Faith Based Initiative

Religious beliefs trump hurricane relief
Danielle Pepe
Last updated on: 10/29/2005 5:06:13 PM

CLEWISTON — Hurricane victims who wanted water had some difficulty finding it at a relief station in Clewiston Friday. The volunteer group running a supply center doesn't like the company that donated the water, so they decided not to give it to those in line for help.

Twenty-two pallets of the canned water, distributed free by beer company Anheuser-Busch, bears the company's label – and members of the Southern Baptist Convention refused to hand it out to those in need.

Link. (Fortunately it appears that cooler heads eventually prevailed.)

Comments

[Lorna]

sigh

[Darrell Buchanan]

Mike:

In contrast to this, a church in Indiana sold a vacant building on eBay and is donating the $40,0000 to relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Link: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1700AP_Ebay_Church.html

[Mike]

(Thanks for the reality check, Darrell.)

And yet, we are all claiming to be followers of the same Jesus. I don't know what to make of that any more.

Come to think of it, I wonder what Jesus makes of it...

[David]

Isn't it funny how the claim to be "following Jesus" seems to be the only qualifier these days? (Ok, not funny as in ha-ha...) Back to Matthew 25, eh? I dunno. Maybe it's just time to put our heads down and our hands to the plow and let God sort the chaff from the wheat while we do the work He's asked us.

I'm with Lorna - sigh.

[Shiz]

I smell rampant fear. And I hate it.

On the flip side:

Go listen to the men who sigh and let them know that dark and night are not their masters.
- Lori Chaffer

Inspired, I believe, by Ezekiel 9:4.

[Keith Hinson]

Volunteers working with the Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Unit honored the request of the host pastor to set aside canned water with an Anheuser-Busch logo. At no time was anyone deprived of water. In fact, there was a huge surplus of bottled and canned water available at the Clewiston relief site. There was never any disruption in the supply of water being given out to members of the public who continued to receive food, water and other types of assistance from Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief workers.
It is an absolute falsehood to suggest -- as many irresponsible bloggers have -- that the Baptist volunteers withheld the basic needs of life from Floridians impacted by the hurricane. Contrary to misinterpretations of news reports, no one was denied access to water.
One may disagree with the strong stand that many Southern Baptists take against the consumption of alcohol. One may even regard such opposition to alcohol as offensive.
But it's impossible to say truthfully that this conviction caused any inconvenience or shortage for victims of Hurricane Wilma. The facts are exactly the opposite.
The fact is that virtually all of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers serve selflessly -- taking time away from employment and family to minister in the name of Jesus Christ. Churches such as First Baptist Church, Clewiston, graciously serve as host sites -- providing a place where food, water and other necessities of life may be obtained by anyone in need -- without regard to religion or any other demographic consideration.

-- Keith Hinson, public relations associate
Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions
Montgomery, Alabama

[Mike]

Thanks for presenting another perspective, Keith. I'd point out though that "many bloggers" suggested nothing and simply posted a news report from reporters who were on site. I'll assume you were there too.