Of course there is.
__"A fact is often a fact only as it is
interpreted," according to Robert L. Heath, professor of communication at the
University of Houston. "The classic example is that you and I can look at a glass,
and that glass can have a certain amount of water in it. One of us can say the water glass
is two-thirds full, and the other will say it is one-third empty."
"One can argue that in any set of facts, the issue is the
interpretation of those facts."
An example Heath gives in classes comes from the Cold War era in
Russia. A Russian newspaper reported that its athletes had come in second in a certain
competition while the U.S. athletes had come in next-to-last. What the newspaper didn't
report was that there were only two teams competing.
Readers and listeners always must be on the alert to ascertain facts
that might lead to false conclusions, Heath said. "Are we trying to better understand
ourselves and bring our wise judgment to bear, or are we using the manipulation of facts
in some more narrow way?"
adapted from "Is it guilt by association or just the facts?" Baptist
Standard, February 20, 2000
Roger Moran lives in Winfield, Missouri and is the Research Director for a five member group Missouri Baptist Laymen's Association.
He takes credit for Project 1000, a political campaign to generate enough messengers at the Missouri Baptist Convention to elect approved candidates as Convention officers.
Church memberships. A stable churchman?
Moran has lived in the same area of Missouri for years. Yet, Moran has been a member of four churches during the past decade or so based on Missouri Baptist Convention proceedings reported by Word & Way.
1991 Missouri Baptist Convention. He was listed as a messenger from New Salem Baptist Church in Winfield, Mo.
1993 Convention. He was a messenger from Sulphur Lick Baptist Church in Troy, Mo.
1996 convention. He was a messenger from First Baptist Church of O'Fallon, Mo.
1999 convention. He was a messenger from First Baptist Church of Troy, Mo. Although his membership apparently was at one of First Baptist's missions, Ridge Road Baptist Mission, Missouri Baptist Convention bylaws do not allow a mission church to send messengers to the annual meeting.
Civil Lawsuits. A responsible citizen?
Moran has been at the center of several lawsuits in recent years. Could this explain the willingness and readiness of Moran (and that of his fellow MBC elected leadership friends) to consider litigation against Missouri Baptist institutions? These records are public records of the Circuit Clerk in Lincoln County, Missouri (where Roger Moran resides
Eleven lawsuits in which Roger Moran was a party were on file in the county office:
Five were listed as lawsuits for which an outcome was not noted:
Five were listed as lawsuits for which a judgment was entered against Moran Welding:
All the Division of Employment cases were for underpayment of employment taxes.
We invite you to take a quick quiz to determine if Moran is someone you believe.
Moran's mode of operation is simple. He has decided there are individuals and groups he does not like. He then works to connect them with other individuals and groups that most evangelical Christians would not agree with. It is a basic smear campaign like we watch in secular politics every election cycle.
Adolph Hitler found a Jew behind every problem in Germany. Senator Joseph McCarthy found a Communist everywhere he looked during the early 1950's.
Coupled with The Big Lie technique -- say something long enough and loud enough and soon people will believe it -- Moran has been able to sway more gullible and less-informed pastors and church leaders.
We invite you to take a couple of minutes to play Moranopoly so you can see how Moran's technique works.
__"There's an appeal to fear in Missouri. There's a lumping, a very irresponsible, very unbiblical lumping together that if you don't agree with the laymen's group on certain issues, then you must by definition be their enemy on every other issue." Doyle Sager, pastor, FBC- Jefferson City; former president, Mainstream Missouri Baptists
"Roger Moran's material lacks any semblance of integrity. It is classic guilt by association." Phil Strickland, director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission
___"Moran is an elected leader of the Southern Baptist Convention. Can you imagine the headlines if an SBC leader were to launch these kinds of vitriolic attacks against Methodist Christians or Presbyterian Christians? I think there would be a proverbial stampede as convention leaders tried to distance themselves from this kind of behavior. Yet the reckless assault by Moran and others on the people and churches of the Fellowship continues unabated." Daniel Vestal, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
___"I certainly understand people who believe a guy who's been married three times is pathetic, and it is. I don't have a problem with people who find me repulsive." Roger Moran
Is the message of the Roger Moran and the MBLA true?
You have read Roger Moran's materials. You have talked with respected Christians and know how they think about Moran's materials. Now you'll have to decide for yourself: is the message of Roger Moran and his MBLA true?
Did you take time to play Moranopoly?
If you think a "connect the dots" technique is an accurate and fair way to decide the truth about individuals and organizations, then for you Roger Moran and his MBLA tell "the truth."
Did you take time read what others say about Roger Moran?
If Roger Moran's "facts" have more credibility than the witness and character of Moran's life and of those who have spoken about Roger Moran, then for you Roger Moran and his MBLA tell "the truth."
Did you take the quiz to learn about yourself?
If you answered yes to the questions on the quiz, then for you Roger Moran and his MBLA tell "the truth."
For too long, informed SBC and MBC denominational leaders kept silent about the tactics of people and groups like Roger Moran and his Laymen's Association. Their silence over the past twenty-plus years was designed to "hold the Convention together." Their silence failed the Southern Baptist and Missouri Baptist Conventions. Now the same silence will fail your church. UNLESS and UNTIL informed church members stand up to those who have personal and political agendas that diminish the spirit of Christ within the Baptist family, your church will inevitably follow the path of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Missouri Baptist Convention and even your local Association.
Does Roger Moran's life reveal a man with more integrity than Jim Hill (former executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention)? Does Roger Moran's life indicate someone with greater credibility than Daniel Vestal (coordinator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship)? Is Roger Moran's life a more credible witness to a hurting world than your own? Would you want a man with his track record as a key leader and influential member within your own church?
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The bottom line question is not really about Roger Moran and his MBLA. The bottom line is about you and your church. |