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Innocence Stolen, Justice Served in Baptist Rape Case

May 31st, 2011 | 13 Comments

How can a 15 year-old girl recover her innocence, an innocence that was stolen from her when a trusted, 39 year-old member of an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church (IFB) raped her 14 years ago?  The short answer is she can’t.  But, even though Tina Anderson had something precious stolen from her all those years ago, she can — with God’s help and the help of family and friends – heal from the grievous crime that was committed against her in 1997.  Part of that healing process occurred last week when Ernie Willis “was found guilty of three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and one count of felonious sexual assault for raping Tina Anderson twice in 1997, when she was his 15-year-old babysitter.”  He now faces up to 50 years in prison for his crimes.  Even though the jury only took one … Read entire article »

Filed under: Christianity, Law, Religion

Methodists Cover Cross in NJ: Education Trumps Faith

May 27th, 2011 | 1 Comment

In Neptune Township, NJ, education trumped faith with assists from the A.C.L.U. and some local Methodists.  I’m sure the Wesley Brothers would be so proud that the Great Auditorium, owned and operated by the Methodist-affiliated Camp Meeting Association, can host the traditional graduation ceremony for the local public high school in this New Jersey town.  They might not be as proud that these Methodists agreed to cover a cross and other religious banners inside this 6,500 seat facility to accommodate a government school’s graduation. Of course, the kerfuffle all started when the grandmother of one of last year’s graduating seniors took offense at certain aspects of her granddaughter’s public high school graduation ceremony, held at the Great Auditorium:  The conflict began after the grandmother of one of last year’s graduates complained not only about … Read entire article »

Filed under: Freedom of Religion, Government, Law

The New NAMB: Bad Precedents & UnAnswered Questions

May 26th, 2011 | 14 Comments

Coming through this Easter season, I strongly encouraged our congregation to give sacrificially to the Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions.  While a few of our church leaders know my reservations about the direction and vision of the new NAMB, I did not express that concern with the members at large.  With new changes announced at NAMB on an almost weekly basis, I knew that there would be time to ask the hard questions that need to be asked regarding our church’s continued investment and partnership with the new NAMB, but this Annie Armstrong season was not the time. Having met our church goal of $7,500, our Missions Development Committee agreed to add an additional $5,000 to the Easter offering as we have done the past four years.  Having received a letter a few weeks … Read entire article »

Filed under: Cooperative Program, Great Commission Resurgence, Religion, Southern Baptist Convention

Obama’s High Tech Enemies List & Nixon’s Ghost

May 25th, 2011 | Add a Comment

If I believed in ghosts (which I don’t — demons and spirits are another matter altogether), I could almost see the ghost of Richard Milhaus Nixon walking on the grounds of the White House.  That America’s 37th President is haunting  or otherwise influencing the current President’s recent behavior toward the press could explain a whole lot.  It would probably be safe to say that President Nixon did not care for the press and reporters all that much.  Nixon’s relationship with the press was oftentimes contentious.  Despite the Mainstream Media’s fawning coverage of Candidate and now President Obama, the 41st President seems to be channeling his inner Nixon as of late.  From his spat with the San Francisco Chronicle (not exactly a bastion of conservative thought) over a pool reporter’s use of her cell phone to capture hecklers … Read entire article »

Filed under: Freedom of the Press, Freedoms, Politics

Interfaith Alliance, Faith Shared & Sinking Sand

May 24th, 2011 | 5 Comments

If you are liberal Baptist Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, “a religious freedom organization that seeks to unite diverse faith voices against extremism,” then your answer is a resounding, “YES!”  If you believe that the Bible is the infallible, “God-breathed” Word, then your answer would have to be a clear “NO!”  Depending on how one answers the above question goes along way in determining whether one adheres to an orthodox, Biblical faith that is built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ or whether one adheres to a non-Biblical faith that is built upon the sinking sand of post-modernity and relativism.   That the Interfaith Alliance (IA) has abandoned the true Gospel should surprise no one familiar with liberal Christianity (an oxymoron if their ever was one).  That they are so brazen and clueless in their pursuit … Read entire article »

Filed under: Christianity, Freedom of Religion, Islam, Religion

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