Beech Tree News Network

As Paul Harvey used to say, “a potpourri of today’s news,” pronounced po-po-ree. I think that means a bunch of stuff, a lot of which is unconnected... (French, maybe.)

I don’t go out a lot. When I do, I am very often reminded by my kids that I “need a mask.” To the older generation, that means you might say something that is derogatory or that offends somebody. Or, that I’m too opinionated.

I voted for Jimmy Carter for President, I guess. I must have. I was a democrat back then. I’ve seen the light since. I’m also a once saved always saved Baptist. Well, anyway, now, someone might say that President Jimmy Carter “needed a mask.”

In one of his speeches he said “my mother, Lillian, up in her 80s, a registered nurse; still very sharp tongued, as we speak, as volunteered her services over in the boonies of some back country to some missionary organization. We don’t know when she may be back. In addition, my brother, whom, I love, is a drunkard and has not amounted to much. My sister is a holy-roller preacher.”

President Carter ended this with “and you think you’ve got problems!?”

Recently, on a trip to the doctor, I was telling something in the examination room, and the words “holiness or Pentecostal” escaped me. In order to get my point across, I unthinkingly blurted out “holy-roller.” My daughter, who accompanied me, later told me not to say that. “It could be offensive to somebody overhearing it.”

For months before the holiday, we see and hear the word “Christmas.” Back before the holiday, I saw on tv a commercial advertising something as “a less than $10 Christmas value.” Yet in all this, I have not heard the words, “Jesus Christ or Messiah.” How do you celebrate someone’s birthday without using or saying their name? Seems that would be ill-mannered. Of course, either of these three names would be offensive to some “religions.”

I read this recently: “all of the other world religions are simply good advice. Only the Christian religion is Good News (Gospel).”

This is narrow.

It sure is. (John 14: 1-6.)

I’ve been I’m narrow and opinionated. Opinionated? Yes. After all, what is an opinion column about?

By the way, just so you know, the term “Holy Roller” came from a private school in England, where a certain group of Pentecostal evangelistic students disagreed with the school’s policy of mandatory attendance at the school’s weekly (religious) chapel program of all students.

The chapel program did not go along with the Pentecostal student’s teachings. They asked to be excused from chapel attendance.

Their wish was granted. The head of the school prepared a list-a roll as it were, of student’s names who were excused from chapel attendance.

The day of chapel, all the students’ names on the roll (list), were called-those who weren’t required to attend, those whose different denomination and teaching were not the same as chapel presentations. Hence, those on the no-attend roll were nicknamed “holy rollers.” It had nothing to do with getting down and rolling.

Of course, Paul the Apostle said, “if eating meat offends my brother, I will eat no meat.” Even Paul knowing there was nothing wrong with the meat, Paul knew idol gods did not exist. He was not talking about meat from Kroger or Houchens. Paul was talking about eating meat that had once been offered as a sacrifice to idol gods. Some Old Testament Jews thought that was a sinful no-no.

Once, I believe it was King David, and part of his army came upon some scraps of meat having been an idol god sacrifice. They were all hungry and they ate the leftovers of the meat. They were criticized for it. Paul, writing to a New Testament Church, knew that the meat was ok. However, if his, Paul’s eating it would cause a brother to stumble, be a bad influence, make someone lose confidence in Paul’s witness, he would eat no meat.

A Christian friend once said to me, “I don’t think one drink will send me to hell.”

“I don’t either,” I said. “But it might send a friend of yours there-an unsaved friend.” He gave me a quizzical look.

The sinner might say to you “I’m as good as you are. You are a big churchgoer and I don’t go to church. I don’t claim to be anything.”

Kindest Regards...