Posted on 12/14/2005 1:45:05 PM PST by ncountylee
I have been quite disturbed by your recent editorial concerning my book, Our Endangered Values [Dec. 8].
In no way did my text make any personal equation between Dr. Adrian Rogers, a great Christian leader, and the Ayatolla[h] Khomeini. My only inference was regarding my personal experiences with the rise of fundamentalism (carefully defined in the book) at about the same time in my life – approximately a quarter century ago – when our hostages were taken and the Southern Baptist Convention made a dramatic movement toward conservative leadership.
Although I did not include any names in the text, I feel personally culpable for any misinterpretation, such as in your editorial, of a lack of respect for Dr. Rogers. Although he and I had strong differences of opinion about Baptist policies, both in public statements and in our private conversations, I have never doubted his integrity or truthfulness. After expressing condolences to his widow the day after his untimely death, I added, “Adrian was a powerful and influential Christian leader, and I know how proud he made you all.”
The book text will be corrected in future editions, and I have sent a personal apology to Dr. Rogers’ family for any aspersions that were aroused against him because of my writing or comments.
Jimmy Carter Atlanta, Ga.
Witness executive editor replies I’m delighted that President Carter will be correcting future editions of Our Endangered Values and that he has apologized to the Rogers family. These were primary objectives of my editorial.
Although Carter told me in a Dec. 7 e-mail (after my Dec. 8 editorial had already gone to press) that the reference in the book was incorrect, the letter does not explicitly note the actual error.
Concerning the reference in his book to a meeting with the “newly elected” SBC president which occurred “a few weeks before our hostages were seized” (which was in 1979), Carter said in the Dec. 7 e-mail, “It was a meeting in the Oval Office in August 1980 and not 1979 when the newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention made the remark to me concerning secular humanism. It was not Adrian Rogers.”
Left unanswered by either his e-mail or letter is why President Carter repeated this claim in his book and in a Nov. 22 interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution even though Rogers disputed it in a private meeting with the president after Carter made the claim during the 2001 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly.
It’s astonishing that Carter claims I misinterpreted the comparison of Rogers (or the unnamed SBC president) to Khomeini, although this is the logical, obvious intention of Carter by linking his meeting with the SBC president and the Iran hostage crisis in a chapter on “The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism.”
James A. Smith Sr. Executive Editor
I have been quite disturbed by...
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You really don't have to read any further than the first line -- Carter should be in an old socialists home for DISTURBED LIBERALS....probably a very long waiting list though...
Jimmah was a pantload when Prez and remains so today. He proves it almost monthly.
Jimmy is very good at remembering things that never happened.
Depends!
Sheer coincidence that Islamic fundamentalism began to come out of the shadows as Jimmah was President. Of course, he did nothing to put it back in the shadows.
Almost certainly one of the bottom five American Presidents.
I remember 21 1/2 percent interest.
I don't think Carter has to worry about future editions or additional printings.
DISTURBED LIBERALS
*That's* a redundant descriptive! :o)
Could just as well be the 'Disturbed disturbed'
Or the 'Liberal Liberals'.
All 3 redundant, though all 3 describe the same
type of mentally defective creatures.
The rabbit made him do it.
Jimmy, go hammer some nails.
I'll NEVER forget that. Everyday at lunch, that was the topic of conversation.
Is it me, or did Mr. Genius misuse the word "inference"?
My family operated a small coal mining company in the 1970s-early 80s. We financed a $1.2 million piece of equipment with GE at this rate.
Baptist ping, notice my tagline
Hey Jimmy, how did your policy of forcing the Shah out of Iran turn out?
"Almost certainly one of the bottom five American Presidents."
I had to live through the Carter "stagflation" and had the experience of serving in the Army while he was "commander in chief". He was a pathetic President. The only good thing that can be said about Carter is that thanks to him, Herbert Hoover wasn't the worst President of the 20th century.
They were terrible times.
One of the funniest things I have read about Carter was in a book written by P.J. O'Rourke, in which he related something Roslynn wrote.
She said that she first became involved in the study of mental illness when Jimmy anounced that he was running for president....she was NOT joking. She just didn't realize how connected we would find the two subjects.
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