Show Commentary Stories show disparity Two news stories were careful- juxtaposed with these headlines: “Pentagon is stretching for pregnant soldiers” and “Pope rules out women priests” One does not need a cudgel over one’s head to note the irowomen can ny That now drill comfortably — these new camouflage combat pants have a stretch panel to accommodate the growing fetus — but they cannot alas save souls No women’s work is having babies and maybe someday even killing other women’s grown children But saving souls — and talking directly to God — is man’s work The maternity garb no doubt is heralded by some as a major breakthrough for women’s rights The ensemble is said to look much like the uniforms male soldiers wear in combat (oh goody) — complete with brown and green blotches — except for the stretch panel and a top that blossoms generously over the tummy Pentagon officials who are not quite ready for the priesthood said maternity fatigues were needed to make the military’s 220000 women feel an integral part of the armed services That Uncle Sam Always thinking of us girls Meanwhile over in Vatican City Pope John Paul II wagged Kathleen Parker ly life-beari- Syndicated newspaper columnist ” his index finger and said to women aspiring to the priesthood Men and women are created equally in God’s image he said but gently added that the feminine identity emerges from a woman’s relationship to a man The fundamental affirmation of woman as a person he said can be found in the biblical exhortation: “Husbands love your wives” These inspiring papal pronouncements were part of a apostolic letter “On the Dignity of Women” which attempts to define the nature and “Women priests? Ridiculous! role of women in the church and If he were inclined to rap knucksociety The document apparently will serve as a framework for les today I feel certain he would issues the church expects to say something along these lines: tackle in coming years “No no no no no no no!” Meanwhile back in reality “Pregnant women should not one can’t help wondering: What wear combat pants with stretch does God think about all this? Is panels They should prop up he pacing the heavens? Wringing their feet eat candy bars and his hands? Is He embarrassed? not take themselves or anyone else too seriously On the other Though no priest nor pretender to the altar — and intending hand if women frant to be no disrespect for the pope nor priests let them I like women” the papacy — I’d like to speak There that’s simple enough on God’s behalf for a moment Can anybody really find a good “tsk-tsk- 120-pa- You have to be a real man to be a priest Right Father?” reason to argue with these statements? After all what does a pregnant woman do? She conceives glows beatifically delivers unto the world a tiny child There is no room in here for anything requiring camouflage except perhaps the delivering part Okay so we’ll accept camouflage clothing for deliveries especially those at which a video camera is present Meanwhile have you ever seen a pregnant woman bel God should act as final authority Many of us have recently read about the group who sold all their possessions after determining through some elaborate calculations that the “rapture” was to take place on a given day We unfold our daily newspapers and arc faced with such headlines as “Believ- ers Prepare for Second Coming” or “Book says ’88 is start of the end” and succeeding stories with headlines as “Rapture prediction doesn’t materialize” And once again the fundamentalists have provided great copy for the media from satire to cartoons We saw the same thing with Jim Bak-k- er Jimmy Swaggart and now the book “88 Reasons Why The Rapture will be in 1988” I cannot fault the press for stories on these subjects whether you call it news views commentary cartoons satire or just a liberal venting himself over his frustrations with a conservative Do these events have anything in common? I believe they do In the two former situations the men yielded to the flesh to Satan and fell victim to the temptations They basically denied the Word of God and the power of God None of us are above this Scripture tells us in Ephesians 6:1011: “Finally my brethren be strong in the :r 22 1983 From the Pulpit David Duncan Pastor Valley View Baptist Church Ogden Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Well you say so much for that but what about this fellow who wrote the book on the exact time the rapture was to take place My friend he too got away from the truth of the Word of God I personally believe in the rapture not because someone wrote about it I believe it because it is prophesied in the Bible If you go to a Bible concordance you will not find a reference to the word “rapture” That word is not in the Bible But this Scriptural event referred to as the rapture is In 1 Thessalonians we read: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the ain and so shall we ever be with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words” We are admonished in the Bible to watch and be ready not to calculate and set the time In Mark it says “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the angels which are in heaven neither the Son but the Father Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is” ly under a barbed-wir- e fence? Second question: What does a priest do? He nurtures troubled souls he acts as conduit to the Almighty he leads the multitudes in prayer and meditation Am I missing something? Is there something here that a woman by virtue of her gender can’t do? Confusing to be sure Probably our best bet is to pray that God has a sense of humor NEXT WEEK IN THE CHURCH NEWS The man who wrote the book ‘88 Reasons Why the Rapture will be in 1988” Edgar C Wisenant missed the mark because he did not follow the scripture Isn’t it sad that we try to read more into the Bible instead of reading studying and applying what is in the Bible I assure you there is plenty in the Word of God revealed and available to meet our every need Stay in the Word follow the truth and the Spirit of the Word and rightly divide the Word I can’t guarantee the world will not laugh at you but I can based on God’s Word guarantee that the peace of God passes all understanding Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever that we may do all the words of this law” I am ready and I trust you are also! While Halloween conjures up images of ghosts and goblins it’s really all about saints — right down to its name It marks the evening before All Saints’ Day Standard-Examin- er Church News 5 |