Save The World, Savor Life
Now don't get us wrong. We have a modicum of respect for Albert Brewer, especially since that dirty, racist 1970 George Wallace campaign against his run for governor was recently named Number One on the Most Negative Campaigns of All Time.
But Mr. Brewer's recent decision to recruit and hire Andrew Westmoreland away from Ouachita Baptist University in Little Rock, Arkansas - even after he admitted lying about praying about taking the job - raises all kinds of questions about religion, ethics, politics and education.
Baptist Samford U. Hires President Who Admits Lying About Praying
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| Photo by Glynn Wilson |
| Speaking of connecting with nature, after a couple of springs of trying we now have blue birds breeding in the backyard. I managed to get a decent shot of one a couple of days ago after returning from the trek to New Orleans. |
Slain Tennessee Minister's Wife to Be Charged with Murder
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Can we please stop the religious crusades and jihads and get on with the business of saving the world and savoring life?
If you find yourself saying, "The world has gone crazy," then think about this. You don't hear a lot these days about pot smoking, beer drinking, nature loving hippies causing the world a lot of trouble.
What the world needs more of are canoes on top of vans and a reconnection with nature. Alabama native and Harvard scholar E.O. Wilson called it biophilia, and it may be more important to our mental health than any words that could ever be uttered from a pulpit.
So forget the preachers and the religious educators who lie about prayer. It's beginning to look like a beautiful spring around here, even if it is still a bit cool. Get out of the house and try to enjoy the outdoors.
And if you really feel like you must, say a "thank you" to whichever god you worship. We tend to find more value in the Gia theory, and believe when the founding fathers of our country talked about "natural rights," they were thinking more about the laws of nature than the laws of Judge Roy Moore's Old Testament Ten Commandments.
Think about it...
Comments
Great link about the dirtiest campaigns! I printed the article to read thoroughly at a later time.
I remember that campaign well and also recall hearing the ugly rumors as a 14 year old boy. I have no dispute with the #1 ranking.
If the Westmoreland and Tennessee minister stories represent a broad brush indictment of the "faith based" community then I would not want to have to use that brush to paint my house. I daresay it would take a while.
I have no ties to Samford or Westmoreland and really have no more than a passing interest in the story. I find the headline a bit sensationalist, but that sells papers. When I first read the article, I saw it as an admission of the mistakes we make when we think that we know and understand all and try to make decisions without prayer. But that's my personal opinion. It's true that the bottom line is that Westmoreland is an admitted liar and they still hired him. I guess this proves he is not perfect. But then again I find no other examples of perfect people in today's world and I see no claim to that title from Westmoreland.
As regards the situation in Tennessee, I do not have enough information to indict the whole faith based community as regards that incident. From what we know it is truly a sad situation. Maybe pot smoking, beer drinking, nature loving hippies do not have problems or domestic disputes that end in violence. Or maybe their stories do not get publicized. I cannot say for sure.
Absolutely AMEN to the need for reconnection with nature. It is much needed in today's world. My daughter and I had a wonderful time outdoors today and if my health permitted, I would love to strap a canoe to the truck. Thanks for your great pictures Glynn. They are so enjoyable. There is no doubt that getting out and connecting with nature contributes greatly to my mental health. I am not quite ready to throw out all words I hear from the pulpit. Sometimes the words I hear seem to be very much in synch with what I feel outside with the sun on my face watching a hawk soar or a squirrel scamper.
Posted by: John Sides | March 24, 2006 05:04 PM
As I said, say thanks to any god you wish. I believe, and sort of demand that everyone else believe, in the entire First Amendment. Freedom of speech. Freedom of the press. Freedom of religion - as long as it stays out of the state's business.
That's sort of my point, which I tend to hammer pretty hard, since no one else around here in the press seems to care about the difference - as long as they keep selling those church ads and don't get the right-wingers mad at them.
You have the freedom to worship any way you wish, and the freedom to say what you did - right here on the Locust Fork blog.
So blog on...just don't step on my state...
As for the faith-based community, you now know how I feel about it - especially the recent social science post about how conservatives are made. There certainly seems to be a correlation - which does not necessarily imply causation - between religious activity and sensational crime, along with certain wars that just happen to be dragging us all down about now...
Religious repression leads to dogma and authoritarianism. If you can find a church in Alabama that does not promote that - and violate the tax laws by pushing Bush from the pulpit - more power to you...
Me? I believe in FREEDOM, period.
Posted by: fast2write | March 24, 2006 06:00 PM