peterlumpkins.com

Does voter suppression in 2021 look like voter suppression in 1961? An Answer to Bill Leonard

Last week, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary research professor, Karen Swallow Prior, made a socio-cultural analogy between the systemic social consequences of the 1960s sexual revolution in the United States and the systemic racism in the United States we allegedly observe today according to Critical Race theorists. As I showed in my reply, Prior's analogy simply collapses in on itself making it far more difficult to accept her claim of systemic racism (via CRT) rather than easier. This week, a reputable Baptist historian makes yet another analogy from almost the same... Read more →

The ERLC, Donald Trump, and Inciting Insurrection

After the regrettable “storming of Capitol Hill” on January 8, 2021, and the subsequent condemnation of President Donald Trump for inciting insurrection claimed by social media platform, Twitter, the giant media platform permanently banned the president from his Twitter accounts. In an article by Jason Thacker, who serves as chair of research in technology ethics and creative director at ERLC, a public arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote an article entitled, “Understanding Twitter suspensions and the need for consistent policies.” By design, Thacker speaks for the ERLC, that in... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part II

Finally, there remains an unexplored possibility to explain why there's so much internet outrage expressed over so-called "discernment blogs" coming from Southern Baptists. Jason Allen hinted at it but did not develop it in his rebuke of Capstone Report. After demanding that the "anonymous blog" retract and apologize for its false report about him, Allen acknowledged the retraction as "a small, qualified victory in a larger struggle the SBC seems to be losing" (Note: as anyone can observe, Capstone Report is not anonymous). Truth is, it may be that SBC... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part I

Last week, The Capstone Report, a popular website that focuses on issues it perceives as troubling in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), released a story concerning the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jason Allen, claiming he was personally lobbying the Missouri governor to settle more refugees in the state. The story turned out to be false. Don Hinkle, longtime editor of The Pathway, Missouri Baptists' state denominational paper, wrote a brief but scathing rebuttal, accusing the author of "fake news": "I know fake news when I see it. This... Read more →

The Alleged Sex Abuse Crisis and What’s Next for the Southern Baptist Convention

The working assumption that a systemic sex abuse crisis exists in the 47,000+- churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is now officially unchallengable received dogma. Question the claim or evidence from which the claim is inferred, and the unwary enquirer will quickly be on the receiving end of the Southern Baptist internet mob. After raising questions concerning the accuracy of data driving the claim of a SBC sex abuse crisis on Twitter recently, one responder tweeted suggesting I personally cared more about statistical numbers than I did about... Read more →

David & Bathsheba: Why It’s Better to Accept the Biblical Narrative About David Rather Than a Superficial One

David & Bathsheba (source) Most of us tried to let it go. You know. The recent flair up over whether David committed adultery with Bathsheba as recorded in 2 Samuel 11: 1-5 or forcibly and brutally raped her. But those who insist King David maliciously, violently raped the innocent, sinless Bathsheba continue to fuel the flame. The fact is, there's enough ambiguity in the biblical text to sustain a possible rape if we allow the modern constructs I've noted. But only a possible rape not a definitive rape. To conclude... Read more →

What is a Consensual Sexual Affair?

On October 7, 2019, Jennifer Lyell, a LifeWay employee, penned an open letter to Southern Baptists expressing her grief caused by what she alleges was an erroneous Baptist Press report released in March this year. The report has been subsequently taken down (an archived copy of Baptist Press' report follows below). I have physically deteriorated. I have felt as though I’m living in an Alfred Hitchcock movie because it is so unfathomable to understand how I could be spending hours upon hours dealing with this on my own in light... Read more →

Faith and Healthy Democracy: A Research Report on Civility in the Public Square: A Brief Critical Review

Recently, The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC, SBC) released a 72 page written report of a research project commissioned and supported by The Fetzer Institute, a non-Christian religious organization devoted to "helping build the spiritual foundation for a loving world." Entitled "Faith and Healthy Democracy" (FHD), the report has been widely distributed online through social media and the ERLC website. According to the author(s), the report results from a compilation of an evangelical survey poll commissioned by LifeWay Research, dozens of interviews with evangelical... Read more →

How do Patterson Critics View John Piper on Spousal Abuse?

