A Life Changed By Truth In Louisiana In 1937

Evil is indeed alive...

I am trying to gether some information on leland Colege in Baker, La. The site have no building, and I would like to see some recognition giving to this black historic site. Can you assist me in this matter

Dear Reverand Taylor:

I am L D Sledge, retired attorney of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am writing a book about Mary McCastle, who attended Leland College during the period you went to school there. I understand there was a secondary school there and I am not sure if she graduated, but she did attend. Mary died five years ago, after living a full and extraordinarily productive life. The reason I am writing about her is that she was the first Afro-American environmental activist in the U. S., and her efforts made a difference in the policies in Louisiana and then the rest of the country regarding handling hazardous waste and toxic emissions.

I intend to write about her life, from the time she was a little girl; about how her family lived on that farm working as sharecroppers, the highs, the lows, the accepted injustices, the whole story. I am seventy two years old, raised in the country, and know how the black people were second rate citizens and not considered important, and I am not raising any rabble about it, but I want to show just how one gifted and blessed lady pulled herself up and created solutions for her family and her community.

In other words, I want to memorialize her and set her out as the example of strength, power and goodness that she was; showing that anyone can do it if he or she simply decides to do so. If she had been white and educated she would have been a judge, a doctor, a Senator, and certainly a leader. She is and I want her life to stand as an icon for what can be possible.

So I am asking you what you remember about Leland College, how it was, and if you have any pictures or memorabalia of that school, for it is leveled to the ground now and there is no sign of anything there except an old water tank. I would consider it to be a privilege if you would respond to this and have a dialogue as to what you recall during your days at Leland.

Thank you sir, for your attention.

L D Sledge

Dr. Taylor

I am always amazed when I read anything that you are lead by the spirit to share. I have always appreciated your honesty. To have the ability to say to others that I have sat in your presence has been a treasure that I will always carry in my heart.

This semester I have chosen to complete (attempt) a study of your life. Yes, I know this is not possible because God is constantly working and changing all of us from day to day.

I look forward to conversing with you.

Cindy Faison

"You've all read some Greek and Roman and maybe Norse mythology, right? . . . You know, of course, that these people believed in the gods and the stories embodied by these myths every bit as fervently as you do in the Christian religion, right? . . . How can you tell which of these stories are real history, and which are mythology? To me, that's an easy question - the myths involve supernatural things - superhuman heroes, magic, fantastic creatures, sorcery, impossible feats. The real history is about real humans and thoroughly natural events. Now, with that in mind, take another look at your Bible. See any parallels?"

Yes, we have. I've also read the Upanishads (at least, the ones I could get in English), the Book of Mormon, the Dao du Ching, Gilgamesh, etc.

One of the peculiar aspects of Judaism and Christianity is that they are rooted in history. What do I mean? We don't really know who wrote the Dao du Ching - and we don't really care. It is understood to represent the spiritual insights of one or more men and women. The insights are what's important - not who had them, or when they occured.

Judaism is different. It is based on a covenant relationship between Jehovah and his people. God acting in history is critical. That's why so much of the Hebrew scripture looks back to God's interactions with the Patriarchs, the Exodus, and the covenant at Sinai.

Christianity also is rooted in history. It's core message concerns who Jesus of Nazareth was, what he did, and what it means for our relationship with God.

What's my point here? That traditional Jews and Christians truly care about the source of our scriptures - when they were written, who wrote them, and that they provide a reliable representation of how God has acted in history. Real people and real things? Christianity is only valid if Jesus of Nazareth was a real person, who actually did and said the things described in the Gospels. Thus, we tend to take what I'd describe as a "forensic" approach to our scriptures - who were the witnesses, what did they say, why would they have said it, what was in it for them, . . . As I've said to you before, you may not agree with our evaluation of the evidence, but we do care deeply about the reliability of our scriptures.

They are, of course, works of literature that use the language and literary conventions of their time. That can make them very challenging to understand at places.

I will say, though, that even if you view them as entirely human productions, they are much less "mythological" than most other works you might cite. Certainly less than the greek, roman, norse or celtic mythologies. Compare Gilgamesh with the story of Noah. You may not accept Noah as historical - but it's much less crudely "mythological" than Gilgamesh, where the gods flock around the first sacrifice after the flood because they're hungry.

