Letters: The difference between Jasper & Ferguson

David Gushee cites Reinhold Niebuhr, implying white America is to blame for deeds and misdeeds causing racial strife. But Ferguson did not have to happen.

Compare Ferguson to Jasper, where James Byrd Jr., an African-American, was dragged to death. Jesse Jackson arrived uninvited to organize a “response.” African-American leaders told Jackson he was not invited, not needed, but welcomed to help maintain peace. They handled their own business. Jackson helped. The tone in Jasper was sober, civil. The perpetrators were tried, convicted and punished. Justice was served without anarchy in Jasper. Why not in Ferguson? Jasper had strong Christian leadership, which Ferguson lacked and thus suffered. And America suffers.

In Ferguson, Michael Brown’s crimes precipitated the deadly confrontation. His assault on Officer Darren Wilson led to his death. Had he submitted to the officer rather than charge him, he would have survived—wounded, not killed.

When Al Sharpton arrived in Ferguson, local pastors stood back. Rather than advocate nonviolence, Sharpton poured fuel on the fires of racial animosity with his “Enough is enough” speech. Ferguson rightly mourns Brown. Sharpton told them to ignore his culpability, calling it “character assassination,” ignoring the truth. Indignant community “leaders” demanded indictments and threatened “no peace” otherwise. Riots ensued.

Ignoring the nuances of the events and the reactions, Gushee vindicates the demagogue’s rhetoric and indignation by his eloquent broad-brushed indictment against white America. I hope the Standard and local churches will seek a balanced view, offering suggestions for resolution.

Jasper’s spiritual leaders found middle ground through Christian love, seeking each others’ interests; and found justice with resolution in good faith based on the rule of law. Would that Ferguson’s leaders had done the same.

Maurice Harding

Seadrift

Church opens hearts, building to neighborhood school

If Jesus threw his own birthday party, it would look like this:

Last spring, Schuyler Batson, worship pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas, began thinking about music for his upcoming Christmas program. That’s when Sanger Elementary, a Title I Dallas school, received an invitation to sing for the 2014 Christmas concert. That took place this month.

“Now, what can we do for you?” Schuyler asked, but didn’t even give the teacher time to think. “You said you wanted to have a music banquet for your music program. What if you had it here?”

So, Lakeside Baptist opened its family center and sanctuary to more 350 boys and girls, moms and dads from the elementary school. The diverse guests came from the Forest Hills neighborhood and the Ferguson Road Apartments near I-20. All have one thing in common: They are proud of their children and want to hear them sing. The children had worked long and hard to give their families the wonderful gift of music, singing songs in both Spanish and English. 

Thanks to Schuyler Batson and Lakeside Baptist Church for humbly opening facilities and hearts to serve their local elementary school. This was a wonderful gift.

Glenda Brown

Dallas

Remember to say, ‘I love you’

Our sweet friend Linda died suddenly in the arms of her husband early Saturday morning. Without warning, she awoke to tell him she needed to go to the hospital. Before he could get dressed, her heart had stopped. He did CPR until the medics arrived.

She never woke again, and we told her goodbye at the ICU unit before they removed the breathing tube. Her husband and family and their friends still are in shock. 

I remember so clearly the day in 1973 when I kissed Daddy goodbye as he and my husband, John, left to go fishing that afternoon, not knowing I would never see him again on this earth. Now, 41 years later I still miss him and recall the shock and unbelief of that day.

This reminded me how important each minute is that we share as family and friends. Never forget, or hesitate, to tell your family and friends you love them.

Becky Yarbrough

Carrollton

Is your lamp full of Christ?

Truly, the styles of worship are meaningless to men. In fact, the styles are empty in themselves.

So, we have turned to active participation of all kinds to fill the emptiness with actions of feeding the hungry, empowering the government to re-establish a conservative culture. Yet true worship comes from a man that has been truly saved, one converted from sin by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. 

When the lamp is full, it will run over, bring joy to the heart of God, angels will sing and the heavens will declare the glory of God. The lamp vessel must be full of the joy of true salvation to worship God. Is your lamp full of Christ and your spigot placed at the lowest place in your heart to share the gospel of Christ that men may have true joy to worship him?

Know the joy of Christ, and your worship will not run dry. Repent of the social gospel, and share the gospel. If you have it, you will.

If you give a man the whole world what have you given him?

Wayne Scott

Norman, Okla.