As nutty as my mother was at times, she consistently demonstrated a love of aninals, all animals-even possums. My mother the atheist. Now, I have a "Christian" coworker who prefers to feed her cats at night and outside. Possums are eating the catfood. No problem, her husband sets traps for them and then he drowns them. So far they have murdered 14 possums. She jokes "the poor things can't learn to swim." My mother, on the other hand, always put out extra food for possums, racoons, birds, squirrels whatever. Now I ask you who is more spiritual? My late mother the atheist or so called Christians (who use as their justifications the fact that Jesus killed a fig tree) who murder little defenseless animals who pose no danger other than to eat excess catfood? I think you can kill an animal for dinner or if you are in danger. Why else kill?
We had a possum die on our property the other day. He was sick and he drug himself between my father's house and my house. Strange place to choose to die. I think in a strange way he was trying to say thankyou. You see, we always fed him. He was old and somewhat lame. I would pretend not to see him as hid behind a bench waiting for his dinner. I would put the food out and go back into the house. Then I would watch him eat. With the cats, sharing. We buried him in the cat graveyard. And we will feed whatever family he has left. In honor of my mother and against the wishes of sicko "Christians". Dead possum, say hello to Mom. She has a place for you in her heaven.
In Light,
Enoch
Friday, May 20, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Church on the Rocks; I support everyone.
1995 I got a letter telling me about a meeting to determine whether or not we should retain our pastor. His wife had filed for divorce. In the Baptist church at that time a separted man was not considered to be fit to pastor a church.
Charles Stanley had been pastor of First Baptist Atlanta for nearly 25 years. He spoke at the downtown location. His son Andy Stanley spoke at the North campus. I considered Andy to be my pastor. Of course I had kept up with his father for years on the radio and TV. Dr. Stanley would not allow a divorced man to be deacon or be a teacher in his church. The Bible is clear- a leader is to be in full control of his family at all times. Then it happened to Dr. Stanley. His wife, Anna, suffered from depression and was tired of being the "second wife". Dr. Stanley's ministry came first. He had been President of the Southern Baptist Convention. His was the second largest TV ministry in the world.
I got to the North Campus one morning. Andy started his sermon by saying how strong his marriage was and then he resigned. Like he wanted his Dad to do. First Baptist had fourteen thousand members. The bylaws were written in the 1840's. According to those bylaws if seven members signed a letter they could call a business meeting, that was done. And I spent 12 hours in church, on a hot August Sunday, wondering what was going to happen to Dr. Stanley. I saw people I never saw before and people I would never see again. I had decided to keep Dr. Stanley no matter what. He wanted reconcilliation. In fact, the Church had set up a committee on reconcilliation to monitor the Stanleys. One young lady tearfully begged the church not to turn Dr. Stanley out. She had gone through a divorce she never wanted. I was prepared to speak. I was going to use Moses as an example of a man who was separated from his wife and was allowed by God to keep his ministry. I didn't have to. We voted to keep Dr. Stanley by 93 per cent. He promised to resign if hs divorce became final. I left that night lamenting the fact that TV cameras had surrounded our church.
I supported Dr. Stanley. I supported his wife in prayer. Then I supported the son as Andy started a new church. I kept my membership at Dr. Stanley's church and I attended Andy's church without joining it. I never felt so divided in my life. People quit the church. Including the girl I had a crush on. I never saw her again.
To make a long story short, the divorce went through, Dr. Stanley didn't resign, there are two mega churches where there once was one, both churches have thriving divorce recovery programs. And I moved to Texas vowing to never give a woman veto power over my ministry. God works in mysterious ways.
In Light,
Enoch
Charles Stanley had been pastor of First Baptist Atlanta for nearly 25 years. He spoke at the downtown location. His son Andy Stanley spoke at the North campus. I considered Andy to be my pastor. Of course I had kept up with his father for years on the radio and TV. Dr. Stanley would not allow a divorced man to be deacon or be a teacher in his church. The Bible is clear- a leader is to be in full control of his family at all times. Then it happened to Dr. Stanley. His wife, Anna, suffered from depression and was tired of being the "second wife". Dr. Stanley's ministry came first. He had been President of the Southern Baptist Convention. His was the second largest TV ministry in the world.
