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SUBMITTED
6-16-08



          Reader mail:


There has been much controversy over Mark Duke and the activities of the Freedom Foundation in Selma.

When Duke first arrived, a local minister, Rev. Daniel Martin asked Duke in a public forum if he believed that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, which Christ himself claimed. (“No man comes to the Father but by me.”) Duke’s answer was interesting. He said “I believe that he is for me.”

What if Rev. Martin had asked him “Do you believe 2 + 2 = 4?” Would Duke answer “I believe it is for me.” How laughable is that? Yet, if one takes the Scripture seriously, truth is truth. Metaphysical truth cannot honestly be personalized any more than natural truth. Scripture says “There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved.” If you don’t like these verses, then get some scissors and cut them out of your Bible, but don’t pretend that you take the Bible seriously.

Rev. Daniel Martin, like Mr. Mark Duke, is a well-known public figure. You could say both of them are activists. Rev. Martin has carried a large wooden cross through many of Selma’s streets, praying for neighborhoods and individuals he encountered. Martin is also interested in bringing unity and reconciliation between black and white in Selma, and healing racial animosity. To act on his belief, Rev. Martin several years ago went to several black churches and actually washed members’ feet in a foot-washing ceremony. He wanted to demonstrate the love and reconciliation of Christ as he saw it, and ask forgiveness on behalf of white people for wrongs that had been done. Few ever heard of this, nor did he start a campaign to get others to do it.

In contrast, Duke manipulated and pushed an agenda he saw as needed for racial reconciliation upon many not willing to receive it, and created a lot of bitterness between friends and church members. Rather than healing, the fruit of his acts has worsened racial and community discord.

When Christ met the woman at the well, she was a Samaritan, a second class citizen in that day. Yet Christ reached out and spoke to her, and himself broke the social barrier in an act of reconciliation. Yet he did not command his disciples or others to do it, nor did he even push it on the leaders of his day. Would that have been too radical for them to receive? Not as radical as him turning over the money changers tables in the temple, and beating them with a whip, or calling the religious rulers “snakes” to their faces.

Is the division of God’s children on what appears to be racial, cultural, and economic lines really sinful? Rather, churches are most often separated because their members have different educational levels, different styles of music and worship. If we all are going to one church whose style of music and preaching will be done away with? Are you willing to forsake yours? If you can worship best with “high church” music and formal liturgy, should you be forced to listen to nothing but country gospel and free form liturgy? If you like the freedom of worship and the soulful renditions of your black church, and prefer to continue worshiping until 2 pm, will you agree to sit like a frozen mummy and listen to 400 year old hymns, and dismiss promptly at noon? Are you sinful not to want to do this?

As to Martin and Duke – there is quite a contrast. While Rev. Martin quietly emulates the kind of thing Christ did when he reached out to the Samaritan woman, Mr. Duke tries to socially engineer and force his way on others. Yet Duke himself would not send his own children to an integrated public school.

And when Duke refuses to agree with what Christ said about himself, (Christ didn’t say “I am YOUR truth” he said “I am THE truth.”) it makes one think of the Scripture in Isaiah 8:20 “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

And 2 Corinthians 11:14 – “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness.”