Blogs, Baptist's and Being Fed Up!

I have been blogging now for about a year or so. Most of my blogging is my commenting on other blogs. Perhaps this is because I struggle with the original thought! Blogging here of late has taken on quite a nasty tone if you will. When I started last year we were bantering on about the MD and villa rica, Ben was a Baptist Cat (I think) and Wade was a victim. My how things have changed in a year or so. In the last year we have heard everything from 'spooky' fundamentalist to 'militant' fundamentalist to even allegation of a Nazi like mindset and even, God help us, racism.

One blogger even came to this conclusion... HERE... I do not blame him

I am a Baptist. Along with that comes a certain amount of disagreement and the elevation of personal opinion. I have made no secret my disagreement with wade Burleson's vision for the SBC. I have met Wade and I believe him to be a wonderful man of God who loves the Lord. Yet his brand of unity comes with to high a price. Wade would counter that people like me simply want to control what people think and believe. That our vision of the SBC is exclusive and dictatorial...HOGWASH! To control what a Baptist believes is like trying to control the Niagara...Wade knows this. My guess is that Wade and Ben Cole and many who support them are driven by something more than a mere object to their perception of theology to rigid. I do not know what it is nor would I venture a guess. The sad thing is that many of the points that they have made are good ones. Many of their concerns are shared by others...but the attacks on the character and ideologies of those they disagree with are to much for many. It is certainly to much for me. At times I have responded in kind and the Lord has taken me to task for it.

I guess it comes down to this. I have simply had it with folks being called everything from fat to ignorant. I am tired of Godly men being 'persecuted' by personal documents being published on the web. I am tired for people with great conviction being vilified and our current SBC system being maligned. I guess I am just tired. I am not saying that there should not be principled dissent...I am just saying that dissent ought to be done in a way that does not demean or seek to belittle others in whom we may disagree.

A lot of my fatigue comes from pastoring a church that in many ways reflects the Baptist blogosphere. I am going to San Antonio not just to vote, stand and share my convictions, but to spend some time away with my 'righteous fox' ...the lovely Mrs. Maddox. We as a couple need some direction and focus in our own ministry.

I hope to see and meet many of you there. I have been called every thing this last year from ignorant, to spooky, to sarcastic to mean spirited and a racist, If you see me in San Antonio just call me Bro. Jack...I am to tired and a little fed up to really debate anything else.

Jack "I am fed up with Baptists" Maddox