Posted on 11/01/2005 5:35:12 PM PST by KeithHinson
I originally posted this as a reply but am new to this web site. Here it is as a new thread:
Volunteers working with the Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Unit honored the request of the host pastor to set aside canned water with an Anheuser-Busch logo. At no time was anyone deprived of water. In fact, there was a huge surplus of bottled and canned water available at the Clewiston relief site. There was never any disruption in the supply of water being given out to members of the public who continued to receive food, water and other types of assistance from Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief workers.
It is an absolute falsehood to suggest -- as many irresponsible bloggers have -- that the Baptist volunteers withheld the basic needs of life from Floridians impacted by the hurricane. Contrary to misinterpretations of news reports, no one was denied access to water.
One may disagree with the strong stand that many Southern Baptists take against the consumption of alcohol. One may even regard such opposition to alcohol as offensive.
But it's impossible to say truthfully that this conviction caused any inconvenience or shortage for victims of Hurricane Wilma. The facts are exactly the opposite.
The fact is that virtually all of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers serve selflessly -- taking time away from employment and family to minister in the name of Jesus Christ. Churches such as First Baptist Church, Clewiston, graciously serve as host sites -- providing a place where food, water and other necessities of life may be obtained by anyone in need -- without regard to religion or any other demographic consideration.
-- Keith Hinson, public relations associate
Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions
Montgomery, Alabama
(first thing that came to mind when I saw the title)
You understand that none of these facts matters in the least. What matters is that Baptists are bad because they are hypocrites. And they are hypocrites because . . . well, because they make the rest of us kind of uneasy. (Or at least, that was the only apparent point of most of the comments made about this incident when it was originally posted here.)
I wholeheartedly agree that the incident was blown WAY out of proportion by the blogosphere and the media. I just wish, however, that those coordinating the water distribution would have forseen that this would be the reaction. There's no need to be paranoid, but everyone knows the media is inimical toward Christians.
I don't understand why anyone would object to a bottled water put out by a beer company when it was full of WATER! This was silly, and makes them look ridiculous.
And there are a few of both on this site, and a lot of both in the mainstream media.
As a non-teetotaling Baptist, I would have had a problem if water had been denied to those in need. However, since there was clearly a surplus, I don't think such a fuss should have been made.
Clue to Baptists: It was WATER, Not BEER.
Grow UP!
By the way, I added a few keywords (BAPTIST; FLORIDA; SBC; WILMA) for future search purposes.
Looks pretty evil to me.
Photo of 'set aside can' on EBay @3.99
2. If so, what was the turnaround time between receipt and distribution?
3. What other water was distributed and with what turnaround times?
What I would ask is whether any OTHER distributor of supplies found itself short of water. Unless they knew for sure that NONE of them were short, SBC should have called somebody else to get their Anheiser-Busch water and pass it out if they didn't like themselves to be tainted by the "beer" association of the firm that canned it. You don't worship God in the manger when you are a dog in the manger.
question: Yes, it was water, not beer, but would you hand out water with a "LET ME KILL YOU BECAUSE WE ARE MUSLIMS AND YOU WILL ALL DIE" label on the water?
I doubt it, and you would not do it because you dont want to send out a mixed message.
Neither do the Baptists. They were trying to remain Biblically centered.
Just as you would try to remain anti-Islamic bomber sensitive.
Think a little. They had the right to hand out what they wanted, and according to ALL who know, not one person was deprived of water because of this, this was NOT a church witholding water from people dying in a desert because of a label.
Unless they were aware of the situation of all OTHER distributors, they were flirting with being a dog in the manger.
It does have the "A" in it. Must be the devil doing his work.
Many Christians regard on solid biblical grounds as simply bogus the "Jesus made water into grape juice" theology of some Baptists.
Not even close. Water is evil because it was canned at a brewery equates to muslim terrorist. Get real. And please show me where in the bible water from a brewery is evil.
Why is it that you don't even show up on FR as registered until tomorrow (11/2) and it's still 11/1/05? You've got some splainin' to do....
Oh grow up. It DID NOT SAY THAT or anything like it on the label.
Would I give out water that said "ISlamic Charities" one it?
Would I give out water that said Bottled in IRAN?
Would I give out water that said "A product of the Peoples Republic of China"
Yes, I would.
I might be suspect of water that had no label at all, as contaminated water providers would not put their return address on it. But there was never any contention of any problem with the water, simply the name of the provider.
That is bigottry. What does YOUR bible say about that?
Your attitude is more offensive than Islamofacicists.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.