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Transcript of Weldon E. Warnock’s Radio Program (3-7-04) “Searching the
Scriptures” (WJLS 99.5 FM, Beckley, WV). “Some Things I Want To Say” There are some things I want to say before we have another song and get into our lesson this evening on the great commission according to Mark. One is about the debate in Beckley on this marriage, divorce and remarriage issue, an oral debate. And that’s been turned down and I regret that, because I think we need to study, brethren, about what the Bible says on this. You know, through the years, we’ve had debates among gospel preachers. There’s brother W. Curtis Porter had about a hundred debates, and several of those with other preachers of which he disagreed. They had some disagreement over whether you have one cup or multiple cups, and women teachers and institutional issue and other things. Joe Wallach, gospel preacher many years ago, had about 300 debates, J.D. Tant had about 300. And yet today, brethren don’t want to have a public discussion, and why, I don’t know. It could be done honorably, we could just study the scriptures, treat one another with respect and we could learn. But that’s been turned down. Now, there’s another thing, and that’s about this preacher in Tampa, FL, and I read (somebody had to send it to me from Kentucky, by the way) a 12 page article in response to me and this radio broadcast from the preacher in Southern WV, 12 pages plus. And in that response, he accused me of colluding with this preacher in Tampa, FL. He said collusion was involved, and ladies and gentlemen, you know what the word “collusion” means? It means that that’s something done fraudulently, to deceive, it means that you conspire in order to lead people astray. I didn’t conspire with anybody. I didn’t have a collusion with this preacher in Tampa, FL. He called me wanting the addresses of members of the church in Beckley and I gave him the addresses. And some have said, well I was misleading because I said last Sunday night that I didn’t furnish the addresses of the churches of Christ in WV, which I didn’t. And if I thought it’d been necessary to say I didn’t furnish - or I did furnish the names of the members of the church in Beckley, I would have been happy to have admitted that. I’m not embarrassed about that. He wanted the addresses so he could make a response and all I know is what he sent you, he sent me, and that’s what I know about it. This brother in Tampa, I don’t have a close relationship with him. I’ve known him for forty years, but we don’t get on the phone and talk with one another, month after month. We hardly ever have talked in years gone by. I see him at the Florida College lectureship just momentarily, and that’s it. And so, to accuse me of colluding is just a falsehood, it’s just not true. Now, another thing about misrepresentations I supposedly made about this preacher in Southern WV, and I don’t know what they are. Now, if I could get them specified, then I could look at them, and if I’ve misrepresented, I’ll gladly apologize, I’ll change because I don’t want to misrepresent anybody. I never have tried to misrepresent anybody, I might have done it inadvertently, but I’m not in the misrepresenting business, ladies and gentlemen. And to accuse me of misrepresenting in a general way and then not specifying is not being fair with me. And so, if I can get the specifications, and list them and send them to me on a piece of paper, then I can correct them right here on this broadcast. Isn’t that fair enough? And you know, I’ve been accused of just about everything by this brother in Southern WV, and it’s not been, it’s not fair at all. I want to tell you something, this whole issue on this marriage, divorce and remarriage was introduced by him on his website. He put my name up there to start with, I preached in Beckley ten years, never mentioned this. And then he talks about me reviving this issue and promoting this error for 19 years. My brother, you put me up on your website, you got me splattered all over your website, and I responded to it. But I’ll make you a proposition: you remove all of the material off of your website concerning me, my name off your website, which I don’t know why you got it up there anyway, why, what’s the motive for putting it up there? And we can resolve this, move on here on the broadcast, I’m going to move on anyway, but maybe if you’re not going to take it off, maybe some members of the church over there could encourage you to take it off. And if you leave it up there, and that’s satisfactory, some of the members, then it shows ya where their heart is for sure, and it shows you my friend, my brother, where your heart is. And so I think that’s a fair proposition. I believe what I preach and I don’t want to distort anybody’s position. I’m ready to defend what I preach and I have the highest regard and appreciation for the brethren over in WV. And I love them and think highly of them and I want to be fair, but I want you to treat me that way, too. And if you want to do right with me, you just remove my name from that website and all the material and then I won’t have to deal with this, will I? But just keep in mind that this brother introduced me on the website. I didn’t bring it up, and if he hadn’t introduced me, this would never have been discussed whatsoever. But now we’re going to have another song and then we’ll get into our lesson on the great commission according to Mark’s account. But now, let’s listen to this hymn. |
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