The Philosophy Of Infanticide

[Cow Poke]

Not just one of many seminaries, the biggest and oldest and most prestigious: "The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS), in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The seminary was founded in 1859 at Greenville, South Carolina, where it was at first lodged on the campus of Furman University. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to a newly built campus in downtown Louisville and later moved to its current location in the Crescent Hill neighbourhood. For more than fifty years Southern has been one of the world's largest theological seminaries, with a current FTE (full-time equivalent) enrolment of over 3,300 students. -"Annual of the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention" (PDF). p. 217.

Yeah, I know all that, actually attended there a few semesters, but there you are doing it again --- building this up like this is some major issue because he's president of ONE of our seminaries. Like the history of that seminary makes a big difference.

You are entertaining, I'll give you that.

[Tassman]

Yeah, I know all that, actually attended there a few semesters,

but there you are doing it again --- building this up like this is some major issue because he's president of ONE of our seminaries. Like the history of that seminary makes a big difference.

[Cow Poke]

So why are you brushing off Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as just one of many...

Tass... you are the master of exaggeration. First, I didn't say it was "one of many" - I said one of six, which is the truth. And the importance of this particular seminary in history does not enhance the opinion of one man who is not a spokesperson for the SBC.

You remind me a lot of Maxwell Smart being held at gunpoint....

Max: "Would you believe, at this very moment, outside those walls, is a WHOLE COMPANY of US Marines, Seal Team Six, 101st Airborne Division, the entire Israeli Defense Force, the French Foreign Legion and... ROBOCOP?!?!?!?!"

Bad guy: No

Max: (several versions later) "Would you believe.. a mean kid with a squirt gun?"

You are entertaining, Tass.

[rogue06]

And he was a key player in the Southern Baptist Convention Conservative resurgence, but none of this makes him the spokesperson for the SBC. That is just not how it is structured. You seem to think the SBC has a hierarchical structure like the Catholic Church and Mohler is like a pope. He isn't. While a respected voice, his voice merely expresses his opinion and little more. To go back to my governor analogy, I guess you might say that by being president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that he is the governor of one of our biggest states but that does not give him any authority outside his state (the SBTS). When he expresses his opinion that is all he is doing. It is not like some sort of papal bull.

[Cow Poke]

And he was a key player in the Southern Baptist Convention Conservative resurgence, but none of this makes him the spokesperson for the SBC. That is just not how it is structured. You seem to think the SBC has a hierarchical structure like the Catholic Church and Mohler is like a pope. He isn't. ...

So, though it's probably wasted on Tassman, let's go through what the SBC structure IS! (depending, of course, on what the meaning of the word "is" is)

There is an "annual meeting", which happens.. .um.. annually.

Prior to the meeting, all SBC churches are allowed to elect "messengers" (the media calls them delegates) based on the size of the church and other factors, but purposely skewed to allow smaller churches fair representation.

The reason that we are called "messengers" is because the SBC is structured pretty much from "grassroots -> up" - it would be a messenger who would propose a resolution, and the rest of the 'messengers' at the annual meeting vote accordingly.

So, there is often a lag when an issue arises, or when the 'messengers' believe that 'leadership' is out of step. By the time the issue arises, and the next annual meeting rolls around, and the messengers get an opportunity to vote... Resolutions have often been used to reign in leadership or to signal what direction we want the Convention to go.

In my early days with the Convention, there used to be 15,000 to 18,000 messengers in attendance. Last year there were 5,000.

Part of the reason for that is that when the SBC 'conservative resurgence' occurred, thousands of more liberal churches joined to form 'a convention within a convention', and began holding their own meetings.

So when some "extremely important biggie" in the SBC speaks, it is recognized that it is his opinion, as he is not authorized to speak for the SBC as a whole - we, the people, speak for the convention at our annual meetings as "messengers".

[Sparko]

Yeah, and Mohler got that position, in part, because he was a mega-fund raiser for that particular Seminary.

As I said before, I always thought he was a good guy, for the most part, but he seems to be working really hard to distance himself from the SBC in general, and the conservative leaders who are under fire specifically.

Yep. I know him also (or at least used to about 10 years ago). He has changed a lot since then. Way more political.

