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| Letters to the Editor - OSA Responds |
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Letters to the Editor - OSA Director Responds
Several letters to the editor published in The Salisbury Post were critical of the Taking God back to School campaign waged by Flip Benham, Scott Heldreth and other Christians at South Rowan High School. All were similiar in content and all had it wrong. We are posting one from a United Methodist minister, Mark Helms, as an example. Flip's response is a general response to all of them.
To Mr. Heldreth, Mr. Benham and the “ Truth Temple ” of Kannapolis: When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus was quoted in the Gospels as saying, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it; thou shalt love thy neighbor as theyself.” Condemning young people to hell for their attire or even for the color they wear does not seem like love to me. Where is the sin that these students at South Rowan have committed? You claim that you are coming to other high schools in the area. Will you judge them, too, before you get to know them, even before you meet them? Jesus told the woman who was caught in adultry, “Neither do I condemn thee.” And that was with proof! On Wednesday, most all area schools met for “Meet Me At The Pole” Day to express their genuine Christian love. I realize that I could quote Scripture and that you would have an answer for everything. I have been where you are with regard to a legalistic interpretation of the Bible. I will pray for you. (And please don't call yourself “evangelists;” an evangel is one who brings good news.) To the students who will encounter these “evangelists,” I have some sage advice. Ignore them and maybe they will go away. |
Flip's comments:
This [criticism and false rumors contained in the letters] is typical of what happens when Christians go outside church walls to proclaim the Gospel. There will always be those who say, I agree with your message but not your methods, or I don't agree with your message and then they spin a fantasy yarn about what your message is.
We had something in common with the Goths at South Rowan High School, they saw it even though they mocked us. Our greatest enemy was the Christian kids who did everything to spread rumors and gossip about things that we never said. They even went to their youth pastors who came out to observe us and discovered we weren't saying that kids would go to hell for wearing black or other such nonsense.
Christian kids told us that God has many names like Allah, Krishna and Buddha. They claimed you shouldn't say homosexuality is sin or Islam is evil. But, it's a fact that before you can get saved you have to know that you're lost! The Christian kids created the biggest disturbance and were the greatest hindrance to the presentation and proclamation of the gospel. They maligned and attacked the messenger. The Goths were more gracious.
A youth pastor said to speak with love and don't judge. We were told that you can't say homosexuality is sin and be loving. According to John 7:24, however, we are to “...judge with righteous judgment.” This Christian youth pastor is essentially saying everything goes. Yet Christ warned that we must seek the narrow path, for the broad path leads to destruction.