Richard Land's Trayvon Martin Comments To Be Probed By Southern Baptists

FILE - In this July 14, 2010 file photo, Richard Land, president, Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the House Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law hearing on the ethical imperative for reform of our immigration system. Land condemns the response of many black leaders to the Trayvon Martin case as “shameful.” Some black pastors within the natio

By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service

(RNS) Southern Baptist leaders will investigate whether their top ethicist and public policy director plagiarized racially charged remarks about the Trayvon Martin case that many say set back the denomination's efforts on racial reconciliation.

Richard Land, who leads the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention, was accused of lifting remarks for his radio show that accused Democrats and civil rights leaders of exploiting the case of the unarmed Florida teenager who was shot and killed by a volunteer neighborhood watchman.

Even though Land has apologized for both the remarks and not attributing their source, the commission's executive committee said it was obligated "to ensure no stone is left unturned." An investigatory committee will "recommend appropriate action" to church leaders.

"They need the Travyon Martins to continue perpetuating their central myth: America is a racist and an evil nation. For them it's always Selma Alabama circa 1965," Land said on his radio program, speaking of civil rights activists.

Those comments, included in a partial transcript published by Baptist blogger and Baylor University Ph.D. student Aaron Weaver, were previously written by Washington Times columnist Jeffrey Kuhner.

While conceding that talk radio has different attribution policies than traditional journalism or academic scholarship, "we nevertheless agree with Dr. Land that he could, and should, do a better job in this area," the Executive Committee stated.

In a statement, Land said he serves "at the will of the trustees," and "I look forward to continuing to work with and under the oversight of my trustees." A commission spokeswoman said Land was not commenting beyond his statement.

The commission trustees, along with other Southern Baptist leaders, noted Land's role in the passage of the 1995 resolution in which Southern Baptists apologized for their past defense of slavery. They also credited him for "engaging the culture and our political leaders on matters of religious conviction."

Yet others have criticized Land, including the Rev. Fred Luter, the New Orleans pastor who's expected to become the SBC's first African-American president, who called the remarks "unhelpful."

Ed Stetzer, a Southern Baptist researcher who blogged about Land's comments without mentioning him by name, said the firestorm threatens to undo progress made by the overwhelmingly white denomination.

"The Southern Baptist Convention still must earn a better reputation for racial inclusion and justice," Stetzer wrote. "As such, perhaps SBC denominational leaders are not the best persons to speak into racially charged situations, critiquing the actions of African Americans or African American leaders."

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Comments

[hypyrwyf]

01:18 PM on 05/01/2012

Their top ethicist has an ethics problem, tch tch.

[Annie6110]

05:33 AM on 04/28/2012

In my small southern city of 406,000 people, there are 329 churches, synagogues, and mosques (in the city proper - this does not include the county, I gave up trying to count them). The majority of these are Baptists of different flavors. There are only 10 Southern-Baptist churches (and out of these, only 6 could be considered "large").

A rather large percentage of my family and friends are moving away from the SBC and either into independent churches or away from the Baptists altogether. The majority tend to go Methodist or Episcopalian.

Going to church from the time you are born is a way of life here. However, you have a huge number of people who are silent. They don't agree, but they don't rock the boat (so to speak). Thankfully, that is changing as well. People are tired of hypocrisy on every level.

My city is a melting pot of cultures and people from all of the world (10% or more are from other countries) - that's helped tremendously. The level of education is high here. 38.5% of the population are college graduates or above.

There is hope for change if education levels keep rising. I know this is true, because I've seen it first hand. Well educated people think, and call BS on "wrong".

[csmomo]

09:18 AM on 04/27/2012

Richard Land is the prime reason why a lot of people and churches have abandoned any ties with the SBC. He is not a Christian in ANY sense of that word.

[Dan Kreutzer]

09:58 AM on 04/24/2012

a plagarizing rasict ethicist for Southern Baptists? What's the problem?

[Fattonecat]

05:34 AM on 04/24/2012

"Richard Land, who leads the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention" ................................Take the words Ethics & Liberty out ....

[csmomo]

09:19 AM on 04/27/2012

ETHICS! The man wouldn't recognize and "ethic" if one bit him on the butt.

[working4myboyj]

09:28 AM on 04/27/2012

A big butt, I might add.

[Fattonecat]

09:59 AM on 04/27/2012

Sociopath ? Land's words suggests that to me.

[PlagTracker]

12:22 PM on 02/09/2013

Nice point, I really enjoyed the way you said that! Especially, when the person who make the plagiarism is considered as a religious and ethical leader and having a high moral and ethical level. In addition, it is irony when the same person judges and criticizes the others’ life and sins. The most essential, is that even though Land has expressed his apologies, however he did not seem to believe his words and truly regretted.