Parallels? Sure - all great religions (and most great literature) deals with the same core questions of life. Sometimes you not only get echoes in the questions, you get echoes in the answers as well ("don't commit murder" is a pretty easy conclusion to draw).

That doesn't mean that they're all the same. Each of the Abrahamic religions makes some unique claims.

"I'll stand my ethics and scruples up against those of any Christian - the difference is that I derive them from an inborn sense of what's right for a society to function"

I, of course, know nothing about your morals other than what you've said here. You sound like an honest, responsible adult - and I am not about to insult your ethics or integrity. I will say, though, that read carefully the New Testament sets a pretty high and demanding standard for morality and personal holiness.

One of the key ideas, in fact, is that none of us can get it perfectly right. I don't, as a Christian, claim to be a better person than you. I do claim that God's standard for true goodness is higher than either of us can attain. I trust - based on what the New Testament says - that I can be forgiven and reconciled with God through Christ.

This doesn't give me a "get out of Hell free" card (I can't be reconciled with God while I'm actively and intentionally rebelling against him), give me license to say that I'm "better" than you, or somehow give me a miraculous ability to never make a moral mistake again.

Christianity is not about "I'm more ethical than you are" - ultimately, it's the forgiveness and reconciliation that matter, not how good I am.

I'm no better than anyone else - and that's why I need Christ to begin with.

No, I know where it came from. The same place that the "rules" by which other social animals live come from.

In a wolf pack, only the alpha male and female may reproduce. If one wolf is aggressive to another, and the victim assumes a submissive posture (groveling and offering his throat), the aggressor stops.

These (and many other) rules of behavior are hard-wired by evolution - the ones that behaved this way were the ones whose packs functioned best, making it possible for them to pass along their genes. In packs where individuals didn't cooperate well, and aggressors often killed their victims, fewer would reproduce successfully, thus, over time, the wolves with rules prevail.

This is true for every animal society from humans and chimps to ants and termites.

Pam, have you ever wondered where your "inborn sense of what is right for a society function" came from?
Could this be the "universa moral law" that C.S. Lewis talks about?

Bob Wrote-

personal to Mad Love

I lust only for you. (Call me, when you're not praying.)

Posted January 6, 2007 9:01 PM
-----------------------------------

Now you seem to have jumped to the conclusion that I pray, and that I would be offended by a homoerotic quip in yet another post that was clearly meant to be argumentative. So it would seem that my previous piece of advice would still be relevant, if not more relevant than the first time I offered it.

BG-1 - all I did was remove two links and it posted.

I recall reading elsewhere on the forum that the system holds messages with too many links in them, so I thought that might be the problem.

E Favorite, Newsweek, Washington Post wouldn't dream of censorship for anything short of obscenity.

Please excuse if this is posted twice, the original version was “…received and held for approval by the blog owner.” I’ve eliminated two of the links, in hopes that this, and not the content, is what raised a red flag.

Pam – good points about how to tell myth from history. Archeology has also clarified the veracity (or lack thereof) of some events portrayed in the bible. This type of information is taught in divinity school and is slowly getting out to the public. Here is an excerpt and some links:

New York Times, March 9, 2002

New Torah For Modern Minds, By MICHAEL MASSING

Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire Exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.

Such startling propositions -- the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years -- have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis. But there has been no attempt to disseminate these ideas or to discuss them with the laity -- until now. [For full article, go to:]
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm (Free link)
see end of article for original NY Times link

For a full book on the subject, go to Amazon and check out “The Bible Unearthed” by Jewish scholars, Finkelstein and Silberman.

Today in 2007, the story rings true in our parts of the world. This time, it is the judges and lawyers who are racists...

Let me ask something all of the believers taking part in this discussion...

You've all read some Greek and Roman and maybe Norse mythology, right? Maybe even some of the world's other cultures. I remember reading "Bride of the Sacred Well" when I was young - stories of the old Aztec religion and their sacrifices. You know, of course, that these people believed in the gods and the stories embodied by these myths every bit as fervently as you do in the Christian religion, right?

