No more unnecessary resolutions, please

Hey guys,

I am not sure how many of you keep up with the SBC annual meetings, but they are a big to do. Southern Baptists from all over the nation will gather in just under 3 weeks to discuss the business of the Southern Baptist Convention. I believe these meetings are vital, necessary, and always very interesting. We vote on who our next Convention President will be. This is very important as the President will help appoint people that will set the direction that the SBC will follow. We elect other officers as well. We also hear reports from the various agencies in the SBC. I look forward to going to the SBC.

However, there is one thing that I believe the convention needs to address. It is my opinion that we have way too many unnecessary resolutions. Some of you may not even know what the purpose of a resolution is. According to the SBC website, a resolution has traditionally been defined as an expression of opinion or concern, as compared to a motion, which calls for action. A resolution is not used to direct an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention to specific action other than to communicate the opinion or concern expressed. Resolutions are passed during the annual Convention meeting. 

Resolutions are a good and necessary thing when they are used properly. We have passed resolutions on race reconciliation, capital punishment, abortion, homosexuality, and the list goes on. Each of these were good resolutions that express the SBC stance on issues. However, many times we go too far with our resolutions. For example, last year in Houston, we passed a resolution that expressed our displeasure with the Boy Scouts with regard to their change in policy as it concerns homosexuality. I tried to explain to as many people as would listen that this resolution would not be helpful. We have already passed a resolution in regard to our stance on homosexuality. I told people that the media would grab hold of this and twist it against us. No sooner had I got home from the meeting, my father in-law informed that he heard on the news that the SBC was anti-boy scouts. I just shook my head. I later found out that over 20 different media outlets reported on this resolution. None of them reported what we actually said. I am no prophet, but I was right on this particular example. There was no need for this resolution, but we passed it and received all the negativity that went with it.

This year, we have at least 1 unnecessary resolution that will go to the resolution committee. My prayer is that it will not make it out of the committee. You can read the resolution by clicking here. Unbelievably, this is 1 resolution. It should be at least 3, but that is another issue altogether. On the 1st point in the resolution, we have already passed resolutions against homosexuality. I do not see the need to pass another one. It just doesn’t make sense. 

To the 2nd point in the resolution, I have no problem recognizing and applauding Kenny Washington for breaking the color barrier, but I am not in favor of condemning the Washington Redskins, and I am against it for at least 2 reasons. 1. We have already passed resolutions related to race and racism. Why do we need to pass another? We can not force them to change their name, even if we want to. 2. I have seen no information that Native Americans are against the name. As a matter of fact, everything I have read points to the opposite being true. From what I have read, many either don’t care or actually like it. Here is a link to a 2004 poll about this issue. 

To the 3rd point in the resolution, I believe that the state laws already state that you can’t be the aggressor and then use the “stand your ground” defense. The whole point of “stand your ground” is to protect those who are protecting themselves, which at least implies that they are not the aggressor, from criminal and civil suits. I absolutely agree that there have been times that the law has been misused, but that does not constitute an amendment. If we were going to pass a resolution, it would make more sense to call on them to use the law properly. 

Now, it is my opinion that this resolution is far too broad in scope to be a single resolution and it is not written all too well. It is also my opinion, that this resolution is unnecessary because we have dealt with all of these issues, except for the “stand your ground”, numerous times in the past. If this resolution makes it out of committee, we will spend a great deal of time debating and amending it, and even then, I do not think it will come close to passing. We have much business to get done in Baltimore, and not much time to do it. I don’t believe we will make good use of our time passing another version of resolutions that have already been passed. 

I am looking forward to the annual meeting in Baltimore. I know it will be eventful, interesting, and hopefully we will discuss necessary business.

Serving Him,

Bro. Joey