Since the social media mob, led by @JonathanMerritt, @edstetzer, and @KSPrior, judges Paige Patterson's counsel to women in troubled marriages so entirely unChristian as to merit his immediate dismissal as President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one wonders what they think evangelicals ought to do with evangelical icon, @JohnPiper, and desiringGod.org for the counsel Piper offers to women in troubled marriages. Check it out. For that matter, thoughts about John Piper's counsel to women in troubled marriages from high-profile Christian celebrities and organizations could be helpful in determining exactly why... Read more →

Resolution #10: A Brief Commentary from an outsider looking in

For the few readers who still have my blog in their feed I thought I’d offer a few words on one of the resolutions passed in Phoenix.1 Below are a few comments on Resolution #10. Take these comments, if you please, as from one outside looking in, since I did not attend the convention this year. First, I’m troubled with the way Resolution #10 presumes “alt-right” is a hard term used to denote definite parameters of beliefs of an observable group we might learn through empirical research. The truth is,... Read more →

President Trump's promise to nominate a Supreme Court justice similar to Antonin Scalia

In light of President Donald Trump's recent nominee for SCOTUS, and fulfilling his promise to nominate a strict constructionist for the important judicial seat, a friend of mine posted on Facebook the following words. Note the response by newly appointed Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) Leadership Council member, Bart Barber. My response followed. Here's the bottom line so far as I am concerned. I have no issues whatsoever in #NeverTrump advocates voting the way they did, coming to conclusions different from mine, and voting their conscience. Period. That's what... Read more →

Janet Mefferd on Russell Moore and the Conservative backlash: "This isn't just about Trump"

Talk-radio host, Janet Mefferd, writes a convincing account of the issues many Conservatives have raised concerning Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) president, Russell Moore. Writing as a non-Southern Baptist, Mefferd claims many in the media falsely assume Conservatives' problems with Moore began with his criticism of then presidential candidate, Donald Trump. She demonstrates Moore's excessive and over-the-top criticism of the President-elect, including Moore's unreasonable and misguided criticism of evangelicals who voted for the President-elect, was but one of several issues many Conservatives have raised since Moore became president of... Read more →

Election 2016 Thoughts – Part Two: Trump Support Could Hurt Our Gospel Witness: A Critique

While I realize this post is virtually moot now since the election is upon us, Nathan Akin posted part 2 of his series only today. Thus, I thought I'd put this brief critique up. After considering the chief concerns #NeverTrump advocates like Akin have listed in campaigning against Trump and for 3rd party/write-ins, I feel even more confident I chose well in my decision. I only pray if and/or when Trump loses the presidency, and we hand off this country's political destiny to Hillary Rodham Clinton, I will be able... Read more →

Thomas Schreiner: "Don’t we recognize in a sinful world that sometimes we need to choose the lesser of two evils?"

Thomas R. Schreiner is James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Associate Dean for Scripture and Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as Preaching Pastor of Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. A widely respected New Testament scholar, Dr. Schreiner is the author of many books, including New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Baker, 2008) and Galatians in the Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series (Zondervan, 2010).1 Recorded in the 2011 issue of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, a published sermon... Read more →

#FaithTrumpsFear or #StopSinningbyVotingTrump?

Paul Hastings (source) A video entitled "FaithTrumpsFear" seems to be making its rounds on social media. It's appeared with glowing recommendations on The Resurgent, RedState, Caffeinated Thoughts, and even captures the personal view of the Southern Baptist Convention's Pastors' Conference president, Dave Miller: "Is it time we started viewing things differently? For me, it is. this video encapsulates my view."1 Produced by a small video production company in Austin, Texas run by CEO, Paul Hastings (who is featured in the video), the reason indicated making it was because that by... Read more →

Is shaming others into voting against their conscience the future of evangelicalism? Political Science professor Peter Wielhouwer hopes not.

Here's a worthy essay by my friend, Peter Warren Wielhouwer. As a longtime professor of political science and frequent network news commentator on all things political, Dr. Wielhouwer writes a much-needed plea for Christians to stop alienating each other over politics. I especially liked his focus upon the scriptural record. I might quibble with him a bit on some parts, but nonetheless agree with the broad swaths of his thinking. Please take the time to check it out. "Stop Shaming Other Christians into Voting Against their Conscience" by Peter Warren... Read more →

I voted for Donald Trump today. And, no, I don't feel an ounce of guilt. I feel like an American.