[Jeannette Lacey]

01:36 AM on 04/24/2012

"The commission trustees, along with other Southern Baptist leaders, noted Land's role in the passage of the 1995 resolution in which Southern Baptists apologized for their past defense of slavery."

Whew! I am comforted to know that this man apologised for slavery...130 years LATER!!! How "progressive!" Give him a brownie button!

Why would a religious radio host say such a thing in the first place (unless openly reading and quoting from the original article)?

[FantasticFourFan]

07:05 PM on 04/23/2012

Well of course! He's a republican! That automatically means he's corrupt.

[cosMICjester1]

04:41 PM on 04/23/2012

Who cares??? He said a comment that some one else said earlier....SO what!!! this is news?? Absolutely ridiculous

[ThinkTwiceWriteOnce]

01:59 PM on 04/23/2012

I would caution leaving such matters to those who cannot distinguish between myth and fact.

[sunshine14]

12:08 PM on 04/23/2012

Did God not meantion the word- White/washers? And all know Jesus was not blonde with blue eyes was He?

[cosMICjester1]

04:42 PM on 04/23/2012

senor jesus was an illegal

[Gordonfs]

12:05 PM on 04/23/2012

given that face, methinks Mr Land may have been 'probed' one too many times

[Stephen Stafford]

10:51 AM on 04/23/2012

Come on now people. Southern Baptist does not mean stupid.

There is no way their "ethicist" should be outright plagiarizing.

There is no way their "ethicist" should be making inflammatory and bigoted statements about this case.

There is no way Land should be continued in his current positions.

[csmomo]

09:20 AM on 04/27/2012

You are so very right. The man should have been thrown out YEARS ago.

[cain61]

10:48 AM on 04/23/2012

How shocking, a fundamentalist christian plagiarizing from others as he does not have an original thought or idea in his head.

[Apotropoxy]

09:58 AM on 04/23/2012

This Just In: Land has asked Jesus for forgiveness and received it!
(Move along now folks. Nothing to see here...)

[Stephen Stafford]

11:01 AM on 04/23/2012

This, which has been known for several millenia: Mocking God is ill advised, and makes you eligible for a good zapping.

Repent and be restored while there is time.

[sunshine14]

11:49 AM on 04/23/2012

What does repent really mean spiritually to God, His Spiritual Words and meanings? Why Apostles and others could not understand Jesus sayings, where like riddles and others thought Jesus was crazy did they not? Repent- change ones thoughts, emotions -where? In Ones Mind-Love Me with your whole Heart, Soul, Mind and strenght. Put on the armor of spriitual strenght, not physcial strenght of the flesh which we are told is dead to sin. What is - In ones Mind, pure thoughts that are not good, repent - change-renewal of what is in Ones Mind. Which ones what is In Ones Mind, controls ones hands-works good or bad. St Peter tells us. Kept your Conscience Clear and ones Hands busy (serving, doing good toward others, our works of our hands that sows good seeds that bare good fruits) and One shall do Well. Doing good works (with our hands), our emotions, actions, comes out of what is -In- our Mind. The Mind controls and dictates to the Hand. Repent of what is not good - thoughts or emotions In the Mind-repent -change- renewal-rebirth. Jesus said. It is not what goes into the body that defiles it, but what come out of the body (Mind) that defiles the body as a whole. The whole of the Spiritual Body- which we cannot see can we- which is Heart, Soul, Mind and Spiritual Strength. God's Image is the Spiritual Image, Spiritual Character of all that God is. All Love, All Joy, Peace, All Compassion, all Truth, All Righteousness, All Forgiving. Where there is no Laws for Those of Righteousness is there? Peace.

[Apotropoxy]

12:10 PM on 04/23/2012

Jesus, being one of hundreds of gods worshiped by frightened man over the millenia, is preparing a comeback or so I'm told. I'd advise you to look busy and turn the other cheek every chance you get.

You can start with me.
Think of it as an opportunity for a little extra grace.

Amen

[Lonie]

09:35 AM on 04/23/2012

Why shouldn't Land speak his, or in this case someone else's, mind? Many if not most white Southern Baptists feel the Trayvon Martin case indeed should have been handled the way most lynchings were in Selma circa 1965. With complicity by law enforcement and silence in the press. Even the body was safely moved to a morgue and the sidewalk cleaned and scrubbed. The crime for these folks was that the whole thing was ever brought up at all.

[sunshine14]

11:54 AM on 04/23/2012

Jesus knows all about that, had whitewashers behind Him, did He not?

[faithnj]

07:57 AM on 04/24/2012

Amen, Lonie.