How can you tell which of these stories are real history, and which are mythology? To me, that's an easy question - the myths involve supernatural things - superhuman heroes, magic, fantastic creatures, sorcery, impossible feats. The real history is about real humans and thoroughly natural events.

Now, with that in mind, take another look at your Bible. See any parallels?

Magda, if God answered prayers then people would always be praying. I want a new car, dear God please. I want, God help me. The water's rising, God don't let the dam break. The fats in the fire, please dear God.

There are cases of prayers being answered. Now the Inca chief sacrificed his young daughter to appease the volcano god and the volcani stopped errupting. Oh ye of little faith. It was not a coinicdence. That's what I'm hearing from those that say prayers are answered.

I agree with you, Godot. When people scared of something or someone then they pray to... Oh God help!!! And when they were saved, they believed it was the hand of invisible God.

I didn't do such idiotic stuff.

Those two men who helped Mr. Gardner by telling the truth were simple human being, or they were to membwer of communist party, or KKK ---- who knows! They could be not pasturs or religious people too --- who knows!

This world is the world of human beings, animal, trees, minerals... that's all!

well, mr gardner, i didn't see the car story had anything to do with religion or god or jesus or church or something to do with experiencing truth of life at all! you were scared, paranoid toward white people, that was all! and easy to be understood. it was only a very human condition you were experiencing.

but you think/thought about it differently, irrationally, and - i am sorry - childishly, Sir!

but your field is religion, so your listeners will like that kind of childish story, since the beginning of the existence of religion. well, sir, the founder of religions is uneducated and the lover of folktale and myth too.

GHOSTDEAR dont hold your breath i have lived on this beautifull earth for 72 years and i have done without her (god/jesus)
and have no intention to change since i know she doesnt exist and because i believe religion is the problem and NOT the answer.
but i think you must be a very nice person and I respect your opinion if i met you at some bar i would certainly buy you a drink and we could discuss an article in a recent ny times that list 95 % of all our scientist are non-believers and those are the men/woman that have brains! its not the tv preacher that unraveled our dna or produced medicine for people with aids.
i have more respect for them than those homephobic moneygrabbing preachers that try to put fear into people and preach that if you dont believe you go to hell ,oh pleezeee give me a break! noway jose!

Hi, Pam -

"My point was just that the Bible isn't the only, or even the best, source of a code to live by, and the parts that are good are available to us all without referring to scripture"

Got it. Thanks

Alfred
Is there any evidence at all or is it 100% faith in God? Didn't your faith begin with someone telling you the Bible is God's word. That false assumption is made on the basis of interpretation or the Bible.

Try Interpretation 1,501 at http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul The word is don't expect to get much for your soul because the big money gose to those who lead the multitudes to hell. Unless you are leading a lot of people to the God that Moses made the deal with. Evidence says that was not God. It was clearly Lucifer the biggest Devil of them all.

Peace on earth comes when people stop worshipping, honoring, adoring, glorifying and sacrificing their children to Devil.

Faith is by definition the ability to perceive something without definitive proof. Given the excesses in this world, I prefer to trust God and his Son's word and believe that what Dr. Taylor experienced happened for a reason. Since 1937, he has traveled the world and made a difference to other human beings, both white and non-white. Isn't that what we should all try to do, leave some "footprints" on this planet and help others? Do not forsake laws, given by God, which have made a difference to all who follow them. Do right by others and they, with God's help, will do right by you.

personal to Mad Love

I lust only for you. (Call me, when you're not praying.)

Dear Willem,
I agree that there is no Santa Claus and that is why I do not participate in web discussions debating his existance. Why are you here? To blame a God that you do not believe in because you lost your house? Yes, because in your heart you know He is real. Have you ever been mad at Santa Claus? I doubt it - because we both know Santa is only a fairy tale.

You are right to say He is my God, but remember He is your God too - even when you deny and mock Him. He has been denied and mocked by men before. Yet, He remains and His Word is true after those who denied and mocked Him have turned to dust. Turn to Him and find eternal life.

