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By Paul Proctor
February 2, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
According to the Associated Press, a group of Baptists recently met in Atlanta at a gathering called, Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant, "to develop common ministries" and "challenge any perception that all Baptists accept conservative Southern Baptist views." The AP reported that host and former president, Jimmy Carter "hopes [the] moderate Baptist meeting in Georgia will serve as [a] model of unity."
Among the keynote speakers were a couple of other infamous White House Baptists: Brother Bill Clinton and Brother Al Gore.
The Christian Post also reported on the meeting in an article titled, Carter Launches Bold Baptist Movement to End Factions, where Lillian Kwon wrote that they are "hoping an image of unity will emerge."
Apparently, if real unity is not achieved, an image of unity will suffice, which in my view, further validates the reputation liberals have earned over the years for seeking symbolism over substance.
Anyway, the CP article began with this:
Thousands of Baptists - black, white, theologically conservative, moderate, Republican and Democrat - opened on Wednesday a historic meeting that former president Jimmy Carter called "the most momentous event" of his religious life.
The most momentous event of his religious life?
Are we to believe that being "born again" is not at the top of Brother Jimmy's religious list of momentous events?
Interesting�
"For the first time in more than 160 years, we are convening a major gathering of Baptists throughout an entire continent, without any threat to our unity caused by differences of our race or politics or geography or the legalistic interpretation of Scripture," said Carter, 84, who spearheaded the new movement.
Without the legalistic interpretation of scripture?
I'm curious to know how a smiley-faced slap like this across the turned cheeks of his more conservative Christian brothers and sisters in attendance (assuming there were any) enhances the unity he alleges to be after. Maybe it was just a slip of the forked-tongue and what he intended to say was: any threat to our unity caused by the literal interpretation of scripture. Or, could it be Carter considers the words legalistic and literal to be synonymous?
Still, I can't help but wonder why Brother Jimmy didn't mention any threat to the unity being caused by a liberal interpretation of scripture. Perhaps he thought Southern Baptists would be so enamored of his invitation, they wouldn't notice the bias and hypocrisy drooling down his chin.
As far as I'm concerned, outgoing SBC president Frank Page, who incidentally, declined the invitation to attend, had it right when he called the meeting a "smoke-screen left-wing liberal agenda."
Carter can preach Christian unity all he wants, but the fact is, he was the one who officially spurned the Southern Baptist Convention on a soapbox back in 2000. If anyone is guilty of promoting division among Baptists, it is the presidential peanut farmer from Georgia.
So, if he considers the "animosity" and "division" among Christians to be a "cancer metastasizing in the body of Christ," as was reported by the AP, wouldn't that make him a carcinogen?
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." - Matthew 7:5
� 2008 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved
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Paul Proctor, a rural resident of the Volunteer state and seasoned veteran of the country music industry, retired from showbiz in the late 1990's to dedicate himself to addressing important social issues from a distinctly biblical perspective. As a freelance writer and regular columnist for NewsWithViews.com, he extols the wisdom and truths of scripture through commentary and insight on cultural trends and current events. His articles appear regularly on a variety of news and opinion sites across the internet and in print.
E-Mail: watchman@usa.com�
When the stock market crashes, we won't care anymore about the Oscars - what the nominees will be wearing on the red carpet - the writer's strike - who crossed the picket lines - those pesky paparazzi or any of our once-favorite TV shows with or without scripts - no, not even American Idol.
