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In the climactic scene in the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Indiana
Jones and his girlfriend are tied to a pole to watch as the Nazis open
the ancient Ark of the Covenant. This holy symbol of Israel's religion
has been captured and is being taken as a trophy for Hitler. When the
Ark is opened, beautiful light and colors and faces appear then suddenly
turn into scenes of horror as shafts of light strike through the
onlookers killing them while the faces of those who opened the ark melt
and explode! Indiana Jones and his friend survive, because they do not
look at the desecration of the Ark.
Bapitst Beginnings
In 1610 a small group began to meet with John Smyth in London to
celebrate their belief in the priesthood of all believers, complete
religious freedom for each individual, the separation of church and
state, and responsibility of each individual to make his or her own
decision about their faith in Jesus Christ. This led to the practice of
believers, baptism. Smyth's little group was the first known church
that is basically the same in beliefs as modern Baptists, until the
falling away from freedom that began at about the same time as the
Stonewall rebellion in 1969 in New York.
These people were called Baptists. They practiced the same basic
beliefs as the Baptists who help to begin the United States of America
and who led in the fight for religious freedom for all and the
separation of church and state in the United States Constitution and
Bill of Rights.
Smyth's group later grew into several groups and began to start
churches. Their belief in the absolute autonomy of the local church
developed to protect the individual believers from abuse and oppression
by a controlling central authority.
Thomas Helwys joined with John Smyth and in 1612 wrote a book, "The
Mystery of Inequity," that included the first plea in the English
language for religious liberty and the separation of church and state.
For this, Helwys was imprisoned and died in prison. Roger Williams in
1631 read "An Humble Supplication", by another Baptist, John Murton, who
wrote while in prison. Williams was convinced by Murton's message.
Later, Williams received a grant of land, which became the present state
of Rhode Island. Williams founded the first Baptist church in the
colonies in Providence, Rhode Island.
Roger Williams was deeply committed to religious freedom and separation
of church and state. The Rhode Island colony was the first political
state to allow total religious freedom to all faiths, Catholics,
Protestants, Jews, Moslems, Atheists, pagans, etc. Other colonial
leaders vigorously opposed total religious freedom, because they were
convinced that without a state religion, anarchy and unbridled crime
would lead to a complete break down of society and government. Instead,
the Rhode Island colony became a model of efficiency and peacefulness.
The example of Rhode Island greatly influenced the development of
religious liberty in the beginning of the United States.
My favorite quote from Roger Williams is: "If you force people practice
a religion that they don't believe, you make them into hypocrites, which
is worse than no religion at all!"
When I grew up in the First Baptist of Clinton, South Carolina, and
entered the ministry in 1952, Baptists still held to these basic beliefs
in soul freedom, the spiritual competency of the individual, separation
of church and state, and the absolute autonomy of the local church.
Suddenly, in 1992, the Southern Baptist Convention made a radical turn
in a new and uncharted direction. The convention reacted to the
celebration of holy union for two gay men by Rev. Dr. Mahan Siler,
Pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, by
casting out a local church from the SBC for the first time in its
history. The SBC also changed their bylaws to exclude any church from
the convention that accepted openly gay and lesbian people as members.
My personal response was to see this as a call to action and a challenge
to everything that I had respected and honored all my life as a Southern
Baptist. My seminary friend and classmate, Mahan Siler, had sparked a
whirlwind of revolution that continues to explode in all directions.
Mahan and I have had many opportunities to discuss and follow up on this
event. My web site and book are part of my response.
As soon as Southern Baptists defined themselves by who they left out,
they ceased to be Christian. This has produced an ongoing and
intensifying "horror show" that seems for now to be endless.
When I was still a student pastor, Dr. W. A. Criswell, pastor for many
years of the largest Southern Baptist Church, the First Baptist Church
of Dallas, Texas, published a book that combined misinformation with
enthusiasm in a powerful statement: "Why I Preach that the Bible is
Literally True." This book was one of the most influential ever in
Baptist history. Because of his success in building a church with
thousands of members, Criswell became the great authority on everything
for multitudes of Baptists, especially for the struggling local pastors
who were trying hard to survive.
Baptists continue to call themselves "people of the Book," which
produces a sickening neglect of Jesus Christ and the humble, inclusive
loving Spirit of Truth promised by Jesus to all believers.
I downloaded and read the entire 31-page "2000 Baptist Faith and
Message" which gives the 1963 and 1925 statements in parallel columns.
It is a blizzard of words that gives copious biblical references without
regard to their context, accurate translation or relevance to what they
are being used to prove.
This all-inclusive attempt to say everything about all religious issues
is a bold rejection of the Baptist principle of soul competency of the
individual and a thinly veiled grasp at control through an official
"creed," which Baptists vigorously deny that they have!
This has changed. The present President of Southern Seminary, Albert
Mohler, ended the debate at the Convention about the authority of the
Bible when he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what it all comes
down to: The Bible is not merely a record; it is the revelation of
God." The messengers stood and applauded. (Thanks to Lawrence Reh at
FirstLight@egroups.com for this info.)
No room is left for effective disagreement and debate in the present
state of legalistic fundamentalist control of the SBC.
A few days ago a retired friend of mine who was once a leader at the
Southern Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville said: "Most of us left
the Southern Baptist Convention 10 years ago."
Can Jesus through the Holy Spirit bring change and hope in this
prevailing attitude of Baptists that makes not just the Bible but their
particular literalist interpretation of the Bible absolute and binding
on everybody?
So far, the Southern Baptist move into legalism and literalism continues
to accelerate.
Signs of hope, however, are beginning to emerge. Mel White and
SoulForce go marching on with truth, love and glorious commitment to do
whatever it takes to overcome the misunderstanding and distortions that
are destroying our GLBT sisters and brothers around the world.
The American Baptist Convention's progress is in stark contrast to
Southern Baptist regression in GLBT acceptance and affirmation. Many
other evangelical churches and denominations are openly affirming and
including GLBT people at every level of church life and leadership.
See the great work of the Alliance of Baptists and the Baptist Peace
Fellowship of North America in their new workbook for churches . My personal experience with the Southern Baptist
"Honesty" retreat in Austin, Texas, last October and "American Baptist
Concerned" retreat last weekend in Seattle greatly encouraged me!
The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches continues to
lead the way in the United States and 19 foreign countries. MCC for
over 31 years has given accurate information, encouragement, hope and
the opportunity for Christian fellowship and ministry to multitudes of
GLBT people, including me.
Millions of people are hearing the real truth about GLBT people for the
first time and are listening, learning and changing their minds, as
indicated by many recent surveys of public opinion.
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Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse Rembert Truluck
Websites:
Steps to Recovery From Bible Abuse
Other Articles By Rembert Truluck:
What Jesus Said About Family Values
Feeling Good About Yourself: A Guide To Coming Out
Also In This Issue:
A Message of Grace to a Roman Catholic Priest
A Lambda Theology: Cabin Fever
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