Moran the Victim?

At last week's annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention, there was a report from the Peace Committee, which was established to try and bring peace between the two sides fighting in the Convention. The report noted that the two sides on the Committee were "at an impasse" and would be seeking help from an outside mediator. Ironically, the report has been said by some present to have been far from peaceful. The most unusual part of the report, however, came in the first point:

Good, godly people have been maligned. These people deserve honor, respect, and for someone to seek their forgiveness. (The best example of someone in the MBC who was so maliciously and publicly maligned was Roger Moran of the MBLA)

Really? The "best example" of a victim is Moran? The man who has probably made more false attacks on more Missouri Baptists than anyone else. The Committee apparently not only cannot find peace but also cannot find reality. At this rate, next year's report will probably declare that the next best examples are Don Hinkle and David Clippard. Although it is likely true that some inaccurate attacks have made against Moran, they have come from his former lieutenants who were merely using the same strategy that he led them to previously employ against many other Missouri Baptists. Those individuals should apologize to him if they made a false attack, but they--and especially Moran--also need to apologize to many others.

But what should we expect when Moran himself is on the Committee, along with a couple of his top supporters? How can peace be brought to the henhouse when the foxes are in charge of the Peace Committee? It is time for true peace, true apologies for lies told, and true attempts at reconciliation so that the focus can return to missions. All of the infighting is sadly hurting efforts by Missouri Baptists to fully live out the Great Commission. However, in order to move forward there should at least be an attempt to be truly honest about what has happened.