SBCOutpost

34 Responses to “Hippos, Hats, and student recruitment . . .”

1. rsc Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

   He gives out 8×10 photos of himself with his big game kills to autograph for students?

   Can you say, “Cult of personality”.

2. Robert L. Thompson Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

   It looks to me as if Patterson ‘gets it’. I’m sure he was killing that hippo so that it could be slaughtered and given as meat to the villagers, or at least so that it didn’t eat the crops a local village had planted and was waiting on for harvest.

3. Hijo de Juan Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

   Robert:

   Is that your final answer?

4. Robert L. Thompson Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

   Hijo,

   I’m not sure what the “question” is.

5. Todd B. Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 2:57 pm

   rsc,

   The answer to your question is no.
   Whoever uploaded the video to youtube offered the following caption:

   “bobby brundige finally gets to meet his hero, paige patterson. bobby had been keeping a picture he found of paige while out on an african safari and finally got dr. patterson to sign it.”

   – Todd

6. Hijo de Juan Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

   Robert, I guess the question was, “Are you SURE that’s why PP sent the hippo to its untimely end?”

   I was attempting a parallel sarcasm to go with yours. I know, I failed.

7. Robert L. Thompson Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

   Nope, I’m not sure EXACTLY why Patterson slew the beast, but I’m just hoping that he ‘gets it’ and that he was being both environmentally cautious and biblically responsible to the poor.

8. Michael H Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 4:33 pm

   there are more deaths by hippo in africa than by any other animal so I’m glad if he has to hunt that he hunts a hippo. I would prefer he didn’t hunt big game in Afica that smacks of aristocracy or “I’m an extremely rich guy and I know it” behavior. but then again I’m not rich so I don’t know what I would do in is position.

9. bwoodward Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

   This isn’t really about Paige… but “Kill a Hippo and feed the locals”? What happened to “give a man a fish, and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime”? Maybe it would actually be better in the end to encourage the locals to establish and run a sustainable tourist-safari-hunting business: encouraging them to turn a decent profit from tourists by using their God-given resources while also expressing good dominion over dangerous beasts. (Of course this can be done poorly, but we shouldn’t just assume that it is done poorly…)

   Answers like “kill the animal and feed the poor” may sound good, but we should all be careful in claiming that the cures for poverty and loving our 3rd world neighbors are so easy and so clear. The tract record of the UN, World Bank, and all foreign aid shows that we’ve had plenty of good intentions, but have rarely, if ever, actually helped our global neighbors.

   (by the way, here’s one good idea: http://www.kiva.org)

10. rsc Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 5:04 pm

    “bobby brundige finally gets to meet his hero, paige patterson. bobby had been keeping a picture he found of paige while out on an african safari and finally got dr. patterson to sign it.”

    Thanks, that explains it. There are 8×10 glossy’s of him with his big game kill in AFRICA just laying around that people happen to ‘find’.

11. Robert L. Thompson Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    bwoodward,

    so sorry that you missed the sarcasm in my comments. go back to the previous post and read how dick land ‘gets it’. i was just hoping that the self-professed red bishop ‘gets it’ too.

12. Todd B. Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    The photo is part of power-point slide show which Dr. Patterson presents at Christian sportsman banquets. Whether Dr. Patterson hands the photos out at these banquets or Mr. Brundige downloaded the photo and printed it at Walmart, I don’t know and is really insignificant. Patterson shares a sport that many men enjoy and gives presentations at these banquets for the God-honoring purpose of building relationships with unchurched men and winning them to Christ.

    May I ask, what God-honoring purpose do these posts and the comments that go with them serve?

13. Benjamin Cole Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Todd B:

    Dangit. You got us on that one.

    Shoot.

    BSC

14. Todd B. Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    I count it an honor that I can join Dr. Patterson as an object of your ridicule.

15. rsc Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    “Patterson shares a sport that many men enjoy and gives presentations at these banquets for the God-honoring purpose of building relationships with unchurched men and winning them to Christ.”

    So, if they like my big game hunt pictures and stories, they will like my Jesus, too? How about that. Patterson being ‘culturally relevant’. I am sure Patterson gets nothing out of it personally in the way of showing off or bragging about his kills. Of course not.

    (Were those animal skins in his portrait?)

    Does he get paid to speak at these sportsmen functions? Make sure, before you answer. :o)

    Todd, you got it bad, brother. Read Isaiah 2: 22 before you go to bed.

16. Todd B. Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

    I do not idolize Dr. Patterson, but I do respect him. I disagree with Dr. Patterson on some issues, maybe some of the same ones as you. But I am not a cynic nor am I willing to show leaders the kind of disrespect common on this blog. Most everything posted here is a red herring and, at best, open to interpretation. You have chosen to assume the worst possible motives for actions and positions of Dr. Patterson. I have chosen to give him the benefit of the doubt. You see an evil man with a warped personal agenda. I see a godly yet imperfect man who is striving to serve and honor the Lord. You have replaced reasoned cordial dissent with relentless and vitriolic ridicule and personal attack. I will take a different path.

    I have no illusion that our leaders are perfect, infallible, or always right. They, like me, are sinners saved by God’s grace alone and completely dependent on him for any thing worthy of being counted as success.

    What if you all are right about Patterson and other SBC leaders and I am hopelessly naïve? I think that I am the better for it and my approach is more biblical and God-honoring. So go ahead and keep doing what you’re doing and I will stop trying to convince you. If you want cordial honest dialog about issues, then count me in. If you are going to dish out more of the same, I can find other blog conversations that prove a better stewardship of my time.

17. Liz Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 11:15 pm

    “Not sure why, but this was recently posted on YouTube”

    I was wondering the purpose of your posting on here?

