RRN Online Volume 282

October 27 '01

Volume 282

Religious Expression Questions And Answers

Ron Hodel fielded a hard question at my house this summer just passed, and becoming distracted with another matter, perhaps it was the homemade ice cream, I never made a stab at answering it. His question, "Why are there so many churches?" still begs an answer. Now that Ron has returned to his home state, he may never hear/ read any answer that I strive to provide.

Opal Austin, a long time friend of the Carter family, poses her hard question slightly differently, "If we have the same Bible, why do we have more than one church?"

Mrs. Austin is a member of the Church of Christ, a protestant organization that seeks to continually mold itself after the fashion of churches of the first century described in the New Testament of the Bible. While Mrs. Austin may not subscribe fully to the dogma of the church of her choosing, the Church of Christ can generally be described as believing theirs is the only true church and theirs is the only one that understands the truth of the gospel. Little wonder then, that there may be the nagging question as to why others would choose to believe differently.

As to Ron's observation and question relating to the number of churches in the community, one might rightly conclude the people of Pontotoc are quite religious. There truly are a lot of churches in the county. Years ago, when I served a more active role at FBC, Pontotoc, I was aware of more than forty Baptist churches in the Pontotoc County Baptist Association, which does not include Black Baptist churches. I don't know how many are around today, but I'd guess close to fifty.

While Baptists dominate the Protestants of Pontotoc, there are a number of Methodist churches and Church of Christ churches, and a few Presbyterian churches. Other churches of the county include Catholic, Nazarene, Apostolic, Seventh Day Adventists, and Church of God. If there is an Episcopalian or Lutheran congregation, I don't know of it.

As to why there are so many differing denominations within the Christian faith, I can only say that Christians are human. As such, we are all different. It doesn't matter that we Christians worship one God, for persons of other faiths worship different gods, gods in whom they believe and often with a greater fervor and devotion than do Christians their God.

Christians cannot agree on trivial interests as to the best automobile, best soft drink, best movie, etc., and therefore cannot be expected to agree on a best denomination, let alone subscribe to the notion there should be only one church. Part of the unity of thought problem is rooted in sin which in turn is rooted in something believers call "free will." Free will is the assertion that God created man in His image but endowed mankind with the freedom to choose…to choose good or evil. To our detriment, humans have made bad choices with their free will ever since Adam and Eve believed the Serpent's lies in the Garden of Eden.

The Jew worships the same God as the Christian, the major difference being that the Jew rejects Jesus of Nazareth as God's Son, the Messiah. The Muslim also worships a monotheistic god and in one sense the same God as the Jew. To the Muslim, God's complete revelation of himself was through the prophet Mohammed, while to the Christian, God revealed himself through Jesus, His Son. In this strange triangle of faiths, it is the belief of any one faith that the other two are in error, not comprehending the truth. Toss into the religious pot all the followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, and all the other "isms" of faiths and the multiplicity of "churches" is mind-boggling.

I often find my patience with others taxed regarding the expression of our nation's religious freedom. In the early days of the formation of this republic, certain religious groups sought to impose their beliefs upon us all. Fortunately, our founding fathers had the wisdom to write into law safeguards against both our government being under the controlling influences of any religious faith and against our government exercising its control over any religious faith.

In rural Christian communities, such as Pontotoc, it is often difficult for some Christians to "see the forest for the trees." When the Supreme Court ruled against "captive audience" prayer in public schools, many believed this an infringement upon religious freedom. Even after one of Pontotoc's county schools was sued (and subsequently lost the case) for violating the laws regarding prayer in schools, many of the community have sought to circumvent the law, and others have lobbied for a constitutional amendment to support their views.

Just last week, I received an email "chain letter" soliciting me to add my name to a list petitioning an action on the part of the President of the United States.

Mr. President Bush,

As "One Nation Under God", it only seems fitting that you reinstate prayer in our public schools as the first act of doing the right thing, if you really want America's prayers to be heard "On High". After all, it is because of God's protection we are such a great nation to begin with, and we cannot afford to go against Him.

No matter how much you vow to spend, it will not protect our shores if God is kept out of our nation's schools because we can not openly pray! Give us back our freedom to openly pray to God, at any time, at any place.

Sincerely ,

The People of America

And there you have it…the reason for our tribulation…we've taken prayer out of the public schools, and the apparent solution to our dilemma would, by inference, be to put prayer back into our schools.

The letter itself is pathetic, but it serves as a good example of how differently we perceive religious matters and how ignorantly some are of even the simplest of facts. I submit it is a fact that all nations are "Under God." Just because America inserted the "Under God" phrase into the pledge of allegiance of its flag does not mean that no other nation enjoys God's protection.

I further submit as factual that anyone can pray openly to God at any time, at any place. All that is required for one to do so is the individual possess the ability to think and the will to pray.

It should go without saying that the President is powerless to "reinstate prayer in our public schools," for such is an executive privilege he has not been granted. Finally, to address the President formally, all that is required is Mr. President.

Court rulings not withstanding, the issue of prayer in school is not likely to go away in the foreseeable future, but we may be thankful that in America religion does not impose itself upon the government. The fanatical extremists of Islam are not just in the Middle East or Afghanistan. They may also be found in Nigeria, where a sharia court in the northern state of Sokoto recently sentenced a nursing mother to death by stoning after she was convicted of adultery. The man she claims is the child's father was found innocent of the charge of adultery. The Nigerian court has allowed the nursing mother to complete the weaning of her child before carrying out the execution. Muslims, Jews, and Christians trace the fundamentals of their respective codes of law to Moses, but Christians and Jews are more lenient in choosing punishment for sexual sins.

