In the interest of full disclosure,

let me begin by saying that I'm not a Methodist. I'm a Baptist.

An independent Baptist. The

kind referred to by the mainstream media as a (gasp!) fundamentalist.

And I would never want to see the Rev. Randy Mickler, the now-infamous

Methodist pastor from Marietta, behind the pulpit at my church.

Those of you who have condemned

him this week for denying Rabbi Steven Lebow the chance to speak at Walton

High School's baccalaureate service at Mickler's church are probably cheering

me right now, thinking I have some desire to take revenge against Mickler.

Wrong. Mickler's actions have my full support.

But I don't want Mickler preaching

at my church for the same reason he doesn't want Lebow preaching at his.

Baptist, Methodist and Jewish beliefs are not the same.

The differences in some areas

are slight and in other areas great. But the practitioners of each should

feel strongly enough about his or her denomination or religion to guard

the pulpit, that most sacred desk, fiercely. Otherwise, whatever is spoken

from behind it becomes watered-down and useless.

In any venue aside from the

pulpit, these rules do not apply. Civic functions, charitable endeavors,

community activism, political rallies all of those are fair game, and

I imagine I would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with both of these men on

many issues if we were to live in the same community.

But in the Lord's house, on

the Lord's day (whether you believe that to be Saturday or Sunday), it's

another story entirely. For many Americans, it's a much more serious matter.

Folks who give their religious

beliefs a high priority know that the source of their spiritual fulfillment

be it my King James Version of the Bible or someone else's Koran is something

bigger than they are. It is supernatural, and it is eternal.

If you give any belief or value

system that much weight, you cannot think of compromising it in the name

of "inclusion" or some other form of political correctness.

That sounds harsh, but to a true believer of any religion, to trust your

never-dying soul to something else is infinitely more damaging.

That's why I applaud Mickler

for his actions this week, and any member of his church worth his or her

salt should do the same, or quietly find another church where he or she

can give that kind of commitment.

And we should all thank God

that our nation is great enough to allow Mickler, Lebow, my pastor and

yours to stand behind their respective pulpits this week and minister

to us all in the way we have chosen to be ministered to.

[Monroe Roark can be reached

at [email protected] .]

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