18. rsc Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 8:36 am

    ” If you want cordial honest dialog about issues, then count me in. If you are going to dish out more of the same, I can find other blog conversations that prove a better stewardship of my time.”

    That is code for only say nice things about someone who in my opinion is dishonest and loves his fame and the good life too much. (We gotta protect our heros) I have been watching this man for 25 years. It is amazing what he has done to people and yet, still survives. It only goes to show that it was really all about politics from the start.

    But then, there are those out there like you that believe his ‘homespun’ rhetoric.

    See, guys like you act all pious but you probably cheered when he stuck it to Klouda. You don’t fool me a bit.

    Did it ever occur to you that a true follower of Christ would have told that boy to get rid of his picture and quit idolizing a mere man? That, my friend, is piety.

19. Louis Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    I actually think that big game hunting is an unusual and intriguing hobby. I probably won’t take it up, but it is exotic.

    It’s a bit refreshing to see someone in academics have such an interesting hobby.

    Just comparing two prominent people in the SBC - Dr. Mohler and Dr. Patterson shows the bread of style and personality in our convention.

    Louis

20. matt Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    Is it true Paige has the head of Russell Dilday mounted in his office?

21. Benjamin Cole Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Matt:

    No, but you’ve given me a really good idea. Stay tuned to SBCOutpost.com for more.

    BSC

22. Jerry Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    Hippos can bite alligators in two? Really?

23. Benjamin Cole Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    Jerry:

    Just a little big-game-hunter exaggeration. The moral equivalent of the “big fish” story to an accomplished angler.

    I loved the part about the “razor sharp teeth.” I was waiting for the “death awaits you all” routine.

    BSC

24. rsc Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

    “I actually think that big game hunting is an unusual and intriguing hobby.”

    Expensive, too. Perhaps he speaks to sportsman events in Africa to pay his way? Good thing he makes a nice salary with lots of perks (We even pay for the toilet paper at Pecan Manor?) to be able to afford it. Your tithe dollars at work.

25. Mac McFatter Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 10:43 pm

    Been watching PP for more than 25 years. Same stuff. Maybe the trips to Africa were combined with mission trips, at least on paper. By the way, there are no alligators native to Africa, only crocodiles. This can be used to prove the Bishop mis-speaks.
    Charlie Mac

26. Robert L. Thompson Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    So at that point he wasn’t speaking ex cathedra . . .?

27. TBone Says:
    May 17th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    He does say crocidile…. Is there a subsequent picture of someone eating a hippo steak or wearing a hippo skin outfit or rejoicing at being saved from this rushing beast? (Just so the animal lovers among us don’t consider this murder.)

28. Michael H Says:
    May 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    Jerry,
    I’m not certain that hippo’s can bite crocs in half but I wouldn’t be surprised. They don’t have razor sharp teeth but do have an extremely dirty mouth which causes horrendous infection in all bites. and when they do bite they bite hard which is why many people have died from their bites.
    btw, hippos are herbivores.
    now I’m not saying this hunting was warranted but hippos are nice animals from afar only.

29. John Fariss Says:
    May 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    I used to hunt. I quit (1) because I have lived in town/cities for the past 18 years, making hunting a bit more inconvenient; (2) I sold all my guns but my muzzle-loader and a .22 of a few years ago when the church I served insisted that $18,000 a year (total) was a living, full time wage, and refused me permission to take a part-time job; and (3) I decided that hunting was pretty far down my priority list, behind ball games my son was in (everything from T-ball to sr. high baseball, & some basketball), dance rehersals and recitals my daughter was in, my wife, and even hiking trips (in pleasant weather!). But back when I did hunt: it was for food! Whether I was shooting squirrel, rabbit, or deer, we ate what I shot. I have no problem with hunting for such reasons as that. But I do have a problem with safari-type hunting. The endangered wildlife angle does not greatly concern me–I’m
    sure that had critics been around then, sabre-toothed tigers would have gotten on that list, and we’d still have to contend with them. But anyone who goes on these and decorates their office with them, it seems to me, is making a statement about control and power. THAT I have a problem with. And if Dr. P “just likes it” or “just likes the thrill of the hunt,” well, there are plenty of things I got thrills out of, but for various reasons, have disciplined myself to avoid anyway.

30. TBone Says:
    May 18th, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    John,

    Thank you for your service and for your stewardship of time and resources.

31. Larry Says:
    May 19th, 2008 at 9:54 am

    Todd B.

    There is at least one here who agrees with you. It makes me wonder why I read this blog. I can’t imagine standing before Jesus saying “I really took Dr.Patterson down a peg where is my crown.” Focus gentleman, why do I never see an article on winning people to Christ? And yes a large part of Americans hunt and do need to be evangelized. What are you doing to reach them?

32. TBone Says:
    May 19th, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    Larry,

    We do need to be more hunter sensitive…..

    It is fair to ask in the meantime if this is the best use of ministry resources and if indeed anyone is being won to Christ as a result.

33. Larry Says:
    May 20th, 2008 at 9:37 am

    Thanks TBone, that is an intelligent questions that we can work with although a little tongue in cheek I know. It is difficult to understand hunting if you have never been and how hunters are the foremost conservationist. It would be a good question to ask of the outdoors ministry or any I would suppose. Then we have to be careful as I think this could lead to some of the criticism we throw at the SBC in justifying a ministry. It can be a vicious cycle but being part of a small church you do have to see what working and whats not and is it cost effective. Wonder how Jesus would view that comment?

34. Jake Says:
    June 3rd, 2008 at 3:11 pm

    you are all getting way too pent up about this.

    PP is a bit of a nut. the youtube video shows this to be true. laugh, or don’t. i don’t think this video is meant to do more than that.

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