In the wake of the Russian invasion of Georgia, the Baptist World Alliance has started sending aid to help those affected. Meanwhile, the Southern Baptist Convention is "organizing an overseas assessment team to evaluate relief needs." Seems a little slow of a process when relief is needed right now. If the SBC was still part of the BWA, they would already be providing much-needed assistance. Let us pray for those in Georgia and the work of the BWA to provide relief.
Copyright 2017, Brian Kaylor. All rights Reserved.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteAHHH...a clear sign of maturity - using trajedy to take pot shots at the SBC. Seriously man, people are suffering there - is it really necessary to divert the attention away from it to satisfy your own personal agenda. Maybe this article should be an example to include in a sequel to your first book.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure, but the SBC's measured response may be to assess the earliest timing which will allow the aid to effectively be received and distributed to those who need it most. Sometimes, well-meaning donors find their contributions squandered or wasted.
I'm sure both BWA and SBC desire to help.
Thanks for the comments!
ReplyDeleteD.R.: I noticed you did not try to debunk my comparison or defend the SBC, just attack the messenger. It is a fair comparison, especially since SBC people keep saying that they do not need to be a part of the BWA. My focus is on helping people that are suffering. I want the SBC to rejoin the BWA so that even more aid could be quickly given in situations like this.
CD: Nice spin. The difference here is not that the BWA is not giving enough consideration but that it works differently. The BWA uses the infrastructure already in place by local Baptists. The SBC has less connection with Baptists in the area so they have to build their own network. Thus, both are measured responses that are making sure the contributions are not squandered. The difference is that the BWA did the groundwork before the crisis and the SBC is trying to get going when relief is needed right away. Yes, I have no doubt that they both want to help. It is just that the BWA's method works better, which is why the SBC should rejoin the BWA so they can more effectively help in times of need.
Kaylor,
ReplyDeleteDebunk your comparison? No, I was attacking the idea of whether even making a comparison was appropriate. You clearly used this tragedy and the attempt by both organizations to help to malign the one you dislike and prop up the one you support, without dealing with the issues of why the SBC pulled out of the BWA.
The SBC pull out of the BWA didn't have anything to do with the support the BWA gives to help victims. It was a theological disagreement. Certainly all faith groups could do more if we worked together, but then truth and error could meld together to suggest that there is no truth. Sometimes division should come about over matters of truth.
While you say that your focus is on helping people who are suffering, I find nothing in this article that seriously advances that agenda. Do you seriously think that taking pot shots at the SBC is going to get them to see the possible "error of their ways" and turn back to the BWA, which has refused to acknowledge theological problems in their membership?
If you are worried about the BWA response, then encourage people to give, don't put down the efforts of the second largest non-profit Emergency Response Unit in the U.S. (the SBC behind the Red-Cross). I think you should be ashamed of your use of this tragedy for political gain.