Christian spirit?

[Bob Dole]

A confrontation this morning between an East Texas church and an evacuee from New Orleans. It centers around a sign out front of Woodland Hills Baptist Church on Old Jacksonville Road in Tyler, about a mile inside the loop. Some say the message is offensive.

"I drove by that sign and was just horrified when I saw that," says Kelly Jackman who now lives in Tyler but used to live in New Orleans.

That sign at Woodland Hills Baptist Church reads ,"The big easy is the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah."

Kelly along with her sister Robin Lafont, an evacuee from New Orleans, showed up this morning at the church to talk to the man who put it up, Pastor Wiley Bennett.

During a heated discussion, Robin asked, "What's the point of the sign out there?" Pastor Bennett replied, "The point of the sign is New Orleans, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and New York City are some of the most wicked cities in America."

Robin, who still has family members unaccounted for in New Orleans, is offended by the sign. "I'm telling you. This hurts. Why would you want to put more hurt, more salt in my wounds and why would you want to do this to me?"

Kelly adds, "And to go by and see this church saying that God did this to destroy these people and basically they're celebrating that by putting that sign up there saying look at what God has done. He has destroyed the city of New Orleans because it is evil."

Pastor Bennett says, "Anybody that's ever visited New Orleans, the very name its self - Big Easy - denotes that it's easy to find sin there."

Pastor Bennett says the sign, is a sign of the times. "The purpose of the sign is to wake American up to the fact that America is going away from God. New York City's 9/11 was a call of judgment and New Orlean's horrible incident was judgment on a wicked city."

Pastor Bennett was quick to point out that the church has helped evacuees by donating clothing, food and lodging, but their good will seems to be overshadowed by the sign.

"I'm not saying that you were evil and didn't have good intentions but it is hurtful. It's extremely hurt full. That's all I'm saying. I'm asking you to take it down," pleaded Robin.

"If I was doing it to hurt people I would take it down, but I'm not doing it to hurt people. I'm doing it to point out the sins of America," said Bennett.

Even after the sisters left the church, the confrontation continued in the parking lot. Kelly said, "That sign also says a lot about your character and your integrity and it's nothing good I assure you."

"They both called me an ungodly person with bad character and all that, and that's their right, but I have people that would say differently," Bennett told us.

Finally, the confrontation came to an end, but with no resolution. Robin tried one last time, "I'm asking you to take it down." Bennett said, "We can not go any further so we may as well go." Robin said, "That's fine. I need to go."

Robin and Kelly say they are going to spread the word of opposition to the sign and encourage people to contact the church. They hope the church will eventually take it down.

Since the sign went up, many KLTV viewers have e-mailed us with their comments. Wednesday night, a viewer named Tammy told us:

"Encouragement is needed, not more salt in the wounds... How could anyone see that sign as appropriate or bearing witness for Christ?"

We were at Woodland Hills as they prepared for Wednesday Night services.

They say earlier in the day, they were deluged with phone calls from people urging them to take the sign down.

But they say after our report, the response has been 100 percent positive. They began their service with a prayer for the people of New Orleans and Mississippi, and we spoke with many members including these who say they support the message on the sign.

Betty George has been a member for 23 years.

"Our pastor has a strong stand on the Bible and he preaches God's word, and he has compassion for America and the souls of America."

Randy Hays joined Woodland Hills in 1999.

"All our pastor was trying to say is that America is pulling away from God, and He wants America to realize that."

Pastor Bennett told us once again he has no plans to take down the sign right now, despite outcry from the community.

Gillian Sheridan reporting. [email protected]

Source

[penchief]

Originally Posted by KC Kings

How is it ridiculous? The people suffering weren't the rich owners of the bars, strip clubs, or casinos. If God punished them they were guilty only by association. Any religous leader that believes that God targeted the victims merely because of association better watch out themselves because knowing the sinful things that were going on and doing nothing to stop it make you just as guilty.

If god did punish people merely because of their associations then I'd be very wary if I were a Christian. Any Christians want to disown Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell before it's too late?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

I would say you take life way to seriously, go read the rest of my post.

the british are about to start kicking non-citizens out of there country for the breeding of hate by religious(and other) means

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by penchief

If god did punish people merely because of their associations then I'd be very wary if I were a Christian. Any Christians want to disown Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell before it's too late?