Do not put your faith in men. Jesus kicked the "moneygrubbers" out of the temple, but they have returned. I also see many preachers who do not teach or follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This will be their destruction, don't let it be yours as well.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 11 Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Let the burdens of the past go, to harbor these things serves no purpose for you. To rage against God for the failings of the church serves no purpose. God knows these things and will punish those who have driven the lost further from Him. Willem, we are strangers and I ask nothing of you. But I fervently pray that you may open you heart to Jesus and that you will find His salvation.

Shucks, Rev, I decided you would pound my Bible someday, so I rigged the deck so that some white cracker died & you did not have to. Back then I decided the other way 80% of the time, but you should not pay any attention to that. Just keep on worshipping, boy--I need to keep the myth of my benevolence going.

Willem, and MHR might give this some thought. Willem, you toured the Vatican. Did you see the gold? Where did it come form? Does Jesus care that His sacred body and blood are held in gold that came from the blood of innocents? Does the pope care? Anyone care? Interesting question don't you agree?

The Conquistarors murdered millions of MHR's people to get it. He probably has some of their, Conquistador's blood but if his ancestry is Mexican...

Jews are crying foul about their gold taken by the Nazis and being kept by Swiss bankers. Others we can't name but you and I know a lot, most even will never be returned. Since we're so quick to bring "just causes" to the world why not go for the Mexican's gold and demand it be returned. Maybe that would help slow the flow of people north. Economic justice like charity begins at home.

I have many Mexican friends and aquaintences. They are nothing like they are described by the bigots, good hard working and peaceful people. They deserve better than to have their country ramsacked by robbers.

Willem, when you say in your post it's all about money you may be onto something.

Of course the Bible is not God's word. It's a five star literary hoax used by whom, righteous or criminals. Where does all that money come from? Could hell be a gold mine, wise King solomon's mine?

dear mr ghost.
no you got me wrong how can i possible be bitter against your god when im telling the world that she doesnt exist??
i once did pray for her to make my mortgage payment and i didnt even get a "check is in the mail" notice! foreclosure was next, no kidding!
get a life wake up its all a scam run by mostly homophobic moneygrabbing preachers.
anyway i wish you a happy new year but try depend on yourself and the known. there is no santa claus!

a few years ago i toured europe with 2 friends who happened to be catholic and im secular and dont believe in any of that jesus stuff to me its all hokus pokus but they were firm believers and thats fine with moi.
one of our stops was at the vatican which is almost in the center of rome, italy .the main avenue leading up the the vatican is filled with shops that sell souvenirs and religious stuff, plaster jesus statues and lots of rosaries (strings of bead with a cross attached) . my friends bought loads of the rosaries to take back to their friends and relatives in los angeles.
after they paid for the items purchased the clerck told them to come back the next day to pick up all their stuff because the store would take their roseries to the pope at vatican and have them blessed this was included in the price. no kidding!
well the same evening on the news there was a mention that the pope was out of town for several days on a retreat!
these items were not bought at walmart prices so we didnt expect a scam,anyway next day when they mentioned this to the clerck who handed them the blessed ? rosaries he blushed and said in french "cest la vie"!

Dear Willem Kraal,
I can see that you are bitter against God. I do wonder why a person so firmly against God would continue to read and contribute to this discussion. I am NOT saying you should turn away from this discussion - but I think you are looking for something and do not know what it is. Jesus Christ is waiting for you. Ask Him, and He will accept you just as you are. He does not want your money or anything you have in this world. Simply pray and ask Him if He is real, He will show you that He is. Don't send money to anyone, just pray. The answer will come.

Hi E. Favorite,
Yeah, I know about the first few commandments. I also know that it says (New Revised Standard Version): "But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns."

I didn't say that I agreed with them all. :)

My point was just that the Bible isn't the only, or even the best, source of a code to live by, and the parts that are good are available to us all without referring to scripture. Also that this is one of the *least* offensive parts of the "Good Book."

I read a book Called "Man and his Gods" by Homer W.Smith, Albert Einstein wrote the foreword. This book saved me from the Christian delusion.