[Sparko]

Yeah, I know all that, actually attended there a few semesters, but there you are doing it again --- building this up like this is some major issue because he's president of ONE of our seminaries. Like the history of that seminary makes a big difference.

You are entertaining, I'll give you that.

Google-fu! He reminds me of Shunyadragon. When he doesn't know something, he just googles till he finds some bit that agrees with him, then quotes it as if it were gospel. Even when it comes from Wikipedia or someone's personal blog.

[Tassman]

And he was a key player in the Southern Baptist Convention Conservative resurgence, but none of this makes him the spokesperson for the SBC. That is just not how it is structured. You seem to think the SBC has a hierarchical structure like the Catholic Church and Mohler is like a pope. He isn't. While a respected voice, his voice merely expresses his opinion and little more. To go back to my governor analogy, I guess you might say that by being president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that he is the governor of one of our biggest states but that does not give him any authority outside his state (the SBTS). When he expresses his opinion that is all he is doing. It is not like some sort of papal bull.

[Cow Poke]

Yep. I know him also (or at least used to about 10 years ago). He has changed a lot since then. Way more political.

I saw his speech on Southern Seminary (on video) last week at the annual meeting - you would NEVER GUESS he was at odds with the SBC - so, yeah, very political. He was boasting how God's hand of blessing was on us - after that bombdrop of God's judgment is upon us.

[Cow Poke]

Only since you got skeweled on it here. You're doing that thing where you're pretending you didn't have it all screwed up, but actually knew what you were talking about.

(in keeping with most non Catholic/Eastern Orthodox Churches),

Denominations, not Churches - you apparently haven't grasped that, yet. The Southern Baptist Convention is a denomination, consisting of a bunch of autonomous churches.

Let's see... the OPINION of one bureau chief of one office of the Baptist Press who you elevated to a position FAR above his station.....
...the opinion of ONE president of ONE of our seminaries, who you elevated to a position FAR above his station...


Why don't you stick to something you actually know something about?

[Cow Poke]

Google-fu! He reminds me of Shunyadragon. When he doesn't know something, he just googles till he finds some bit that agrees with him, then quotes it as if it were gospel. Even when it comes from Wikipedia or someone's personal blog.

And when he gets something really wrong, he just claims "oh, I am well aware of that...." He would have a wee bit of credibility if he were ever able to admit he made a mistake, and went from there.

It IS interesting how high esteem he has for somebody like Mohler who stands against homosexuality as sin!

Here, he is talking about taking Southern Seminary back to its roots - inerrancy of scripture, to its confessional integrity, back to the "old vision" of the convention 25 years ago... making it recognize Truth that is central and non-negotiable... arguing FOR a godly order in the church and the home...

Tass, let's see what your buddies at GLADD say about Mohler....




So your new HERO OF THE FAITH says Homosexuality is SIN!

Do you STILL want to use him as your source?

[Cow Poke]

And he calls homosexuality sin.

Next?

[Tassman]

Only since you got skeweled on it here. You're doing that thing where you're pretending you didn't have it all screwed up, but actually knew what you were talking about.

Denominations, not Churches - you apparently haven't grasped that, yet. The Southern Baptist Convention is a denomination, consisting of a bunch of autonomous churches.


Let's see... the OPINION of one bureau chief of one office of the Baptist Press who you elevated to a position FAR above his station.....
...the opinion of ONE president of ONE of our seminaries, who you elevated to a position FAR above his station...

Why don't you stick to something you actually know something about?

Why don't you stick to the subject instead of gas-lighting. Oh wait, you're a Trump supporter aren't you, this is part of the territory.

And he calls homosexuality sin.

...so you would be OK with aborting homosexual fetus's, is this the point you're making?

[Cow Poke]

No, you incorrectly promoted persons to "spokesmen". You're goofy.

[Cow Poke]

...so you would be OK with aborting homosexual fetus's, is this the point you're making?

A) The plural of fetus is FETUSES, not fetus's. Fetus's indicates possession, not plural.
2) It's absolutely idiotic to assume from anything that I said that I would be OK aborting a homosexual fetus if there were such a thing.

Tassy - you seem particularly off the rails tonight -- you OK?