When it became clear to me months ago that Donald Trump would become the only real challenge to a Hillary Rodham Clinton victory for the White House, I became more verbal and perhaps more public about the 2016 presidential election than I've ever been about any election since I started voting in the early 70s. I believe this election remains, so far as this world is concerned, the last hope to preserve what we have left of a democratic republic founded upon our original constitution. Political corruption in both Democratic... Read more →

Division at Southern seminary concerning the #NeverTrump positions of Al Mohler & Russell Moore

I wrote this on Facebook a few hours ago: Finally someone with clout speaks out on Al Mohler and Russell Moore's nonsensical stance as advocates of #NeverTrump, a position he says will put Hillary in the White House. A member of the Foundation Board of Southern Seminary for years, currently an associate of the foundation, and a financial supporter who's donated thousands as well as given annual grants to professors. Louisville, KY attorney, Jack Richardson says, "I and others on the board could not disagree more with Mohler’s position on... Read more →

Evangelical spokesmen still broadly condemning anyone thinking of voting for Donald Trump as POTUS

In no political election of which I've either participated or followed since I began voting in the mid-seventies do I recall such publicly negative emotion being spewed toward Christian believers. Let me qualify that a bit, for I've certainly observed and, at times, personally experienced, the fiery wrath from those both to the political left of me and unbelievers outside the church. There was a time when those who did not know me would conceivably assume "fascist bigot" was my middle name since it was spoken so often about my... Read more →

Al Mohler is spot-on about Donald Trump but dead-wrong about evangelicals

Within the brokerage world a generation ago, it was said "When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen." Hutton was highly influential among brokers. Albert Mohler, Jr. is arguably the most influential Southern Baptist today. Similarly, it might be said in the evangelical world generally and the Southern Baptist world particularly, "When Al Mohler talks, people listen." Well, Mohler talked in the Washington Post yesterday. He talked about the latest news buzz surrounding Donald Trump and the video in which the presidential nominee was heard using explicit and undeniably demeaning sex-talk... Read more →

New Orleans Baptist Association calls for censorship of Baptist state paper

On July 12, a group of eight Baptist leaders from the New Orleans Baptist Association (NOBA) who were apparently fed up with what they called "buzzard politics" from The Baptist Message, wrote, signed, and posted an open complaint on the NOBA website. Entitled "Which Way Forward: Unity or Division?" the eight men noted specifically, "We are troubled by the critical editorials in our state Baptist paper against SBC agency heads David Platt and Russell Moore." Making the complaints into a call for unity, the associational article indicated what appears to... Read more →

Both Al Mohler and Russell Moore agree: #NeverTrump #NeverHillary. Both also dead wrong.

No surprise in Drs. Al Mohler and Russell Moore's position: both commit to either a third party or write-in candidate come November. What is surprising, however, is the simplistic reasoning both leaders offer as to why they will step into the 2016 voting booth in perhaps the most significant presidential election in my lifetime and cast a ballot that guarantees at least one of the two candidates they judge unworthy to serve as president of the United States will, indeed, serve as president of the United States. Furthermore, it seems... Read more →

According to Jonathan Merritt: Evangelicals risk everything to reclaim cultural and political control—even if that means defying their own beliefs

I started to respond only briefly to Jonathan Merritt's piece entitled, "The Awkward Love Story of Trump and American Evangelicals" and post it on Facebook. My commentary grew larger, however; much too large to be effective on that platform. Thus, below are my initial thoughts to Merritt's piece: @jonathanmerritt writes a stinging critique on 1K evangelicals meeting with Trump this week. There exist several weaknesses in his critique, however. Among them, some are listed below (Merritt's words and contextual quotes are embolden with my response following): 1) "Many evangelicals who... Read more →

The Republican Washington establishment may have just made Hillary Clinton's day

Well. It's happened. The Republican Washington Establishment bought its domain for a soon-to-launch Third-Party website. As Bill Kristol indicates, all they need now is a candidate. My own guess is, they've already got their puppy-dog politician selected...from the local DC pound of course...politicians they can promote as cute, adorable puppies to the American people. There's any number of adorable but do-nothing Republican dogs from which to choose. They can began with Speaker of the House and move on from there... What does Washington's Establishment Third-Party mean if it actually takes... Read more →

Alternate Presidential Candidate for #NeverTrump supporters Denny Burk, Russell Moore, and the ERLC

It's no secret that some high-profile Southern Baptists are pushing evangelicals toward a #NeverTrump position. Among the more aggressive top-tier influencers (especially among younger evangelicals) stand Denny Burk and Russell Moore, both Southern Baptists, both #NeverTrump members, both employees at entities owned by the Southern Baptist Convention--The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission respectively. Many Southern Baptists think their posturing toward #NeverTrump to be either misguided or unstudied. Below is one response to the third-party, write-in candidacy both Burk and Moore have recently promoted. First,... Read more →

