Can Baptists contest a core principle of their identity?

[rug]

By Trevin Wax | June 10, 2016

(RNS) As thousands of Southern Baptists prepare to gather in St. Louis for their annual meeting, a fierce debate has erupted over religious liberty for Muslims, revealing a sharp divide over the meaning and application of an old Baptist principle.

Gerald Harris, editor of The Christian Index, one of the oldest and most esteemed state newspapers in Baptist life, penned an editorial that asked: “Do Muslims really qualify for religious freedom benefits?”

Harris made the case that Islam should not be classified as a religion but as a “geo-political movement.” Because Islam is a geo-political structure with global ambition, it does not deserve the protection of the First Amendment, even if the worldview contains a religious component, he said.

Harris took issue with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention for defending the right of Muslims to build mosques.

http://religionnews.com/2016/06/10/can-baptists-contest-a-core-principle-of-their-identity/

[tonyt53]

1. A true Southern Baptist would never vote for a Catholic or a Mormon. Sad, ain't it.

If the Southern baptist Convention hasn't tuned into a political movement, nothing has. I was raised one of 'em. Probably why the only time I go to church is for a wedding or a funeral.

[rug]

2. Jimmy Carter finally left the SBC earlier this year.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jimmy-carter-human-rights_us_56de0ceae4b0000de4059edb

I'm pretty sure he hasn't left his religious beliefs.

[tonyt53]

3. I wish I could have lived my life like Jimmy Carter. I've tried, but he is better than me.

Oh, I still believe in God, and the teachings of Jesus. I questioned the words of the Old Testament at a young age though. Jimmy Carter is just a lot better at living the words of Jesus than I am, and most people for that part. The man is an inspiration.

[rug]

4. The funny thing is, he'd be the last to agree that he's better than you.

[Runningdawg]

5. The Baptist church

has been split on this for a while, now with the declining membership, it looks like they will address it.
I was raised Southern Baptist, dad was a deacon who welcomed my Muslim friends into his home. It's odd because back in the 60's the Baptist church had a lot more to say about Jews than Muslims. I won't even repeat some of the things I heard from the pulpit. But I have heard worse about Muslims in the last few years. I left the faith completely in 77, my father moved to a different church in the mid 90's. The Baptist church today is little more than political party themselves.

[rug]

6. I've talked to somebody else in here who belongs to the American Baptist Church.

Apparently the Baptist Church split into the Southern Baptists and the American Baptists over slavery before the Civil War.

They're like night and day.

http://www.abc-usa.org/what_we_believe/our-history/

[Runningdawg]

11. The splits I were talking about

are more recent. I live in a state with a Baptist church on every corner. Why so many? Because the church has repeatedly split over the years, mostly over social issues. The first time I remember it happening to our church was in the late 60's or maybe early 70's over a womens issue no not THAT one.... should women wear pants or is it a sin? The most recent splits have been on the subject of militias/sovereign citizens and home schooling. Some churches see themselves as persecuted and have taken steps and made preparations for the next crusades.
It is very easy to see how the Baptist church as evolved. Take a look at the Baptist's favorite son Billy Graham. He represented the church of the last generation. Now take a look at his son, he represents the Baptist church today.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. They were completely freaked out in 1960 over a Catholic running for president.

They asked John F. Kennedy lots of questions about how he would conduct a presidency.
They were convinced that the United States was going to hell if John F. Kennedy was elected. They thought the country would be run by the Pope if Kennedy was elected. They thought Kennedy would be taking orders from Vatican City.

It didn't happen.

The Southern Poverty Law Center now classifies the SBC as a hate group.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

7. The National Baptists are black.

That's the Missionary Baptist Church, which indeed split over slavery.

[rug]

10. Is this the one?

http://www.nationalbaptist.com/about-us/our-history/index.html

[OriginalGeek]

9. Kinda hilarious them worrying about Islamic geopolitical movement

They need to check their dominionism.