As long as the earth exists and men strive to know God, there will be fanatics and extremists. They will likely be found in all religions great and small. How we as individuals choose to deal with extremists will in large measure determine our greatness or smallness.

Gadzooks Cards And Memories

Gadzooks, readers! It’s almost Christmas. Oh, we’ve still got to get through Halloween and Thanksgiving, but then it’ll be Christmas. Speaking of "gadzooks," what comic book character is most often associated with the expression?

Regarding the rapidly approaching Christmas season, I must admit to letting it slip up on me. Here it is the middle of October, and I’ve not bought the first Christmas Card. Actually, I have not even been to a Hallmark shop to see what's available and worse still, I've not thought about Christmas Cards until I received a publication in the mail today (10/12) suggesting it was time to order them for my business. Of course, the sender figured I was the contact at Supervalu charged with such decisions. Boy, are they ever wrong.

Years ago, Supervalu (Lewis Grocer Company) sent Christmas Cards to each retailer that bought our goods and services, but in recent years, that practice has been sidelined by the bean counters and others charged with controlling expenses. If I were not so "old fashioned" I might discontinue the practice, too, but I happen to think that Christmas deserves all the attention we can muster. While I think it would be neat to send all readers of this newsletter an official "company or corporate" card from RRN, I suppose I'll begin searching in earnest for something suitable from Hallmark.

RRN readers everywhere are once more being asked for Christmas memories. We who have submitted ours in prior years would enjoy reading a memory or two from others. With the addition of several new subscribers over the past couple of years, it is hoped that some of these will be inclined to share a memory.

Persons, such as this writer, who have experienced more than one memorable Christmas are encouraged to share still more memories. I may have one more unwritten memory, but after that the well looks pretty dry.

So, before the rush of the season is upon us all, take time now to write down your most memorable (or one of your most memorable) Christmases, make copies and use them as stocking stuffers or mail them to friends and relatives during the holidays, but be sure to share a copy with RRN, too.

As to the comic book character I most often remember using the phrase "gadzooks," well, that would be Robin of Batman and Robin, featured by Dell Comics.

Addendum: Christmas Cards have been purchased, as of 10/22. As expected there were not enough boxes of the one I preferred, so once more I'm forced to send two different selections.

World Records Strange Tidbits

Don't rush out and buy one on my recommendation, but the Guinness World Records 2002 has been published. Some readers may be interested in a new category, extreme sports, but I'm not sure of the category to which the following tidbit belongs.

According to a news article by Reuters on the Internet, "Briton Ken Edwards, a former rat-catcher and part-time entertainer, made it into the record book after eating 36 medium-sized cockroaches in one minute on March 5, 2001.

As part of his stage act he also stuffs 47 rats down a pair of pantyhose -- while wearing them."

Who said vaudeville is dead?

I have to wonder what Edwards did in the way of training for the feat. Did he begin his quest for the record based on "speed eating" or did he concentrate on quantity.

Male readers are more likely to appreciate the following fact than are female readers. " Other bizarre record-breaking feats include the loudest burp, by Briton Paul Hunn, which registered 118.1 decibels -- comparable to a plane taking off."

And making his mother proud, "Australian Graham Barker has extracted his own belly button fluff every day since 1984, collecting a world record 0.54 ounces. His collection is perfectly preserved and cataloged."

Barker, we are told, hopes to collect enough navel pickings to stuff a pillow.

Don't they have homes in Australia for the mentally deranged?

Finally, for those interested in "laboratory sex," "Sooty was crowned the most romantic guinea pig after fathering 43 babies during a single night of passion with 24 partners in December 2000."

You don't suppose Samuel Pepys was reincarnated do you?

Bodock Beau Halloween Humor

Halloween is for kids, but before treating the little tykes to a few lines of humor, grownups can enjoy the adult humor of the first two jokes.

A juggler, driving to his next performance, is stopped by a traffic cop. "What are these matches and lighter fluid doing in your car?" asked the officer.

"I'm a juggler and I juggle flaming torches in my act."

"Oh yeah?" says the doubtful cop. "Let's see you do it"

The juggler gets out and starts juggling the blazing torches masterfully.

A couple driving by slows down to watch. "Wow," says the driver to his wife. "I'm glad I quit drinking. Look at the test they're giving now!"

Contributed by Larry Young

What's your Halloween costume?

A little boy and girl go trick or treating.

They knock on the door of this house and the man who answers it says, "Well, you two are awful cute. Who are you supposed to be?"

"We're Jack and Jill" the girl replied.

The man says, "You can't be Jack and Jill, you're black!"

They go off and a while later they come back dressed differently. They ring the door bell and once again, and the man opens the door.

"Well now, that is just darn cute. Who are you this time?"

"We're Hansel and Gretel," says the little boy.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you son, but you can't be Hansel and Gretel because you're black!" says the man.

Heads hung low, the kids leave. Not too much later the man hears the bell ring again. This time when he
opens the door there stand the two children but this time they are BUCK NAKED.

"Oh my! And just who are you supposed to be now?" he asks.

"Chocolate M & M's," said the little girl. "I'm plain. He's got nuts."

Contributed by Ken Gaillard

Halloween Jokes for Kids

What kind of car does a ghost drive?

A Boo-ick.

When do ghosts usually appear?

Just before someone screams.

What happens to a fast witch on a slow broom?

She flies off the handle.

Why did the other kids have to let the vampire play baseball?

It was his bat.

What should you say when you meet a ghost?

"How do you boo, sir. How do you boo."

Mother vampire to son:

Hurry up and eat your breakfast before it clots.

When is it bad luck to see a black cat?

When you're a mouse.

What do you get when you divide the circumference of your jack-o-lantern by its diameter?

Pumpkin Pi