Reverend Taylor, Thanks for sharing your experience. It's nice to hear that, even in those times, there were good people who spoke the truth - and thereby saved you from prison. I must say, I don't quite see how it led to religion, except that that maybe you saw some good in an otherwise bad context. But I am secular, and don't understand religous senses very well. And religous folks don't understand me - and don't want to.

MRH, blaming black people doesn't add up. But we all have our stories I guess. I am white, and lived in a black neighborhood for about 8 years. Black folks always treated me well. Yes, it was a pretty tough neighborhood, and sometimes I felt a bit fearful, but they always left me alone. Crime committed by blacks was pretty much directed toward other black people. Official U.S. statistics back that up, too.

Does the Rev. believe the same type of things don't happen to Jews, Muslims, Atheists and every other type?
@1 years ago this month I was advised of a spot on a lung exray. It took me 3 years and 10 months ( a time most lung cancer patients don't usually live) to convince a plumonary specialist to approve an operation. At this time , he said " if you wake up, you will be on a resperator therest of your life."
I did pray but made it cleasr that I didn't believe in the Bible or any of it's religions or Jesus.

The Rev. doesn't understand that much of the white feelings about blacks conmes from his beloved Bible
Leviticus 25:
44 " 'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

Now many Creationists explain the black man came when Noah cursed Ham and that part of the curse said that Ham and his offspring shall serve their brether. Just so happens his offspring are the names of BLACK nations.
Paul who did away with most of the O.T. said in three different letters that the slaves should give their Christian masters an honest days work.

http://www.religionquestioned.com has an off to shut down based on the false information given Christians about the O.T. Messiah message

The men who helped Reverand Taylor exemplify a Golden Rule of behavior. This rule was not acquired from the 1937 Louisiana social environment,--but from their hearts. The rule is not a physical entity. Defies academic understanding. The rule may well exemplify the WILL of God. It was brought forth by all the major religions. Reverand Taylor understood this,---and in gratitude devoted his life to helping others find the same ability to LOVE!

OH JESUS I DID READ THE BIBLE AND WHEN IT CAME TO THE PART ABOUT SLAVERY BEING THE GREATEST THING BESIDES SEX I KNEW I WAS ON THE WRONG PATH! ITS A HOAX MY FELLOW AMERICANS!

Prarie Ghost
You right. The great anti Christ may well be among us righ now and the end of the world just around the corner. Have you seen that hoax buser sight. I't hoax-buster.ocm If that aint the anti then I fooled

Pam, have you read the ten commandments lately?

The first 4 or 5 (depending on how you're counting)are all about getting along with God and nothing about getting along with people here on earth:

- I am the Lord your God
- You shall have no other gods before Me
- You shall not make for yourself an idol
- You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God
- Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy

The failings in the modern church are the fault of fallen man, not God. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Keep your eyes and your mind on Him. Ignore those who have failed His church and brought discredit upon God. They will answer for what they have done or failed to do. You will answer for your sins and without Jesus Christ you have no hope of avoiding eternal separation from God.

Reverend Taylor's story is an inspiration. It recalled another man who saw God while standing alongside a rode. See the Book of Acts chapter 22.

I was born to Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles many years ago. I was educated in Catholic schools and my education, both familial and academic, stressed the importance of treating people as individuals and not a members of some group. When I was sixteen I worked in a liquor store whose clientele was largely black. Several of the store's customers spoke to the owner in an attempt to convince him to fire me and hire a black in my place. Eventually that occurred but in the interim the place was held up by three armed black thugs. A shot was discharged missing me by inches. The boss did in fact fire me and hired a black boy to take my place. Two months later the owner was at my house trying to convince me to come back to work for him. The other employee was not adequate. I refused. I am not and have never been a racist but the black community still has much work to do or they will forever remain stuck in a state of dependency on their political overseers in the Democrat party. The rate of illegitimacy is frightful and crime and drug addiction are their predictable consequences.