I got to the North Campus one morning. Andy started his sermon by saying how strong his marriage was and then he resigned. Like he wanted his Dad to do. First Baptist had fourteen thousand members. The bylaws were written in the 1840's. According to those bylaws if seven members signed a letter they could call a business meeting, that was done. And I spent 12 hours in church, on a hot August Sunday, wondering what was going to happen to Dr. Stanley. I saw people I never saw before and people I would never see again. I had decided to keep Dr. Stanley no matter what. He wanted reconcilliation. In fact, the Church had set up a committee on reconcilliation to monitor the Stanleys. One young lady tearfully begged the church not to turn Dr. Stanley out. She had gone through a divorce she never wanted. I was prepared to speak. I was going to use Moses as an example of a man who was separated from his wife and was allowed by God to keep his ministry. I didn't have to. We voted to keep Dr. Stanley by 93 per cent. He promised to resign if hs divorce became final. I left that night lamenting the fact that TV cameras had surrounded our church.
I supported Dr. Stanley. I supported his wife in prayer. Then I supported the son as Andy started a new church. I kept my membership at Dr. Stanley's church and I attended Andy's church without joining it. I never felt so divided in my life. People quit the church. Including the girl I had a crush on. I never saw her again.
To make a long story short, the divorce went through, Dr. Stanley didn't resign, there are two mega churches where there once was one, both churches have thriving divorce recovery programs. And I moved to Texas vowing to never give a woman veto power over my ministry. God works in mysterious ways.
In Light,
Enoch
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Cost of Osama and the Benefit
Today has been a mish mash of emotions for me and I suppose for our nation. Mostly my mind has been flooded by memories of the last ten years. What we have lost thanks to Osama Bin Laden. Those losses amount to the cost to take out Osama. When do we get our young people back? When do they get their arms and legs back? When do we get our jounalists back, the ones who placed themselves in harms way without so much as a pen knife to protect themselves? When do we get Peter Jennings back? He was a casualty too. When do we get our economy back? I knew people who had to change careers because of 9-11. People whose industries were devasted. I know people who had to go back to work because their retirement funds were destroyed. People who had to postpone retirement for the same reason. I watched as young people bury their friends when they should have been partying with them. I saw young people age five years in a week as they sought to understand their world. People who slept through social studies had to grasp the meaning of social studies. When do we get the last ten years back? When do we get our innnocence back? Our sense of security? Can Presidents Bush and Obama have back the respect that is do to anyone who serves as Chief Magistrate? Can the Dixie Chicks and others have their careers back? I saw kids go to war when they should have gone to college. It infuriates me when I hear that we didn't pay a tax for these wars, for the pursuit of this mass murderer. We have paid with a portion of livelihoods and our lives. Is that not tax enough? The total cost can never be measured.
So was there a benefit? All of the above. Most of us became willing to sacrifice whatever it took for as long as it took for our values, our campatriots, and the memory of those lost. I am proud of our young people who voluntarily sacrificed for our country. I am grateful for all of those who love the nation and expressed that love in 300 million different ways. We are stronger because of 9-11, not weaker. Today at work I saw little kids. I hope they will not have to deal with an Osama. Yet, I reality I know they most likely will. I think we have given them an example and the resources to do so. Our Republic endures! We face our challenges and overcome them. Always.
Enoch
So was there a benefit? All of the above. Most of us became willing to sacrifice whatever it took for as long as it took for our values, our campatriots, and the memory of those lost. I am proud of our young people who voluntarily sacrificed for our country. I am grateful for all of those who love the nation and expressed that love in 300 million different ways. We are stronger because of 9-11, not weaker. Today at work I saw little kids. I hope they will not have to deal with an Osama. Yet, I reality I know they most likely will. I think we have given them an example and the resources to do so. Our Republic endures! We face our challenges and overcome them. Always.
Enoch
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)