Tag: FreeWill Baptist

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Freedom to Sip Coffee

As I sit here sipping my coffee, thank you Irishman for that, I ponder my freedom to do so, my freedom to sit and browse the internet, read Dear Abby and scan the funnies. I thank God everyday that I was born in a country where I am free to not only sip coffee, but work any job I want to, freedom to vote, freedom to drive, freedom to go shopping without a male escort. Freedom from persecution simply because I am a woman, a Christian woman to boot.
Although that last freedom, freedom of religion, the primary reason the Pilgrims came here (thank you pilgrims) seems to be fading. Well, let’s be honest, freedom to be a Christian, we are asked time and time again to water down our belief system, it is only a matter of time before it becomes a mandate and not a request.

I read recently that the Duck Dynasty family, during contract negotiations, was asked to lessen the talk of God and guns, the head of the family, Phil, reportedly looked at the executives and said no. Power packed two letters, he said if you want us to water down our Christianity and not talk guns then we don’t need to be on television. You see Phil and his family don’t need the money, they have enough, so it wasn’t an issue for them to walk away. A&E backed down, rather quickly from what I read in the news, and signed the crew up for another season.

I am thinking I really need to watch this show, we need more Phil’s in this world, people who stand up for what they believe in, people who don’t care if they are  famous. I admit, fame lures me, it teases me, I so would love to be on the radio every day. I have to warn you, I don’t water down my belief system either, God, family, career, that is the way it is supposed to be. If it is any other way, it doesn’t work, as we see with divorce rates, cheating spouses, killings. It is a sad world, it is a world that has forgotten who to put first, I am hopeful though. Hopeful that, we as a country, can not only recognize our freedom of religion roots, but go back to it. No one should have to water down what they think for fear of offending someone else. Yes, there are tactful ways of sharing ones faith without being belligerent, I don’t think that is the way to go either.

In this country, one that was founded by Christians, please don’t use the Thomas Jefferson reference, when one does my eyes glaze over, this is not a great example of a non christian, he fathered children with his slave and then kept them all slaves until he died. Yes, let’s tout him as a great non-christian founding father, seriously, brilliant man, questionable morales. Hmmmm, makes one think, doesn’t it.

I am Baptist, FreeWill Baptist, I am not provincial, nor backwater white trash, I am a simple woman from Owasso, Oklahoma, who loves Jesus, loves coffee, loves shoes and will not be watering down any of those loves.

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Inspired by @MrsScottBaio

So the other day on twitter Scott Baio tweeted a picture of a table and said something to the effect that his wife had done a good job with a luncheon she was having. Then someone tweeted back, was this after mass, to which @MrsScottBaio (Renee Baio) tweeted she was Christian not Catholic, I really think she meant Baptist in the place of Christian, but it was thrown out there in twitterverse and the beating began. One woman actually tweeted that because they were not married in the Catholic church their marriage wasn’t valid. People were just brutal, one man said he would have thought Scotty would prefer Catholic girls dressed in little school girl outfits, I stared at that for a while. Does this man not realize Scott Baio is a grown man and prefers a woman as opposed to a girl, and he is saying this to the mother of Scott’s child, and his wife. It was really crazy and yes, Mrs Baio did come back and say she didn’t mean to imply that Catholics were not Christians and that she was a Baptist Southern girl so obviously Scott preferred her over the Catholic schoolgirls.
I am a Baptist Southern girl myself, a FreeWill Baptist Southern girl, I believe that Catholicism is not a different religion, it is a different denomination. I cannot believe the beating that was rained down on Renee Baio for not being Catholic, I have a lot of Catholic friends, in fact my BBFF, aka Jess, is Catholic. He, nor any of my friends, have ever tried to tell me I was not a Christian due to my beliefs, and in turn I have not done that to them. In fact, Jess and I have had many philosophical and theological conversations, I can’t really call them debates as we end up agreeing with each other.
Here is the real point, if we as Christians cannot recognize that if a person believes Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, died to save us, then rose three days later to ascend to heaven, how can we respect anyones beliefs?
I had a wonderful Sunday School teacher in Owasso, Oklahoma, Mrs Hall, who told us in order to understand why we believe the way we do we needed to study other religions and denominations. She brought books to us, of course I was about the only one that read them, but I understood. I had a better view of the world after those lessons and a better understanding of the people around me.
I would like everyone to remember that Catholicism was the only Christian religion on earth until Martin Luther began the reformation. Please pick up a history book people, we are all Christians trying to make a better life for our children and the people around us. We should all be lifting each other up and not trying to tear each other down. If we do not have respect for each other how can we expect people of truly different religions to respect us as a whole.

Oh and FYI my first husband was Catholic and the man I am engaged to currently, The Irishman, is also Catholic. Therefore we can conclude Catholic men like Baptist women.

So, hats off to you @MrsScottBaio for standing up for what you believe in and not taking any of the insults hurled your way personally.