Reply #61: Are any of the posters in this thread Southern Baptists? I'd guess not.

[DarbyUSMC]

So, none of the many things mentioned apply to you, therefore "What is that to thee?"

According to the doctrine, in an ideal marriage, there is a captain of the ship. He (Paul) isn't speaking of abusive husbands or other situations that are intolerable. He is speaking of loving people "in Christ". I don't particularly like Paul either but not for the same reasons. I point out fictional marriages but marriages that were based on fact. These were not necc. Southern Baptists although one of the examples might have been. Even so ----- I am using the example of John and Olivia Walton (based on Earl Hamner's parents) and Charles and Caroline Ingalls (based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's parents). Were they perfect? Of course not. For the ship (marriage) to run smoothly there has to be a captain. It makes the mate not less but as important in so many different ways. The man answers to Christ, the head of the church (church meaning not a building, but the body of believers in Christ). The wife looks to the husband. Not a drunken, abusive husband who wouldn't be looking to Christ --- but a loving, respectful man who puts his family above himself. John Walton didn't attend church but he followed the ideals of what is discussed here.

So, why is this part not bolded? 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

The opponent would be the non-believer. It is taught "Avoid all appearance of evil." If the Southern Baptists or any other denomination, try (and I emphasize "try") to live by the words in the book they believe to be God inspired, so what? That's their choice. Whenever one of them "falls" and many do fall, they really fall because they have proclaimed Christ as their savior , putting themselves out there to be Christ like. And actually, I believe the world out there rejoices when a proclaimed Christian behaves like a "normal" person. But "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" is the verse they must remember. The "all" in that is All. Just because these folks choose to follow the path they are most comfortable on, doesn't mean any of us have to abide by their beliefs or decisions. Every year, when the Southern Baptist Convention meets, this comes up.

Not that it matters, but I'm an Agnostic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3iy7NcZCEo