Wake up, Baptists
I appreciated your fine column about “What's in a name.” As a life-long Baptist (76 years) I have always been distressed that people are so unconcerned about Baptist doctrine and important theological beliefs and practices!
But I must take issue with you about your interpretation of one of those principles-separation of church and state and school vouchers for education in schools that are not hostile to Baptist beliefs. You said: “… good citizens would reasonably object to paying taxes used to promote the spread of religious beliefs they do not hold.” Well said, because that is precisely the reason so many want to leave the secular system! For many decades government has been taxing believers without any concern that they are using believers money to support pagan professors that are doing Satan's work of destroying Christian beliefs and heritage in their students. From Angela Davis to Ward Churchill to the Averett Religion department. All of this is done under the sacred principles of “academic freedom” and “tenure.” Those two principles cannot be found in the Bible. The Scriptures only promote freedom coupled with responsibility and accountability!
Those two insidious philosophies have now infected all of public education and Baptists have a duty to demand freedom of all religious expression in public schools. The U.S. Constitution demands it under its clause “free exercise of religion.” If we must turn over our public schools to the postmodern relativists and atheists, then using your criteria of objectionable taxes, at least we ought to have vouchers (choice).
For over 350 years of our country's history we could tolerate some unbiblical teaching in our schools because our society wasn't hostile to biblical principles-even though society didn't practice them. Today we have a different environment. In this environment Baptists are tolerating pagan practices so much that they are hardly distinguishable from them.
I pray that you, the B.J.C., the Baptist Historical Society, our pastors, and all Baptists would actually investigate where we are differ from the positions of the ACLU, the People For the American Way, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the atheists. As a practicing realist I know it won't happen yet because the pendulum hasn't swung far enough for Baptists to finally wake up.
David Coburn, Ashland