants at bobbleheads.
The article states, “Church groups are going crazy over these things.” What an indictment against us as Christians.
Shame on us. I think we “Christians” have enough marks against us–being part of the world rather than being a shining light in the world.
How long will the Lord let us defame his honor and glory?
Nellie Rasbell
Bertran
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