This is Viewpoints for Friday, Feb. 3, 2017

Happy birthday, Sidney

This Friday, February 3, will be the 175th birthday of Sidney Lanier. His birthplace, the Sidney Lanier Cottage, and the Cannonball House will be celebrating with special events on this milestone natal day. May all please pause on this day to remember Macon’s most noted 19th century native son and recall his tragic yet heroic life. Google him and be amazed, or visit the Washington Memorial Library’s Sidney Lanier Research Center and learn even more and marvel at the massive marble bust of the young Sidney by Gutzon Borglum from his Mount Rushmore Studio. Read some of his poetry and read it out loud as intended — “His work a singing with his hand.”

Better still, find Paula Robison’s “By the Old Pine Tree” CD and discover his brilliant original compositions — “His song was only living aloud.” His main muse was music, being a self taught musical prodigy on six instruments and playing first flute for the Pea body Symphony Orchestra from 1873 to his death at 39 in 1881. Macon has given the world so many notable historical figures, but Sidney Lanier is surely Macon’s greatest hometown hero. Happy birthday my old friend.

(Poetry quotes from “Life and Song” 1868.

Issue with Cummings

Bill Cummings’ column on Jan. 28 contains a number of errors. First, not all Christians were Catholic for the first 1,500 years, witness the Eastern Orthodox Church which was, and is, entirely separate from the Roman Catholic Church.

Second, Martin Luther did not believe in purgatory as theses 27 and 28 show, along with lectures written in 1535.

Third, Luther did not want to create a “…whole new Christian church…” he only wanted to correct doctrinal flaws in the Catholic Church. His Ninety Five Theses was originally sent to his bishop, Albert of Mainz.

Fourth, Cummings incorrectly posits that the Catholic Church associated the pope with the concept of the trinity. The pope, while infallible when speaking for God, (according to the Catholic Church), was never worshiped nor glorified, nor considered an element of the concept of God.

Fifth, and to answer the question posed in the title of his article, Cummings’ position that Christians were “ready” for change undermines two larger influences at the time. First, the political issue of the push for independence of the German principalities. Second, the impact of invention of the printing press by Gutenberg that allowed mass reproduction of the Bible, gave ordinary citizens the opportunity to read Christ’s words for themselves.

Cummings position of: “It ain’t easy to be a Christian” gets a lot harder when you don’t get your facts right.

Another deck?

I talked to a friend about a recent article that I read in the Telegraph. He said he did not read the newspaper, too much bad news. We know too little about the actions of our governmental entities even after exhaustive entreaties by The Telegraph, without which we would know practically nothing. We are still “existing” through the Bibb Board of Education debacle. I had come to the conclusion that I had survived this significant failure of government, not to be repeated at my age, only to read the article about the county considering a change to the method of collecting garbage fees. This has the opportunity to match the Dallemand era for obfuscation of facts and poor money management.

County government admits, by considering this new ordinance, that they are unable or unwilling to enforce existing collection alternative(s) for delinquent garbage taxes which they had previously mandated. Their solution now is to raise taxes on the majority of taxpayers who have previously complied with the earlier ordinance and promptly paid yhe fee. Anyone detecting fairness in this needs medical help. I can only conclude that they “hope for the best” through obfuscation and confusion on the part of the taxpayers.

It appears to me that county government has developed a non-sustainable garbage collection and recycling plan. The real trap in the new plan is automatic increases based on the consumer price index. The next step looks like a request for each taxpayer to furnish the county with their credit card number and PIN numbers. Based on what I believe to be the facts, I have zilch confidence in our elected officials planning as relates to taxes and expenditures after giving a million dollars to each commissioner to spread within their district as each chose to fight blight. Did it do so? And was it validated by whom?

I offer the following solution to this dilemma. “Play out” the current plan as the cards have been dealt, going into debt until projected bills cannot be paid. Then recall responsible elected county officials, obtain a new deck minus the jokers. This is not intended to be humorous, I’m ticked off, possibly looking for asylum.

Turn off the TVs

Death is a subject left alone until it comes to family or friend, then it is a sobering reality and humbleness follows. Children don’t understand and as a boy, when someone told me about dying, I become a little sad. Then, late one evening looking at a beautiful sunset, I was amazed at the colorful display. As I continued to watch I sensed a feeling that there was something “forever” behind this dramatic scene. It seemed to tell me there is something higher than death.

I found out later there is something higher. Jesus Christ came into the world as a man. He was put to death, but arose from the grave and went into heaven. He said, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” So, there is hope after death for those who truly seek the Lord.

Sunsets today are the same as in the 1950s, but people are mesmerized by human technology and ignore God’s creations. Someone came close when they said if we can turn off all the TVs for one day we could think more clearly. But, we must get rid of all the other diversions, go outside and enjoy God’s creations. “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork.” (Psalm 19)

This story was originally published February 2, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Friday, Feb. 3, 2017."