Saturday, May 2, 1998

True light shines through devoted service

By Loretta Fulton / Abilene Reporter-News

Normally anonymous letters addressed to Robertta rather than my preferred name of Loretta would go directly into the trash.

Anonymous letters rarely offer worthwhile insight and more often are cowardly shots from the hip. And, if the writer doesn't even have my name right, why should I think the rest of it is accurate?

This one intrigued me, however, first because of the amount of time the authors wasted in writing it when they could have been doing something constructive, and second -- well, I haven't thought of that yet.

But let's get back to the first reason this letter caught my attention. It concludes with the warning that "We will regularly be sending out letters to the churches of Abilene in which we point out the fallacies and madness of the Bible."

Speaking of madness, sending out letters to pastors in the heart of the Bible Belt telling them of the fallacies of the Bible is madness. As noted, a colossal waste of time.

This letter comes from a group in Hawley that signed with the name "A Team." Their letterhead says they are "The Big Country Beacon."

The group describes itself as "a small number of Big Country residents who are either reformed Christians or lifelong skeptics."

They denounce the Bible as "the greatest imposter and hoax ever perpetrated on the world. Instead of being incomparable and perfect, it is filled with inaccuracies, superstitions, ignorance, contradictions and outright lies. No god authored such drivel."

Speaking of drivel. This is drivel. The light from this beacon goes on ... and on.

The same day I read this gem from "The Big Country Beacon," I had just returned from two assignments for the religion beat. One was in Hawley, home of the "The Beacon."

But the people I met there were true lights, not "beacons" hidden under the cloak of anonymity and self-importance. These men and women, from as far away as Oregon, had come to Hawley to help the local Baptist church construct an addition to its building at great savings to the church members.

Later I attended a meeting of the Abilene Association of Congregations where I learned that within the next three years Abilene churches will help Habitat for Humanity build 15 houses and that next October the association will once again organize Crop Walk to collect money to feed hungry people in Abilene and worldwide.

These beacons are shining examples of people who understand the true meaning of the words of the Bible and who spend their time carrying out the command to "love your neighbor."

They have no time to write anonymous letters to every church in Abilene pointing out "the madness and fallacies of the Bible."

Instead, they are living the Bible.

The "Beacon" writers warn that they will regularly send out similar letters to Abilene pastors.

"We don't expect very many to have the courage and cerebral acumen to go to the Bible and test our charges," the letter states.

This from people who lack the courage to sign their letter and the cerebral acumen to get one name right.

It's Loretta, not Robertta.