Digger's Doings

Let's Bite the Hand that Feeds Us

     It had to happen at some point. Flip Benham has chimed in; scorching the earth in his wake. He has posted a lengthy diatribe on his OR/OSA website as to why pretty much everyone in this trademark battle needs to repent (except, curiously enough, him).

     If you want to read a litany of smear and innuendo, by all means, go check out what he has to say about the "Sins of Operation Rescue". They are many. Two of the biggies, committed by Randall Terry himself are drinking beer and a "convenient" conversion to Catholicism. Apparently Flip has not considered the possibility that offending one of your larger support bases is not good for business.

     The simpler one first: Many Christian denominations allow members to partake of alcohol in moderation. The denomination I belong to takes such a stand and even serves real wine with communion (although they do also offer grape juice to those for whom alcohol provides a temptation to excess). If Benham doesn't want to drink beer, that is his choice and, if his personal testimony of abusing alcohol prior to his conversion is correct, a good choice for him to make.

     Personally, I think believers should avoid anything that they are inclined to do or use to sinful excess. For some, that means abstaining from alcohol. For others, that may mean cutting back on time spent at the gym or the movies or the shopping mall. We have alcohol-free congregations - why not excess credit-card free congregations?

     The second is far more serious: Does Benham seriously think that one can make a "convenient" conversion to Catholicism as an adult? I know adults who have converted. It's not something you just wake up and do one morning. There are classes to take, studying to do and conversations with clergy that need to take place. Unless Benham has personal knowledge that Terry got some sort of "fast lane" dispensation to be received into the Catholic Church, it is not likely that Terry's conversion was convenient. Even Terry acknowledges that, because of the divorce from his first wife (which has not yet been annulled), he is not able to receive Communion which is one of the hallmarks of Catholicism. Not terribly "convenient" if you ask me.

     So, does Benham think Terry needs to repent of his Catholicism? Has he sinned by joining the Catholic Church? Are all Catholics sinners in need of repentance then? If you're Catholic, you may want to reconsider making that donation to OR/OSA.

     At least one thing has been made clear in Benham's non-papal bull. He thinks Terry a sinner but doesn't mind that Terry is using his "gifts" to expose other sinners. Terry's motivations for filing the suit may be wrong but, hey, if his actions can be used to take down Newman and White, why not?