SPEAKOUT

Friday, November 23, 2001

Call 471-6636

This is in response to the "Not all doctrines agree" in the Nov. 14 paper. The Bible says that "No man shall come to the Father but by me [Jesus]," and that tells us that once we're saved, whether we're baptized or not, we will enter the kingdom of heaven, once we realize that Jesus is Lord and he is the only way to the Father. The first great commandment the Lord gave us is to be baptized and enter into the family of God. But once you're saved, you don't have to be baptized to get into heaven.


I'm calling in response to the person asking if you have to be baptized in order to get into heaven. Baptism isn't what gets you into heaven. Salvation is what will get you into heaven. A lot of people are saved but not baptized. The Bible says clearly that salvation is the only way - not baptism.

I put in six years of active duty in the Marine Corps. An older veteran asked me what war I was in. Well, I wasn't really in any war. He looked at me and said I'm not. I might not have been in a major conflict like Beirut or at the assassination in the Philippines or the little political crap that we go through. But no, sir, I am a veteran. I put in my time for six years.

War or peace does not determine if a person is a veteran of the armed forces. You served your country and we salute you.

I may be wrong, but I thought that pulling over for funerals was now a state law. Apparently the Missouri Department of Transportation doesn't know that. Traveling on the interstate, people should still respect a time of grief. So wake up, Missouri. Respect is still essential. There are a still a few people around who know the meaning of respect. A man riding a motorcycle got off the road, took his helmet off and bowed his head. Now that is what you call respect.

According to Senate Bill 270 passed into law on July 9, 1999, and signed by the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, "Any person who is not an operator of a vehicle in an organized funeral procession shall not: (1) Drive between the vehicles comprising an organized funeral procession while such vehicles are in motion and have the flashing emergency lights lighted...;" (2) join a funeral procession for the purpose of security the right-of-way; and (3) "attempt to pass any vehicle except where a passing lane has been specifically provided.

I live in Sikeston and was renting from a person who is a slum landlord. This person is drawing disability and still rents houses out. He's taking from the poor people who are renting the houses. Rent was $425 and went to $575 in one month. I don't think it's fair because people who are not on Section 8 or whatever have to pay rent too.