The Words of a White, southern, Baptist Preacher . . .

 

. . . and it goes just as I would have thought - however- this preacher is my former pastor.

Many, many moons ago I was serving a stint in the US Air Force stationed in Goldsboro, North Carolina.  I sought out a church and settled on Freedom Baptist Church which, at that time, was located in one of the old uptown store-fronts off Center St.  Along with my wife and son we attended there for about three years, until I transferred again.

Pastor Dr. T. D. Worthington was a good preacher, knowledgeable, not prone to emotional outbursts or techniques such as dramatically raising his voice for effect, or pacing back and forth for effect, or wildly flailing his arms about for effect.  No, he was just a good preacher.  But I really don't think that I got to know him very well personally - not near as well as I got to know some of the other men in the church.  I don't remember ever getting to socialize with him or engage in any discussions (serious or otherwise) with him.  I do remember one occasion though when I sought out his council: 

I had been discussing "The Rapture" with my wife one day because I had some concerns.  From my understanding, The Rapture was when Jesus, in "the last days", took the Christians - "believers" - both dead and alive, to be with him for ever.  People who were not Christians, not "believers" would be left behind.  

Well . . . we had a young son - and he was neither a Christian nor a "believer".  He was not old enough to possess the mental faculties to make such a decision.  This was causing some very deep concerns in me and my wife, especially in light of the fact that Baptists believe that the return of Jesus and the Rapture was soon, very soon - imminent - as in at any moment (which they still believe today - it's funny how "very soon" keeps getting pushed farther and farther into the future, every year until it just doesn't seem to matter anymore).
After my wife told me that she "didn't want to be raptured" if our little son would be left behind, I called T. D. for some advice.  My quandary was initially met with an unexpected amount of silence on the other end of the phone line, followed by a response from Pastor Worthington that went something like: "Thanks for opening a can of worms."  Basically ( since the bible is silent on the disposition of young children at the time of the rapture - which one would think the bible, if anything, should not be silent on that topic ) what followed was Pastor Worthington telling me that all we can do is "trust God to do what is right".  Well, I was familiar enough with the Old Testament to get a taste of "God doing what was right" and that left me with little comfort and more confusion.

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Anyway, as I am prone to moments of nostalgia, I decided recently to google my old pastor and see what he was up to these days.  Well, besides being the pastor of Pathway Baptist Church Goldsboro, North Carolina, President of both Pathway Christian Academy and Christian Bible College of Rocky Mount, NC, and publisher of  PathPointe Magazine, Pastor Worthington is also president of GoMix Christian Radio founded in 1992, and as of July 2021 he has amassed nine radio stations spread across eastern North Carolina.

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Staying on topic - I decided to see what TD's thoughts were as of late, in this social / political environment.  I suspected that I could predict his views, but I decided to get it direct from the preachers mouth, so I read a few of his Pathpointe Magizine articles, which are conveniently in audio podcast form as well.  One particular article caught my eye - the May 2021 issue titled "A Census Of Idiots".  The beginning illustration is a picture of this guy:

OK, so I guess that is what an "idiot" looks like to a Baptist Preacher?  Perhaps there might be another contender?

Anyway, below are a few nuggets from the article:

1 - "How is the United States such a world superpower, and yet Americans seem to be so stupid? On election day millions of Americans walked into voting booths and voted for socialist politicians intent on destroying our republic. Of course, even before that low point, evidence of American stupidity has been in abundance for decades. But this election was something like a convention of American idiots. Actually, it was a census of the exact number of idiots we have in this country. How do people even end up like this? Why over the past few decades has America been breeding these people?"
That's right - Pastor T. D. Worthington is of the opinion that because I didn't vote for his candidate, which I have to assume was Trump, but instead I voted for the Democrat (socialists?), I am "stupid", and I am an "idiot", and the men and women that I voted for want to destroy the United States of America.  He actually believes that.  How do I know that he believes that - because - that is what he wrote.

The next few paragraphs of his article was a lesson on the wisdom of the Greeks with regard to "idiots" and is not worth dissecting here.

2 - "Think about the Covid-idiots for a moment. They have wrecked our economy, further made a debacle of our inferior educational system, exploited the medical profession, and they have kept such crummy records, we still don’t know whether we handled the Covid pandemic wisely or not."
Well, from my perspective, wisdom usually comes from experience.  I am not sure how long it has been since the US had 1,000,000 people die from a pandemic, but hopefully the experience from the past few years will help when the next pandemic hits . . . ?  But my guess is that Christians like TD will fight any mandates if the mandates are coming from a Democratic administration - but - they probably would gladly abide by the very same mandates if they come from a Republican administration - but that's just a guess.

3 - "Then we have their close cousins, the socialized healthcare-idiots. The ones who believe that those who have a vested interest in our death, should be in charge of our health. I’m still trying to figure that one out."

