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Born May 18, 1953; got saved at Truett Memorial BC in Hayesville, NC 1959. On rigged ballot which I did not rig got Most Intellectual class of 71, Gaffney High School. Furman Grad, Sociology major but it was little tougher than Auburn football players had Had three dates with beautiful women the summer of 1978. Did not marry any of em. Never married anybody cause what was available was undesirable and what was desirable was unaffordable. Unlucky in love as they say and even still it is sometimes heartbreaking. Had a Pakistani Jr. Davis Cupper on the Ropes the summer of 84, City Courts, Rome Georgia I've a baby sitter, watched peoples homes while they were away on Vacation. Freelance writer, local consultant, screenwriter, and the best damn substitute teacher of Floyd County Georgia in mid 80's according to an anonymous kid passed me on main street a few years later when I went back to get a sandwich at Schroeders. Had some good moments in Collinsville as well. Ask Casey Mattox at www.clsnet.org if he will be honest about it. I try my best to make it to Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC at least four times a year.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Pulitzer and Pentecost

I just blogged few minutes ago a comment at johndpierce.com so take a look at that as setup for this blog. Kind of in a rush now so will get to the main point which is this quote from page 245 of M Robinson's Putlitzer: Gilead.

It seemed to me somtimes as though the Lord breathes on this poor gray ember of Creation and it turns to radiance--for a moment or a year or the span of a life. And then it sinks back into itself again, and to look at it no one would know it had anything to do with fire, or light. That is what I said in the Pentecost sermon. I have reflected on that sermon and there is some truth in it. But the Lord is more constant and far more extravagant than it seems to imply. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like Transfiguration. You don't have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Chet Edwards, Tea Parties and George Truett

Jerry Vines, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention has a legacy with the Tea Parties. His church in West Rome, Georgia, in the 60's in particular was well known cauldron of Birch Society members and sympathizers.
From that stew came my friend Mary Anne Cole, a leader in the Tea Party movement in NE Alabama. Her activity among other things unseated a State Alabama Senator who at one time was widely considered the 2nd Most Powerful man in the state; also an Auburn Trustee involved in the intrigue of the resignation of former Auburn President Muse, Wayne Flynt has written about.
Sean Wilentz, author of the grand Book God in America, has provocative article on The Birch Society influence on the Tea Party through Glenn BEck and his mentor Glen Skousen in recent New Yorker Magazine. Let me know if you hear that Jerry Vines has read the article; and or Jill Lepore's The Whites of Their Eyes.
But I digressed. The Tea Party took out Chet Edwards the US Congressman from Texas, a champion of the Baptist Joint Committee. Edwards represented Waco and Baylor University and through current Mercer President Underwood--former staffer at Baylor--learned about the grand tradition of Baptist church state separation
Mary Anne Cole is the niece of a former President of Jacksonville St. University; Houston Cole I think was his name. Mary Anne goes to church where Bobby Welch was baptized and on occasion shares a pew with her friends who have a Vanderbilt educated Daughter who now works in DC with the BJC.
But somewhere along the way, Mary Anne never learned about George Truett, James Dunn, Oliver Buzz Thomas, and the best of the Baptist legacy on church state, and now Becky Kennedy is minus a grand champion in the United States House.
I know there are other aspects of the Tea Party Movement beside the culture baggage. But I don't see My friend Ms. Cole doing anything to educate folks about those matters.
Folks in the area know personalities in the recent PBS Series God in America. The whole six hours are online. Maybe Ms. Cole can have Cherilyn Crowe in to lead a discussion about the final segment, God and Caesar. Have Randy Owen in for the discussion with his fellow JSU trustee Red Etheredge, and History Proff Hardy Jackson. Would be interesting to see who knows what, and maybe what we can all learn together past the soundbytes.
Please follow the comments as they develop here; and or conflate them with discussions at baptistlife.com; SBC Voices and SBC Impact.

A Footnote. Recently Jerry Vines blogged about Carlyle Marney lecturing at NOBTS in the 60's. Marney a former pastor at FBC Austin Texas woulda been appalled at Edwards defeat yesterday and Ms. Morgan and Ms Cole's complicity in it.
Let us continue a Civil Discussion on these matters.
I don't speak for them but I imagine it wouldn't take much to have Jim Evans and or Wayne Flynt come up from Montgomery with Annie Lucas Brown to have a seminar for the likes of Cole, Owen, and new State Senator Shadrack McGill in this teachable moment in the wake of a travesty of an election yesterday.
That's how it is playing in my Momma's hometown. How did it strike you where you are?