Denny Burk: Principled if you don’t vote Trump, Unprincipled if you do

At least two high-profile Southern Baptists just can't get enough bashing Donald Trump supporters. One, obviously, is Russell Moore, who seems to fan the flame he's set to hotter and hotter temperatures. The latest piece Moore posted unexpectedly drew friendly fire from one of his own soldiers in the young, restless, and reformed base camp. It also solicited responses from what some may call more hostile critics (my own contribution may be found in a piece entitled "Is it time for Southern Baptists to get new leadership in Washington?"). The... Read more →

Is it time for Southern Baptists to get new leadership in Washington?

A new president of the greatest nation on earth will be sworn into public office in just over eight months. It's time. Eight years of Barack Obama's butchered policies and broken promises have choked to death the American spirit. He promised he'd unite us both racially and politically. However, only the most obtuse observer could deny that racially and politically, the United States of America has perhaps become more hostilely divided than in any known era of American history. Why Washington's Oval Office needs a new leader The President's latest... Read more →

Clinton Predictable. Trump Unpredictable. Ergo Clinton for President

Baptist pastor in Washington D.C., Thabiti Anyabwile, argues in a piece on The Gospel Coalition blog that it is apparently better to vote for predictable evil than unpredictable evil, the two evils represented by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump respectively. In the current presidential election, that means since only two viable candidates exist, the defacto choice is between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.1 And, for Anyabwile, it comes down to him voting for Hillary Clinton. "At this point, assuming Trump and Clinton are my only options, I'd vote for Clinton."... Read more →

Denny Burk on Russell Moore--"he has a way with words"

Trump criticizes Moore for being a bad evangelical! Boyce professor, Denny Burk, asks an interesting question(s) pertaining to Donald Trump's recent tweet questioning not only whether Russell Moore is a good representative of evangelicals, but also claiming Moore to be a "nasty guy with no heart." Burk rightly denies the latter but strangely affirms the former. Question: how can Russell Moore accurately represent a body of people (i.e. evangelicals) about which he emphatically claims he wants no part? Did Moore not publicly distance himself from evangelicals and evangelicalism? Did Russell... Read more →

Is Racism embedded all over the Southern Baptist Convention?

I've been trying to stay away from denominational politics. Honest! At times, however, it's impossible to stay on the wagon. Indeed as my good friend, Chris Gilliam, indicated in the Facebook thread (see below), one gets tired of the simplistic rhetoric. Below is a brief commentary I pecked out on my cell phone in response to an article detailing Russell Moore's indictment of widespread racism allegedly embedded within the Southern Baptist Convention. A Facebook friend asked me to post it on my blog so he could point his friends to... Read more →

Russell Moore: 'evangelicals who back Trump are unchristian'

Below is a brief commentary I penned on Facebook concerning what I perceive to be a unilateral campaign by the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Dr. Russell Moore, to ensure Donald Trump is silenced as a presidential candidate. One of my good friends, Dr. Peter Wielhouwer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Western Michigan University, asked if I would place the piece on my blog so he could reference it. Hence, the commentary is pasted below in unedited format. ======================================================= Evangelical Leader Calls Trump's Christian Backers Unchristian... Read more →

President of Southern Baptists' ERLC on suspending Duck Dynasty's patriarchal leader

Phil Robertson (pic source) Dr. Russell Moore offered commentary on the recent A&E suspension of Phil Robertson, Duck Dynasty's patriarchal figure. Moore described the network television decision "censorious cultural fundamentalism" that is neither “progressive” nor “pluralistic.” The ERLC president went on to conclude: "Let’s have genuine diversity, meaning let’s talk honestly with one another about what we believe and why. Muting one another isn’t what debate is for in a free society. It’s what remote controls are for." Read the entire statement-- "Duck Dynasty?" on the president's blog, Moore to... Read more →

ObamaCare enrollment up--just passed five to enroll six people!

