¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Dec. 13, 2024
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Our weekly round-up of letters published in the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ News Herald.
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At the December Burke County School Board meeting where the new board members were sworn in, two Baptist preachers spoke during the public comments section. The first spread his arms wide and declared “We won.†He intimated that God had a part in the result and that the new board should feel free to do God’s will as board members.
I have mulled this comment over since the meeting and I wonder who the “we†was in his declaration. Was the “we†the Christians as opposed to the people they defeated as non-Christians; the holy people vs. the less holy people; Baptists vs. non-Baptists, the good people vs. not as good people; the Republicans vs. Democrats?
I don’t assume the new board members are more Christian or godly or holy than those who were not elected. I don’t believe God is a Republican. I believe it is dangerous for preachers to tell people who to vote for, enter into politics, or who God wants to win elections. People who think they speak for God know they are right and those who disagree are not only wrong, they are sinners.
People who know they speak for God fly planes into buildings, justify slavery with scripture, torture people for saying the earth is not the center of the universe, kill Catholics or Protestants, or Muslims, or Jews in “holy†wars.
An all-Republican board was elected (I think) not because God ordained them or they were more holy, but because Senator Warren Daniel slipped in a bill without consulting anyone affected declaring that school board candidates have to declare a political party.
So instead of voting for the candidate who has the emotional intelligence to consider other’s views, have a demonstrated commitment and experience with public education, live with honor and integrity, we now just vote for the R or the D next to the candidate’s name. Since there are more R’s than D’s in Burke County, no D’s are on the board. Way to go, Sen. Daniel.
We are poorer for the politicization of our school board elections. It’s the diversity of views and perspectives that gives a board intelligence. If we are all in agreement, we only need one of us. And God must be less pleased with us.
John S. Flood Jr.
¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥
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At the December Burke County School Board meeting where the new board members were sworn in, two Baptist preachers spoke during the public comments section. The first spread his arms wide and declared “We won.†He intimated that God had a part in the result and that the new board should feel free to do God’s will as board members.
I have mulled this comment over since the meeting and I wonder who the “we†was in his declaration. Was the “we†the Christians as opposed to the people they defeated as non-Christians; the holy people vs. the less holy people; Baptists vs. non-Baptists, the good people vs. not as good people; the Republicans vs. Democrats?
I don’t assume the new board members are more Christian or godly or holy than those who were not elected. I don’t believe God is a Republican. I believe it is dangerous for preachers to tell people who to vote for, enter into politics, or who God wants to win elections. People who think they speak for God know they are right and those who disagree are not only wrong, they are sinners.
People who know they speak for God fly planes into buildings, justify slavery with scripture, torture people for saying the earth is not the center of the universe, kill Catholics or Protestants, or Muslims, or Jews in “holy†wars.
An all-Republican board was elected (I think) not because God ordained them or they were more holy, but because Senator Warren Daniel slipped in a bill without consulting anyone affected declaring that school board candidates have to declare a political party.
So instead of voting for the candidate who has the emotional intelligence to consider other’s views, have a demonstrated commitment and experience with public education, live with honor and integrity, we now just vote for the R or the D next to the candidate’s name. Since there are more R’s than D’s in Burke County, no D’s are on the board. Way to go, Sen. Daniel.
We are poorer for the politicization of our school board elections. It’s the diversity of views and perspectives that gives a board intelligence. If we are all in agreement, we only need one of us. And God must be less pleased with us.
John S. Flood Jr.
¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥
More like this...
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