Larger-than-usual crowds of well-wishers meant former President Jimmy Carter had to teach an extra Bible class at his rural Georgia church and a local schoolhouse on Sunday, after he announced on Thursday cancer had spread to his brain.
Carter, 90, a lifelong Baptist and church deacon, has taught Sunday school for decades, and the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, is used to a throng.
The church’s website asks people to line up before 9:00 a.m. and attend an orientation before the 10 a.m. class.
The theme of the lesson was love, Carter told the 300 people who filled the church’s sanctuary, after briefly alluding to his health.
“We are studying the most important aspect of Christianity,” he said, and read from the Sermon on the Mount in the Book of Matthew: “I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
The article goes on to say that Carter taught a second Sunday school lesson so that those who could not attend the first were not left out. And then afterward he posed for pictures with well wishers for over half an hour.
You know along with the great Fred Rogers, Jimmy Carter is one of those people who literally embodies his Christian teachings. Mr. Rogers was also a Sunday school teacher, and by EVERY account was as wonderful in private as we was on TV.
Jimmy Carter is also a great example of Christianity done right.
It really is too bad that there are so many out there using Christianity as an excuse to hate, or as camouflage to cover for their bad intent.
If there were more Jimmy Carters (And of course Mr. Rogers) serving as examples for their faith in the world, I bet there would also be fewer Christians leaving the fold.
And remember, this is an Atheist saying that.
You can be an atheist and still admire and respect the thought of love, forgiveness, compassion, respect, humility.
ReplyDeleteThere are other religions and organizations (Ethical Culture, for one) that aren't Christian, but try to promote peace, brotherhood, and love.
Anyone who claims to be a "christian" who doesn't follow the basic tenants of Christ cannot be said to follow any religion other than their own self-promotion.
Jimmy Carter is someone of whom Gandhi would have approved; he lives his life in the manner that his deity urged his followers to live.
Deletethe basic tenants of Christ
DeletePeople who rent space in Christ's buildings? (Not to be confused with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenet.)
Thanks for the correction. Tenet, of course.
DeleteWhere are the photos of Sarah, Todd, Track and Bristol teaching Sunday school?
ReplyDeleteOops, I forgot ...none of them fake Christians even go to church.
Can you imagine one of them teaching anyone anything? They can' even teach a 5 year old to eat solid foods, and they haven't kept a dog long enough to housebreak it (where is Jill Hadassah now?)
DeleteHistory will treat Jimmy Carter well.
ReplyDelete66gardeners
OT .. people being outed in Ashley Madison leak are committing suicide.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for Josh Dugger to join them.
OT I hope the folks that gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the bigots that owned the pizza and bakery shops will donate money to 3 real HEROES that stopped the train shooter.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Carter cut ties with the Southern Baptist Convention in 2009.
ReplyDelete"Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God."
"At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/losing-my-religion-for-equality-20090714-dk0v?stb=twt&skin=dumb-phone#ixzz3jkngWxPI
Thanks for the reporting.
ReplyDeleteI'd attend too (and I haven't gone near a church for over 30 years).
I'm just hoping that Jimmy's example will inspire all office seekers in the future.
Healing thoughts going out to JC.
Colbert is a practicing catholic and teaches Sunday school as well, supporting your point.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right.
DeleteHow negligent for me to have left him out.
Take a lesson $arah
ReplyDeleteLook at Jimmy Carter. As president, he was the most powerful man in the world. And now he teaches Sunday school. And he doesn't do it so he can post pictures on Facebook and say "Oh look at me hanging out with the common man!"
I have no idea what his religious beliefs are because he doesn't say to the world "This is what I believe and if you don't do what I believe I am going to play the victim and call you every name in the book"
Jimmy Carter's life since leaving office has been about helping other people and making the world a better place.
$arah Palin's life since quitting office has been all about filling her bank account while doing as little work as possible and asking "What's in it for us"
And for all that, scumbags like Ted Cruz celebrate $arah Palin while insulting President Carter.
I really don't get it.
(shakes head...)
DeleteIs there anything in your little obsessed world that you don't equate to Palin? You really must thrive on her existence more than the c4pers do.
Sadly 10:25, far too many people read this blog only in the context of how it relates to Sarah Palin. It is kind of a sickness and really brings an otherwise good site down.
DeleteAnother atheist here - thinking the world of President Jimmy Carter!
ReplyDeleteI know I've read many times Christ's greatest commandment was "Love one another as I have loved you." Yet, for multitudes that one is much too difficult, and certainly no fun, because it leaves you no one to look down on and judge.
ReplyDeleteI had this fantasy that when the Pope addresses Congress next month, he says something about how exemplary the life of President Carter has been. The gnashing of teeth by those good catholic and christian republicans would be heard around the world.
ReplyDeleteI voted for President Carter twice & I'd do it again!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with every word you said, Gryphen. President Carter doesn't have a pretentious bone in his body, he lives his faith by example. He's done so very much with "The Carter Foundation" to help lighten the load of the poor and to give food, shelter and encouragement to all who need it. I respect him and Fred Rogers and others who do good for the sake of doing good, without looking for "thanks" and "admiration" in return. His legacy is much much more than "Habitat for Humanity". Seeing him face his own mortality with such grace, dignity and grateful for the life he's lived moved me to my core.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who kicks him when he's down, and they have, are undeserving of holding office of any kind, .