ObamaCare gets spoofed at the Country Music Awards: Related articles Associated Press retracts a doctored Obama quote Surprise: ObamaCare will likely increase food stamp enrollment Surprise-Obama Says He Will Not Enroll In ObamaCare Why Is The Left Silent On ObamaCare ObamaCare Continues To Be Massive Failure; Only 51,000 Enrolled Maher: Sure Obama Lied But He Had to or ObamaCare Might Not Have Passed ObamaCare enrolls unborn babies, then pays to abort them Read more →

Associated Press retracts a doctored Obama quote

foto source Oh if only conservatives in today's marketplace had a supposed independent news agency like Associated Press (AP) to repair conservatives' rhetorical blunders in the printed media.1 An AP follow-up story explains its mistake in cleaning up the President's gaffe about Gulf cities on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: "In an Aug. 7 story on President Barack Obama's comments on the need to deepen U.S. harbors, The Associated Press wrongly inserted an interpretive phrase in parentheses into a quote by Obama... . The AP should not have added... Read more →

Scot McKnight's avant-garde attitude toward American politics expressed in criticism toward Louie Giglio

Allow me a brief follow-up word to last week's trending topic of discussion--Louie Giglio's withdrawal as President Obama's choice to offer the benedictory prayer at the presidential inauguration early next week. One of post-evangelical's chief scholarly representatives, Scot McKnight, took a brief flight out of the cuckoo's nest today with a short piece entitled "Louie Giglio and Inauguration Day Prayer" wherein he claimed that while Giglio did the right thing by backing out of the inaugural event, Giglio surely would have done the "right-er thing by never accepting such an... Read more →

Election 2012: a Difficult Choice?

A dear friend and former church member, Dr. Peter Wielhouwer, now Associate Professor of Political Science at Western Michigan University, wrote a timely piece on his blog entitled "Election 2012: a Difficult Choice." >>> In his brief but incredibly insightful piece, Peter lays out his position on both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney including comparing each candidate's political philosophy and policies to what Peter summarizes as the four main purposes of government according to the Bible. Peter's summary of human government's purpose as revealed in biblical revelation is well worth... Read more →

Should a Christian Vote for a Mormon? by Norman L. Geisler

The following message I received from distinguished Christian author and theologian, Dr. Norman Geisler, pertaining to Christians voting for non-Christians. A succinct but insightful word for evangelical voters1 >>> We are not voting for a cult; we are voting for a candidate. If the person is pro-life, pro-family, pro-American, pro-free market, and pro-Israel, then vote for him regardless of his religious affiliation. If I need a good doctor or a good attorney, I don’t ask about his personal convictions but about his professional competency. Martin Luther once wisely said, "I... Read more →

Dr. Ed Stetzer on Mormonism: "Pay everyone...honor to whom honor is due" by Peter Lumpkins

More times than not, this blog site has been what we could call a counter-point site, a site which offers an alternate narrative on a particular issue from one being offered elsewhere. Sometimes the counter-point we post may represent the majority opinion. At other times, it represents more the minority view. And, there are times it may very well represent a rogue view >>> Whatever the case, it represents my thoughts on particular issues facing the Southern Baptist Convention or a particular interpretation of a theological-biblical subject. I marvel at... Read more →

Howell Scott on Governor Mitt Romney’s “Biggest Lie” by Peter Lumpkins

Howell Scott and I are friends. We view issues Southern Baptists face, more times than not, very similarly. We've not only chatted via cellphone, we've communicated both digitally and personally face-to-face. Howell is a self-professing Calvinist (an "inconsistent Calvinist" is the way he puts it) while I am a...a...well that is a problem because, theologically speaking, I'm not sure what I am1 >>> And, one thing I most highly respect about Howell is not only the aura of personal integrity which he seems to project, but also the desirable trait... Read more →

An Open Letter to Franklin Graham: “Mr. Graham: Put that page back up!” by Peter Lumpkins

I've never been one for writing open letters. In fact, I don't recall ever writing one. But I can no longer say that. Albeit my full support and unshakable appreciation for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) since the late seventies of the last century, I continue to be stunned by their recent action in taking down a webpage on which a partial list of religious "cults" containing several sectarian groups were named. >>> Among those named as examples of heretical "cults" within the Christian tradition were "Mormons" (link to... Read more →

Good-Bye Herman Cain by Peter Lumpkins

In an impassioned piece on why he believed Herman Cain was innocent of the dubious charges brought against him, Arlington, Texas pastor, Dwight McKissic wrote: >>> The purpose of this article is not intended to endorse Herman Cain for president; but rather to defend Mr. Cain against the scurrilous, scandalous and shameful attacks on his character... Why are these charges being brought to the public’s attention at this point? The answer is obvious. Mr. Cain has thus far done the impossible. Who would have ever thought that an American Black... Read more →

