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Letters April 14, 2008 ninetyandnine.com
has featured two cover articles that deal with social issues--the
homeless and our environment. Therefore, I find it very
fascinating to read how our readers responded to these articles--Are
we a forward-thinking group, a reactionary bunch, or level-headed?
Take a few minutes, read the articles, and let us know what you
think. Also, I wish
to reiterate that we publish everyone's letters without editing
(beyond grammar) with three exceptions:
The truth
of the matter is we (the staff) see our website as a forum--a
platform for discussion on issues that are generally not discussed
within Apostolic ranks. The editors, writers, webmasters, and
staff involved receives no remuneration for their time or efforts
given to the ministry. Many spend hours upon hours to provide
this forum, and while we do receive feedback that it has been
a blessing to many, we are also thankful for those who insist
upon bashing us while not leaving their name--thank you for reading!
Re: “A
Bowl of Soup for Kenneth”
I found this
article striking. What would Armando Heredia have done if he was
in leadership? Would he have allowed the homeless man the opportunity
to address thousands of young people? Remember the
big blow-up we had over the Borat incident? That movie proves
the folly of allowing just anyone to address the congregation.
It should serve as a lesson to us. I think it is silly to suggest
that the man be given free rein, as if it is some sort of “open-mike
Friday.” Further, this
man had no history with any of the churches in the city where
this event was held. He was not a faithful saint. He was a complete
unknown. Leadership has a responsibility to protect the purity
of an event. Should we allow everyone access to the mike? What
if a visitor has an evil agenda? The assertion that this man was
somehow harmed, because he didn't get to speak at youth convention,
is silly. His burden
is admirable, but I think this article is a bit of armchair quarterbacking.
Maybe the writer should ask this homeless man to be the keynote
speaker at his next youth event? That truly would be a miracle.
Edward Anglin,
Illinois Re: “Climate Change: A Christian Opinion”
Are we looking to get page-filler at the ninetyandnine now? We won't post anything that deals with correcting bad (UPC and WPF) attitudes over a split or a lack of restoration of our ministers as a movement when they fail God, but we'll prostitute the “pulpit” of this site with a Green Peace “eco message” with a little Christian fluff at the end to make it sound like a religious article when it's little more than tree-hugger fluff? Come on, Cara and Kent!
Why not contact
some of our great ministers, like Marrell Cornwell, Doug White,
and Jeff Arnold and let them give you some real apostolic articles?
Oh, that's right. We'd censor those to the point of Pentecostal
pontification purity too! Dear God help us. Re: “When a Man's Dream Is an Organization's Nightmare”
I found it odd that the writer dealt with terms of “cosmopolitan” and “ecumenical,” when my best friend is a PAW minister in the Chicago area and his pastor is the one who withstood Bishop Brazier, not for his dream or vision, but because he has strayed into a type of “once saved always saved” heresy and into the belief that you “don't need to speak in tongues” when you receive the Holy Ghost. If we are
going to post articles like this about the idols of men we need
to get the facts about what's going on in another organization
instead of just free-handedly posting anything that might not
be truth! I know that since Bishop Tyson and Bro. N.A. Urshan passed off the scene we don't have the cooperation that the two organizations used to share, but come on 90&9, check the facts before posting junk on UPCI bandwidth as they are so fond of saying when anyone crosses swords on the AM Forum with UPC traditions that are not biblical but still in the manual because no one chose to stand against them.
