Jimmy Carter: Losing My Religion for Equality

Fish and Bread · Apr 23, 2015

Former US President Jimmy Carter explains his decision to severe ties with the Southern Baptist Convention in 2009:

Losing my religion for equality

I think he continues to be a Baptist of some other variety.

graceandpeace · Apr 25, 2015

I appreciate his passionate words on this topic. I'm not sure how I feel about his assertion that in the 4th century male Christian leaders distorted Scripture - that's a big accusation that should be substantiated in some way. Still, it is true that we have a long way to go to raising the status of women throughout the world, & as acknowledged even the U.S. is not fully "there" yet, which is a shame.

Izdaari Eristikon · Apr 26, 2015

Carter didn't leave Christianity. He just left the SBC for the ABC, basically becoming a more liberal Baptist.

I never thought he was a good president, but I always thought he was a good man.

Blue Wren · Apr 26, 2015

The differences, between Baptists, are bigger than I had realised, before I joined this place. I was shocked, when I joined this place, and read the Baptist section, as the beliefs in it (creationism, women designed to be "helpmeets" and being unemployed outside the home, teen marriage, shouting at people about faith canceling out science) is nothing like the Baptist church I've attended whilst here in the US. I think, this is good of Jimmy Carter, yes. I do not agree, with everything, he has said, but, I think he's moving in a good direction. He's not a creationist, or bigot, I do not think. This article, it is older, but I thought it was good
President Jimmy Carter Authors New Bible Book, Answers Hard Biblical Questions

keith99 · Apr 27, 2015

Jimmy Carter no more left his faith than Martin Luther.

Rather both held true to what they felt was the truth instead to some organization.

FireDragon76 · Apr 30, 2015

I agree with Keith. BTW, the SBC has trended rightward for decades. It used to be much closer to a mainline denomination, and actually had genuinely liberal pastors at one time.

Something similar is happening in the United Methodist Church in the past two decades, the conservatives (well, Id prefer to call them fundamentalists) have had a resurgence.

Conservative political think tanks pour money into parachurch groups to try to keep up the fight in mainline denominations. They know mainline denominations get some respect even in an increasingly irreligious society. They need to fight the perception that one can be some other kind of Christian besides a "conservative" Christian.

dinonum · May 9, 2015

This spoke to me. It has been a major point of contention for me when we have visited churches in the past few years. The views a church has regarding women is so important to me. I grew up within the SBC and I recall trying to convince myself that I was just a selfish sinner who wanted to be equal to men. It was very shaming for me and it became something I could not reconcile as an adult.

Jimmy Carter: Losing My Religion for Equality

Fish and Bread

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graceandpeace

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Izdaari Eristikon

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Blue Wren

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keith99

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Jimmy Carter: Losing My Religion for Equality

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