Has the Pensacola News Journal become the vanguard of Biblical theology? Is the PNJ now the spiritual conscience of Pensacola? That, apparently, is the conclusion we must draw after reading the never-equaled five-day series on the Brownsville revival. I suppose I should be swept with feelings of appreciation. I'm not. And, if I am supposed to relax knowing that the PNJ is on guard protecting me from apostasy and villainy, I haven't.

I should qualify my remarks by stating up front that I am not an apologist for Brownsville Assembly. As a fundamentalist Baptist I find myself in disagreement with many aspects of their interpretation of Scripture. I am not a promoter or supporter of their revival. I have never been to the revival and have no plans on going. However, I find the PNJ's massive attack on Brownsville appalling.

All the ingredients of fear-mongering propaganda was on display in the PNJ attack: class envy, one-sidedness, manipulation and hysteria. All designed to do what? Divide the Christian community and publicly impugn the veracity of Christian leaders.

Can you imagine a series of articles like this being written against the Jewish faith? Have you seen such a series exposing the Moslem religion? Why, I bet you couldn't get the PNJ to run a series of articles like this about the Aztecs! But, it is open season on Christians.

And the thing that disturbs me even more than the series itself is the reaction by many Christians. Because they find Brownsville's tactics and methodology distasteful they are ready to jump on the bandwagon of persecution. Yes, that's right, persecution.

I'm doubly surprised at those with Jewish backgrounds being so eager to join in the feeding frenzy. Have we forgotten that for years previous to Hitler's slaughter of the Jewish people the German media demonized and vilified the Jewish people? By the time the Nazi storm troopers had crashed into the Jewish homes and shops the only reaction by the German people was "Good riddance." You recall that the Nazi's didn't stop with the Jews, don't you?

If there can be any doubt as to the PNJ's motivation simply read the Friday's Life section following the concluding Brownsville article. The article, Seeking a place, was the positive promotion of a Gay and Lesbian church. In the article the church is noted as believing the Bible cannot be taken literally. They attempt to bless homosexual couples with "holy union" which is contrary to the laws of God and man. Before receiving "holy union" the couple must "have been together for at least a year". Thus, the church has attempted to bless the sin of fornication, a grievous sin that God has cursed. Where is the PNJ in exposing this heretical teaching?

In reality, the Pensacola News Journal has attempted to make Charismatic Christians look extreme and radical while churches which embrace and accept aberrant, immoral practices are pictured as mainstream and normal. This is not objective investigative reporting. This is anti-Christian bias!

And, for those who have yielded to the temptation to cast scriptural stones at Brownsville, I will remind us of the words of the Apostle Paul, " . . . every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." (Phil. 1:18)

God is bigger than any denomination, church or movement. He can, and has, used a variety of churches, denominations and movements to reach people with the gospel. Where are those who cry out for tolerance, anyway? Now is when it is truly needed.
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