Oh, that's
right....we don't censor, do we. Yeah, okay! ;) Les Stone,
DC Metro Area Re: “Climate
Change: A Christian Opinion”
Sir, please inform yourself. That science is altogether complete and utter junk. Yes, the planet
is warming up; it does that in cycles. Is it connected to human
carbon usage? Please do your research. I can provide you with
links if needed. As a trusted oracle of the truth of His Holy
Word you should do better fact checking. Is the cost
of energy rising at an outlandish rate? Yes, we indeed need to
be good stewards. I switched to CFL bulbs about five years ago,
and have fixed the major cold air leaks in my home over the last
couple of winters. God's grace to you. Steve Frahm,
Michigan Here's
a somewhat positive story involving Apostolics and poor tipping
practices. A young man
worked at a well-known Mexican place in a large Texas city. His
co-workers hated waiting on so-called Christians and Pentecostals
in particular because of their rudeness, loud talk, demands, and
poor tipping. This young man, Jesse, said, “Let me wait on the
Pentecostals. I'll be so nice to them that they'll tip
me right.” The others agreed, so Jesse got most of the large groups
of Pentecostals in his section (Texas Pentecostals are big
consumers of Tex-Mex, by the way). Jesse was
always kind and pleasant and helpful to the Pentecostals, which
his co-workers were glad to pass on to him, and his tips from
them began to increase. The Pentecostals began asking for Jesse
to wait on them. One night one of the men with a large group witnessed
to Jesse about Jesus and invited him to church. After a couple
of invitations, Jesse went to their church. He liked the exuberant
worship and the feeling of the presence of God there, which he'd
never experienced before. Soon Jesse was at the altar repenting,
and soon Jesse had received salvation and the baptism of the Holy
Ghost. Not long after
that, Jesse began dating one of the young ladies in the church,
and within a year or so they were married. Now they have a young
family and teach Sunday school and work with the youth in their
church. Interesting, huh? Name Withheld
by Request, Texas Re: “Global
Warming” As Apostolics
we need to be people of the truth, in all areas. I left the large
Trinitarian Charismatic church I had loved and been part of for
what (at that time) was a very small struggling UPC in my city,
because I decided to investigate both sides of the issue of the
Godhead, Salvation, and dress. After investigating both sides,
I followed the facts into the Apostolic church. We need to do
the same as we take stands on other issues as well. As I am surrounded
by liberal democrats due to my profession, I have had to listen
to the rhetoric on global warming almost daily. It prompted me
to read other scientific studies on the issue and found that the
cycles of warming and cooling have been part of our world for
at least 1,200 years--way before the factories, and cars that
the likes of Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama and others
like to blame for the warming of the earth. (Of course their “compassion”
doesn't extend to the unborn as they continue to support the
partial removal of a live baby from a mother's womb, boring
a hole in the baby's head, and calling it a woman's right
to choose a partial birth abortion.) I would suspect
anyone who is more concerned about the earth's inhabitants
in the distant future, and who isn't also concerned about
the cruelty of abortion. I would challenge you to do a Google
search and investigate both sides. Let's not shackle ourselves
with liberal propaganda. Richard Ferguson,
New York Re: “Climate
Change” No problem--the
Lord is going to give the whole thing a climate change. The Body
of Christ will be safe though. Obviously! He is going to blowtorch
this entire silly planet of all of the nonsense. There will be
a new heaven and Earth. You talk about climate change. No problem.
We just need to be concerned to get out of here when the trumpet
sounds. Forget the ozone! Stephen Forkum,
Arkansas Re: “Climate
Change: A Christian Opinion”
John please
don't let the media and the environmentalist scare you. There
are many disagreements about climate change. The most important
is how much, if any, effect do we have. There is a book out called
Climate Confusion by Roy Spencer. He is the creator of
the Weather Channel. He explains about the hysteria that leads
to bad science, pandering politicians, and misguided policies
that hurt the poor. This is one of many sane voices out there
that can shed some light of reason to this hype on global warming.
Carl Adams,
Delaware Thank you.
The attitude displayed by so many people, happy to drift by and
ignore the person with the obvious need, the ability to mock that
person on the part of people in ministry, all of that is the reason
I find it so hard to go to a UPC church as a member. I cannot
belong to an organization that sees fit to ignore the needs of
those souls who need food, shelter, love, support, and respect.
Thank you
for making me feel like there are other Pentecostals who care
about the words of Jesus. Marcia McCrae,
Canada © 2008, ninetyandnine.com ---------
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