As for socialized healthcare - I am all for it.  For many, if it weren't for socialized healthcare, they would have none.  Perhaps if I owned 9 radio stations and begged for free money from listeners twice a year, I could just pay for my doctor visits out-of-pocket, or at least afford private healthcare insurance?
The rest of this comment reeks of conspiracy - I have no idea how to even address it - who in the world is he speaking of who "have a vested interest in our death"?

4 - "Next, we have the gun control idiots. Those who often speak behind the protection of their own personal body guards who say we should not have the right to defend ourselves, regardless of what that pesky second amendment says. They also believe the world would be less violent with a weakened military and without the police."

2nd Amendment: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Based on an actual reading of the words of the 2nd amendment, the "well regulated Militia - necessary to the security of a free State" part of the amendment seems just as important as the last part.  Is it just me, or was the " . . . right of the people to keep and bear Arms . . . " meant so that they could be a part of the " . . . well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State . . . "  Perhaps TD could tell us what he thinks about the "well regulated" part of this amendment . . . ?

I also think that the founding fathers, those who penned this amendment, would never in their wildest dreams believe that 230 years later, American citizens would be using the last half of this amendment to fight against the first half of this amendment !!!  

I also suspect that even in light of the most recent school shooting in Texas, resulting in the death of 19 children and two teachers, Pastor Worthington, and many that share his thinking, are unfazed.  He is likely psychologically unable to even contemplate what the NRA and the rabid support of the 2nd amendment has cost this country - and yes, I am a gun owner.  The vast majority of the time that I leave my home, I have a concealed firearm with me.  But I am also capable of watching the evening news and deducing that the USA desperately needs to do something about the ease with which criminals and those with mental / emotional / judgmental issues can get their hands on a gun.  If the Rev. TD can't see that, then God help him.   How would he react if one of his own grandchildren was to die in a school shooting?  But what is even more curious about his "gun control idiots" accusation, is it's complete lack of nuance.  Does TD not want ANY gun control?  Does he believe a 6th grader should be able to walk into Joe's Gun & Tackle, plop down $250 and walk out with a 9mm Ruger, no questions asked?  Surely not!  Surely he feels that there should be some degree of "gun control" . . surely . . ?  But he doesn't tell us that - all he does is accuse and insult those who desire some degree of gun control so that we can try to reduce the chances of this happening again, and again, and again . . .

5 - "Then, we have the gay rights idiots. They cannot seem to understand that if the lifestyle they promote were embraced by everyone, the human race would be wiped out in a few decades."
How's that for logic?  If we give gays equal rights, ALL of Rev. TD's grandchildren will turn gay and he won't get to enjoy any great grandchildren.  Makes perfect sense, right?  I suspect that he also has a problem with a white woman marrying a black man.  He may not admit it, but I bet he does have a problem with it.  Because after all, if we allow white women to marry black men, then ALL the white women will want to marry black men and as a result there will not be any white women left to marry white men - that is - if we use his gay rights logic.

6 - "First, a fool does not seek wisdom.  One of the hallmarks of the wise man is that he listens to correction and seeks understanding. By contrast, the fool spurns correction and makes no attempt to gain understanding."
I suspect - and this is just a suspicion - that Pastor Dr. T. D. Worthington would not be the slightest bit interested in actually listening to, and contemplating the words of someone whom he disagrees with, either theologically, philosophically, or politically.  My suspicion is based on many, many years of experience in dialog with Christians, as a former Christian / now atheist.  

I suspect, based on TD's comment above - by his own criteria - he is that fool.

7 - Finally, the temptation is for us to look down on idiots, and to think of ourselves as superior to them. Of course, such an attitude is not wise. We should be respectful and loving, even if we are not shown that same love and respect in return.
The mere act of calling everyone whom you disagree with, (theologically, philosophically, or politically) stupid, idiotic, and foolish, is completely and totally the opposite of being "respectful and loving", but unfortunately I am under no disillusion that Pastor Worthington can grasp or will admit to that FACT !

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There is more in his diatribe worthy of refutation but this is enough.  Perhaps in another post I'll address another Pathpointe Magizine article from him, or perhaps even one from his wife - she has made some comments in her articles without applying some much needed critical thought.

I'll close with this, and this is with as much gentleness as I can muster - it is Christians like Rev. Dr. Pastor Thurman D. Worthington, with their mega-ministries, their inability to empathize with those whom they disagree, it is Christians like him that make me, a former Christian, so very glad that I got out of Christianity when I did some 20+ years ago. Christians like him, with his confidently arrogant condemnation against anyone and everyone who dares to disagree - Christians like him continually and evidentially confirm that they have absolutely nothing that I should want or need. I see no evidence of a God, a Jesus, or a "Holy Spirit" guiding them in any way. I didn't see it then, as a believer, and I don't see it now, as an atheist.

"One of the most constant characteristics of beliefs is their intolerance . The stronger the belief, the greater its intolerance . Men dominated by a certitude cannot tolerate those who do not accept it."
~Gustave Le Bon, Opinions And Beliefs (1911)

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."

~Upton Sinclair

bob 
r.u.reasonable@gmail.com