James M. Dunn and Soul Freedom: A Review by Peter Lumpkins

Aaron Weaver (a.k.a. "Big Daddy Weave"), doctoral candidate and Graduate Fellow with the Baylor University Academy for Teaching and Learning, has a new book release entitled, James M. Dunn and Soul Freedom ($14.40, Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Macon, 224 pages) >>> James Dunn is presently the president of the Baptist Joint Committee Endowment and Professor of Christianity and Public Policy at Wake Forest Divinity School in Winston-Salem, N.C. Dr. Dunn, however, is most known among Southern Baptists for his leadership as the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee (BJC)... Read more →

Lifeway Wants to Know--"What Politico-Cultural Icons are Christians?" by Peter Lumpkins

Suppose I asked, “Which, if any, of the following people do you believe are Christians?” and listed five people: Barack Obama Glenn Beck Sarah Palin Oprah Winfrey George W. Bush Do you think a poll like this offers substantial information which assists us with the Great Commission? Or, could the negativity toward the inquirers (Lifeway affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention) outweigh any potential assistance the feedback could offer? Well Lifeway Research answered "yes" to the first question and "no" to the second. Not with an added benefit of a... Read more →

Jesus and Gin: Evangelicalism, The Roaring Twenties, and Today’s Culture Wars by Barry Hankins: A Brief Booklook by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Barry Hankins is Professor of History and Church-State Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at Baylor University. His latest book entitled, Jesus and Gin: Evangelicals, the Roaring Twenties, and Today's Culture Wars (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, $26.00) focuses on a single decade of the American experiment, the turbulent 1920s. Or, as the brief period is usually dubbed, “The Roaring 20s.” Quite candidly, I had no idea what to expect when I began reading; before I was finished with chapter one, however, I knew Hankins’ book (heretofore identified as... Read more →

Jerry Vines On SBC Politics by Peter Lumpkins

A generation ago, stock broker E.F. Hutton made this little cliche a household proverb: When a first generation Conservative Resurgence leader talks, we ought to listen. Dr. Jerry Vines shares some thoroughly Christian sage on politics in the Southern Baptist Convention per his personal experience: "Fact is, in any deliberative body politics plays an imperative role. It just goes with the territory. So, how do you avoid the pettiness and ugliness that sometimes emerges? I tried to follow some basic principles. First, I affirmed the right of any person to... Read more →

Alabama: The Politically Correct Rebel

When my Hun & I travel to our homeplace back in beautiful Tennessee, we travel backroads that wind us through the Sweet Home state. About dead center between Anniston and Huntsville, there sits the tiny little town known as Boaz. Not much there; just a place to travel through, looking for junk and enjoying the ride. A pass-time Boazians must surely enjoy is wrestling. Virtually every time we travel through, the newest billboard boasts of the upcoming Saturday Night event. Seems their star attraction is watching little people fling each... Read more →

Rosie the Riveter: An American Icon Overturned Remix

Just thought I'd would mix it up a bit... Read more →

Rosie the Riveter: An American Icon Overturned

Rosie the Riveter is considered the most famous icon representing women's contribution to the success of World War II. Even more, it is not uncommon for Rosie's picture to be scattered across most all issues women have faced since. She represents female power. The Governor from Alaska may have just overturned Rosie as representing the punch of female pizazz. Sarah Palin, who swept the country off its feet by drawing more viewers for her acceptance speech as the traditional do-nothing VP than the Democratic nominee for President gathered for his... Read more →

10 Most Powerful Women of the Modern World

Hillary Rodham Clinton gave her rousing speech last evening at the Democratic National Convention. Swooning Obama supporters, she uttered what, to them, were words on golden plates descended from heaven and translated by Joseph Smith descendants: "Barack Obama is my candidate and he must be our president." Many believe the failed candidate in her impressive run for the White House--a run which no other female has accomplished, at least without embarrassment--demonstrates her status as one of the most powerful women in the world. Not so according to LiveScience.com. In their... Read more →

Dissenting in the Southern Baptist Convention: Dignified Critique or Destructive Politicking?

Former Congressman, Tom Delay, wrote: “I have learned something about liberals. They are much like Communists. They believe they have to destroy you in order to win. ... Liberals in Congress have no ideas that history hasn’t disproved, and this leaves them pursuing only power. To get that power, they will destroy you — and if they can’t destroy your message they will try to lock up the messenger. Congress today is plagued by the politics of personal destruction.” (italics mine). Today, the same could be said of dissenters in... Read more →