A Matter of Perspective--Overcoming Public Relations Terrorism

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A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE--
Overcoming Public Relations Terrorism
By David R. Currie,
Coordinator

As Texas Baptists head toward our Fall annual convention this October 29-30, 2001, we have several reasons to be encouraged. Allow me to examine a few positive things happening.

Texas Baptists are tired of negative attacks based on lies and half-truths. Yet, the SBC continues to follow this modus operandi because it is the nature of the fundamentalist mind-set. They must have an enemy.

This approach is starting to backfire as people are tired of lies. The SBC leadership recently made a huge mistake in attacking Buckner Benevolences, the Texas Baptist ministry to children. This is an organization beyond reproach, that does wonderful work. The SBC attack, linking Buckner to Planned Parenthood and proabortion groups was ludicrous. Buckner had worked with Planned Parenthood, along with 23 other groups, in an abstinence education for fourth-through eighth-graders held in Amarillo. (See story on page 9 of this newsletter.)

Ken Hall, President of Buckner said their attack amounts to “public relations terrorism.” Hall added, “Slander is an abomination to the Lord. We become the devil’s instrument” by practicing it.

Hall is correct, but unfortunately, “public relations terrorism” is a critical part of SBC standard operating procedure.

Roger Moran, a member of the SBC executive committee, has practiced “public relations terrorism” for years and his material is now circulating not only in Missouri and Texas, but in Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and other states as well. This is the material former BGCT employee Ken Coffee is referring to in his article on page 6. It attacks the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Mainstream Baptists, Texas Baptists Committed, and individuals like Charles Wade, Phil Strickland and me in a slanderous manner. No secular business would attack a competitor with such malice. These attacks will also fail, in time, as people are turned off by self-proclaimed Christians exhibiting such hate.

As horrible as the events were that occurred on September 11, God is making some good come from this tragedy. Certainly we must all continue to pray for the families that lost so many loved ones — fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers. This was a horrible tragedy caused by radical Middle Eastern fundamentalists.

A positive coming from this event is people across the world, including our fellow Baptists, now understand the danger of radical fundamentalism. The word fundamentalism will never be viewed in any sort of positive light again.

Southern Baptist Convention fundamentalists are not as strident as terrorists, that would be ridiculous to infer. They do not try to take away people’s lives, just people’s freedom to practice Baptist principles (see Greg Magruder’s article on page 7 regarding events in Florida; Johnny Pierce’s article on page 23 regarding the “Inquisition attitude” sweeping Georgia, and the articles regarding recent events in Missouri on pages 19).

Yet all fundamentalists — whether Islamic, Jewish or Christian or other faith — share common traits. Fundamentalists all tend to

(1) be threatened by freedom;
(2) see themselves involved in a holy war against modernism;
(3) seek to control all they can gain power over;
(4) seek power ruthlessly;
(5) want to use the power of the state to enforce their particular interpretation of faith;
(6) believe the end justifies the means;
(7) have no shame in using untruth to advance their goals;
(8) claim that all their activities are blessed by God.

Jerry Falwell, now a prominent Southern Baptist who speaks often at SBC events, will never recover from his insidious remarks. Traditional Baptists who have read his writings or heard him preach, know his theology is as mean as that expressed on the 700 Club’s nationally televised broadcast. Many believe he meant what he said about God punishing America and that his apology had a great deal to do with a fear of lost revenue and little to do with sincere remorse. We will leave the final judgment of that to God, but I predict the SBC will never use Falwell on a major program again.

The cause of Religious Liberty has also gained support. Those who attacked our country come from a political system where the faith controls the state. Many now see the true genius of the American system of total religious freedom for all. Religious liberty is the very reason we have seen such a turning to God by so many, while at the same time, strong words of support and tolerance for those of other faiths. I am especially proud of how President George Bush has handled this delicate issue.

More and more, informed lay persons are embarrassed by the Pharisaical attitude of many fundamentalist leaders in the SBC and want a Baptist witness based on Christ and his everlasting love and grace. Many lay persons in churches that have joined the Southern Baptist of Texas convention now realize they are no longer supporting Baylor, Howard Payne, Dallas Baptist or any of our eight universities as well as Buckner Benevolences, our Baptist hospitals and retirement centers, the river ministry and many other programs and institutions. They are demanding their churches return to partnering with the BGCT.

These are positive events happening in our state and we must continue to work for unity among all who are willing to cooperate. Please resist all efforts by fundamentalists to impose a creedal faith on your state convention, association or church. Division in Baptist life is ALWAYS instigated by fundamentalists. Only fundamentalists want everyone to think alike. Only fundamentalists want to tell others how to believe. Only fundamentalists want to control others. Hear me. EVERY SINGLE INCIDENT OF DIVISION IN BAPTIST LIFE TODAY IS INSTIGATED BY FUNDAMENTALISTS. I dare anyone to give one single piece of evidence to the contrary.

Every single traditional Baptist reading this is more than happy to COOPERATE with fundamentalists in sharing the gospel. It is fundamentalists who do not want to cooperate with us unless we think as they do and allow them to control them. I know of no traditional Baptists who desire to control anyone. We just want our birthright, i.e., that we be allowed to be Baptists and exercise our Baptist freedoms of local church autonomy and the priesthood of every believer.

We are moving forward. There are thousands in Texas who do not know Christ. Most of our churches and pastors want to unite around the goal of winning this state to Christ. “Public relations terrorism” will fail. It will fail if it receives no hearing from good Baptist people. Let that day begin now.

October 2001