I was born in a lowly stable
just a little spotted calf,
I sensed my life would not be long,
I’d never grow to play and laugh.
My mother was an older cow
Who provided milk and cream
But as a male I was born to die
Long life was just a dream.
But still there was some hope for me
That I could do some good
I’’d heard about this royal chair
That started as some wood.
Perhaps my hide could be used to wrap
This man’s Scofield KJV
I’’d be the sword in the hands
Of fundamentalist royalty
Or maybe I’’d be the belt of truth
Wrapped ’round the God man’s waist
I’d hold him up as he preached the Word
and save dear souls with haste.
He’d pull me off for another use
When his children needed spanked
The rod of correction I could be
And later I’d be thanked
I have an even higher dream
If I could be so bold
Could I just be a leather coat
To shelter him from cold.
It’s really just a small request
It could hardly be deemed wrong
To be the garment that is touched
By the many admiring throngs
What’s this I hear you have in store
What is this fate I’ll meet?
I’m going to be a pair of shoes?
You’re going to put me on his feet?
Stacy Adams? Who are they?
Designers of men’s clothes?
How I wish I could just be a coat,
Rather than cover his toes.
Oh please, dear Lord, why must I be
given a fate so bleak
To have to endure smelly socks
seven days a week
But then I heard the Lord’s reply
and I want the world to know
That while the coat would keep him warm
His shoes would make him go.
The miles he trod to seek the lost
he made through snow and rain
and I protected him from the cold
and kept him out of pain.
I walked with him for many miles
I caught his many tears
I also felt his laughs and smiles
As he wore me through the years.
Now I see God’s bigger plan
that He had in store for me
Of all the things God could have done
I became part of history.
I never preached a sermon
I never read the Word
But I was there for every step
As he made God’s voice heard.
Just a humble little calf
born in a stable filled with hay,
What have I done in my life you ask?
This is what I say:
I provided soles that saved some souls
and filled some empty pews;
Without a voice I preached the word
For I became Jack Hyles’ shoes.
~~Attributed to “Pat”
also like this dissection of this site by “Melissa”: “I do have to say that while I do actually understand what this group is trying to accomplish, the specificity of their ministry coupled with their usage of the very broad-stroked term in their site’s name “fundies” does not really work. The term “fundamentalist” is not as specific as their ministry claims to be. It pulls in (whether intentional or not) a truckload of hazy, intolerant, bigoted, cultural context and slaps it over any purpose they have in reaching the group they claim to aim at. I don’t see the words Independent Fundamentalist Baptist any where on the front page. I also don’t see any disclaimers on the site that explain what they mean by “fundamentalist.” Since “fundamentalist” is a current hot word specifically used by our culture to insantly disarm anyone they slap it on, it that just seems odd to me not to define it if the site’s implications are as crucial Mr. Dow claims – unless they are just completely out of touch with current cultural shifts.
To quote Inigo Montoya, “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”
Also, forgive me, but I’ve seen the posts on “stuff fundies like” and some of them seem very, very keen on being offended by any and every thing. There is plenty being poked at there that cannot be categorized as meanspirited or cruel as Mr. Dow suggests, without a pre-existing, dogged determination to be offended.
No matter its intentions (and these are never an excuse imho for continuing to behave badly after you’ve been told you’re hurting someone) the mainpage for this website is just an echochamber for the generalized kind of scorn being vocalized against Christians (not just the Biblically fundamental) throughout the world today. Wouldn’t it be better to demonstrate Christ’s command to love our enemies? Jesus looked down from a place of pain beyond what any of us have ever experienced at the hands of our wayward Christian mentors to his own misguided family and said “Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing.” Is that not our example?
After reading this interview, this is still my view of SFL. Probably very nice people who actually love Jesus – but they don’t know what they are doing. Thank God for Grace and Mercy that are bigger than we are.”
That is the best description of the independent Fundamental Baptist Cult that has ever been penned.
Ahhh, B.
Please continue to make yourself at home. Who knows? Something we say might rub off on you!
The people here at SFL have come from a very, very wide swath of what is called Fundamentalism, by the very people who call themselves Fundamentalists (with pride, I might add). I come from Bob Jones University. Darrell comes from Pensacola. There are lots of churches involved — certainly most of the big ones. Our stories are all very similar. To be sure, the names change, but there is little innocence to be found in the Pastors, the Leaders, the Men of God, the Ones who continually patted each other on the back.
So we know Fundamentalism, personally. Been there. Done that. Bought the movie rights.
Would you like to comb through the blogs and see our stories and challenge the truth of them? Would you say that we are liars? Or that somehow we failed of the Grace of God? Or that those whose crimes are recounted were somehow innocent of the wrongs they perpetrated?
You come in all self-righteous thinking you can set us straight? You know nothing. Stay with us a while. Learn our stories. Read the past blogs and be willing to overlook the snark as you come to know who we are are why we are here.
There are really good people here who have suffered at the hands of fundamentalists in the “ministry.”
And no, we do not have to know every fundamentalist to apply the label they apply to themselves. You are known by the company you keep. The ones you associate with define you as much as you define them.
Like every fundamentalist — and I do mean every — you snipe at words defining your cult to try to disarm the justifiable criticisms, but you apply the broad brush with gusto against others. IFB used to be my cult, too, and I did it! So do you. (Those modernists! Those evil Catholics! Those Democrats! To hell with all of them! No grace and no quarter given!)
Because of Fundamentalism, I came very close to not believing in God at all. Had I met you and your critique during that critical time in my life, who knows? You might have helped tip the balance with your hypocrisy. (Nah. You aren’t that influential, just another gnat buzzing around making noise. )
No fundamentalists that I breathed my complaints to ever bothered to hear me out. Instead they did their best to delegitimize my observations. My complaints were always my fault, my lack of spirituality, and I was only getting what I deserved, God’s “discipline.” Had anyone ever a desire to help, to intercede, to address the wrongs then maybe my perspective would be different. But to date …..
I apologize for the rant. But you need to understand there are real people here with real hurts that no one cares for except those who have experienced the same kind of hurt. You are the kind of confirmation that comes in every now and then that tells us we did right by leaving your kind.
I often wish that people might find peace and comfort wherever they go. But for you I will wish that you find peace and comfort only as you bring peace and comfort to those who need it.
Thank you, rtgmath, for “wearing out your own shoes” so the poor little calf that made mine can smell my smelly socks for a little longer. I cannot possibly walk through the detailed arguments that you lay out before the hard-hearted Brian (or “B”).
People like Brian wear me out. The delusion is astounding. Also, the misapplication of terms like “Christian,” and “ministry” make me sick.
At least I’m reminded that this type of so-called Christianity is a perverted form of the gospel and is leading men, women and children to hell. Maybe I should throw on my shoes, run to HAC and proclaim the truth. Would they listed? Could I snatch even one from the fires of eternal damnation?
B.R.1