NEWSFLASH


if Jesus Christ were to return and walk the earth again tomorrow he would be considered a tree huggin',animal lovin' "stinkin' liberal" panzy.


and with any luck he would be telling all these extreme right-tards about how they should be packing SPF 1 million for their after lives.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Laz

the british are about to start kicking non-citizens out of there country for the breeding of hate by religious(and other) means

To them I say "good job outta you"

I don't see preaching hate here, but if that's how you interpret it by all means let the preacher know. I see a preacher taking something to the extreme but I wouldn't go to services there so....

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

To them I say "good job outta you"

I don't see preaching hate here, but if that's how you interpret it by all means let the preacher know. I see a preacher taking something to the extreme but I wouldn't go to services there so....

agree to disagree then




i see a not-so-subtle "homos deserve to die" message on that church sign.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Laz

NEWSFLASH


if Jesus Christ were to return and walk the earth again tomorrow he would be considered a tree huggin',animal lovin' "stinkin' liberal" panzy.

What are you basing this on?

[huskerdooz]

Somewhere in this little document called the U.S. Constitution, I think it guarantees the preacher's right to do this just as it guarantees your right to agree or disagree as you choose.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by huskerdooz

Somewhere in this little document called the U.S. Constitution, I think it guarantees the preacher's right to do this just as it guarantees your right to agree or disagree as you choose.

I don't think the debate is over his right to say those things.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by huskerdooz

Somewhere in this little document called the U.S. Constitution, I think it guarantees the preacher's right to do this just as it guarantees your right to agree or disagree as you choose.

Uh, isn't that what just about everyone is saying? The question isn't of rights, it's one of taste.

[Rain Man]

I dunno. I think think that sign is treading a fine line with "hate speech" criteria. It's essentially condoning the deaths of thousands of people as being a righteous act.

[Adept Havelock]

Originally Posted by kepp

What are you basing this on?

Well for starters, the Sermon on the Mount, the Philosophy of "If a man strike you on your cheek, don't retaliate, but offer him the other one", and the statement about it being easier for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a Rich man to enter the gates of heaven.

Any of those would get SOME RWNJ's spouting off about damn hippies.

Of course, in fairness, some LWNJ's would be busy trying to shut down his ministry as "insensitive".

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by kepp

What are you basing this on?

the belief that i have that GOD is more about love

and

less about the judgment and exclusion that dominates the far right.



he created the earth and will love it ... even the trees... and would want his children to care for it.

he created the animals and will love them and would want us to as well

he created people with freedom and flaws and will love them .... judgement is mine sayeth the lord.



imo the attitude and beliefs that have twisted the religious right are completely against what i believe GOD and religion is suppose to be about. They have taken their own twisted foibles and perverted religion to suit themselves.

Can we please strive to keep this thread on topic. I don't wish to offend anybody by moving it to D.C.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Laz

the belief that i have that GOD is more about love

and

less about the judgment and exclusion that dominates the far right.



he created the earth and will love it ... even the trees... and would want his children to care for it.

he created the animals and will love them and would want us to as well

he created people with freedom and flaws and will love them .... judgement is mine sayeth the lord.



imo the attitude and beliefs that have twisted the religious right are completely against what i believe GOD and religion is suppose to be about. They have taken their own twisted foibles and perverted religion to suit themselves.

I agree with your last statement to a large degree. Religion has been sorely twisted by a lot of different things over time.

To get back to the point, though, you said that if Jesus came back to day He'd be a "stinkin' liberal panzy". Are you talking about the same Jesus who said that "if you look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery with her in your heart"? Doesn't sound too stinkin' liberal to me.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by kepp

To get back to the point, though, you said that if Jesus came back to day He'd be a "stinkin' liberal panzy". Are you talking about the same Jesus who said that "if you look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery with her in your heart"? Doesn't sound too stinkin' liberal to me.

heh... that was more a sarcastic shot at certain someones around this board.


of course there are biblical beliefs about lust/sex etc ... he's not gonna be grabbing a blunt and getting nekkid.