I try to be open-minded when it comes to religion. That, of course, gets a little more difficult every day when I hear of all sorts of things going on that perhaps some of us simply have trouble putting into perspective.

When asked my opinion, I often say, “I don’t really know.” Or maybe, “God will sort it all out.”

Yet, there are some issues that I don’t have any trouble siding on.

For instance, I don’t confuse religion and crime. I think that anyone wearing the cloth and preying on little children should be behind bars for a very long time. I don’t give a tiny rat’s patoot what the Vatican, the pope or any other high ranking official in any religious affiliation says in that scoundrel’s defense.

In my opinion, such issues as this have nothing to do with interpretation and application of doctrine or theology. This is about crime and punishment and a matter for the courts. And in this regard, the church’s opinion (yours or mine) plus 50 cents should get you only a cup of coffee at the nearest diner. By the way, that might be an opinion and five bucks if you are at a Starbucks.

On some other issues, I don’t have any problem with women preachers and women deacons. In fact my fellow Baptists at my church now allow women deacons, and I say, “Hurrah!”

And often I read about avant garde activities where ministers and church leaders try all sorts of new gimmicks to get people into church such as drive-through services for those in the fast-lane.

Now if there are people who find meaning and spiritual satisfaction in this, I won’t debunk their style. However, that is not for me. My lane is not that fast and besides, I inevitably would wind up with grape juice spilled in my lap during communion. And since grape juice isn’t hot, I couldn’t even sue.

And certainly we can expect a number of charlatans to come along. There have been many alleged ministers (many of them television evangelists) revealed to be no more than con-artists.

But don’t get me wrong. I do believe in faith healing. I just don’t believe you can mail-order it.

And it appears that some people in the religion business have severe identity issues. I recently heard that a Baptist preacher in Virginia was fired because he was caught dressed in women’s clothes and soliciting. But his firing was not unanimous, which surprised me. Some 49 members of the flock voted to keep him. I suppose they felt two out of three wasn’t all that bad — at least they did not catch him dancing.

I also read the other day of a church that had installed recliners and served coffee during services. I suppose the recliner was to make the audience feel comfortable and the coffee was to keep them awake.

Now I can’t really see the need for recliners, but I would split the difference on this issue of comfort. Not long ago I was in a church where the back of the seat was so darn straight and the bottom was so narrow, I had to sit sort of sideways and push against the seat in front of me to keep from falling forward. I had the urge to burst out in a chorus of “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.”

But if I had, I’m sure the look I would have gotten from my wife would have caused me to switch on the second verse to “Nearer My God to Thee.”

So outside of those people who use religion as a front for illicit activities, I want to report that freedom of religion in America is alive and well.



(Dwain Walden is editor/publisher of The Moultrie Observer, 985-4545. E-mail: dwain.walden@gaflnews.com.