OH JESUS PAM SO WELL SAID, RELIGION IS A SCAM AND RUN ON FEAR AND MONEY! AMEN

Jim wrote:
"As I read all these posts, I get this feeling that there are those who in there hopeless want to bring others down, by trying to prove God doesn't exist. If you believe there is no God then you must believe that this whole world is just a random sequence of events. Those who would refute God'd existence have never even read the bible enough to even make an intelegent choice. Ten statements in the bible define what GOD is all about. Read the ten commandments. Don't kill, don't lie, so on. What could possibly wrong with that."

What makes you think that non-believers feel hopeless? Not at all. I have many hopes and dreams, just like anyone else; I just don't invest them in some imaginary life after death.

Nor do I believe that that the world is as it is through a "random sequence of events." It's far from random, but it IS thoroughly natural.

As for the ten commandments, if that were all that was in the Bible, I'd have less of a problem with it, but the Bible is in fact filled with hatred, misogyny, racism, and unspeakably horrible acts done by, or at the direction of God. I recommend that everyone read it thoroughly. Yes, Jim, I have.

I don't kill, I don't steal, I don't lie (except for the little white ones that we all tell - don't deny it!). I'll stand my ethics and scruples up against those of any Christian - the difference is that I derive them from an inborn sense of what's right for a society to function - not because I'm afraid that some unseen father in the sky will send me to eternal torment if I don't. What's more, I think Christians do, too. How do you look at Biblical admonitions to kill disobedient children by stoning them to death, and reject them as wrong, if not by your own innate sense of right and wrong? This fits very well with natural selection, you know. Societies composed of individuals with built-in codes of ethics (basically the golden rule) function well and survive - their members leave descendants. Dysfunctional ones self-destruct.

Louisiana is certainly no stranger to bigotry, even today. The irony is that most of those bigots would tell you that they're God-fearing men, and would probably quote you chapter and verse as to why they believe that other races aren't as good, nor as favored by God, as their own (sons of Ham, no doubt). But there are, and always have been, honest people everywhere. Rev. Taylor was lucky enough to encounter two of them.

Prove that God had anything to do with it. If God wished to intervene, why didn't he just prevent the accident?

Willem,

Just because religion is messed up sometimes does not mean there is no GOD. It just means that people have the choice to be evil or good, including preachers/clerics and so on. Just because OSAMA is a terrorist does not mean all Muslims are like that. Your point is just so lame, just because people decide to distort God's message has nothing to do with the validity of the message. Why don't you try reading the bible before you decide what is or isn't. You see if you are wrong in your assumptions you will have eternity to lament over it. You seem willing to take that chance, best of luck with that. God doesn't make people good or bad we do that on our own, when some commits murder it is not God doing it it is people choosing to do it. Don't blame God for what terrible choices people make. God gives us grace and wisdom to make good choices if we are smart enough to listen and learn.

Jim
Got faith?
1. Faith is the Bible is God's word
2. Faith is the man with the Bible is God's vicar. Vicar - attorney.
3. Got any faith left over after all that? Have a little faith in God.

http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul is fair warning to those who put their faith in other than God.

Peace be unto you.

oh jesus please if you do exist how in the hell is she gonna answer request and prayers from almost 7 billion persons on our planet as i have problems just answering to one lover!
lets face it be good to others but this religeous bussiness is a scam ,its not the answer its THE problem,just look at the middle east and you get the idea! believing in god/jesus is like believing there is a santa she just wont be answering your mail, no way jose! but ofcourse everyone should be treated with respect religious or not, straight or gay, arm or poor but lets not deceive ourselves. oh by the way there are 2 homophobic moneygrabbing tv preachers and their last name is 'DOLLAR" ! go figure.

Thank you Gardner, for sharing your story with us. The I AM of God reaches everyone in it's own way, but there are common elements in all of them. I'm sure that it was not mere gratitude to God that caused you to change your life's path. Only when we see ourselves as dead, when we cease to view our lives as building which we have already constructed and must preserve- are we freed to allow God to build a life that is truly purposeful.

Also thank you Dennis, not only for using the English grammar that I know and love, but for having the intellectual courage to present your views simply and truthfully to a bunch of people who you might consider insane. It's nice to be treated like a human being instead of some barely mammalian creature who is incapable of discourse.

This is Great! It is comforting to know that it is your life. Do Good with it, or, screw things up.

In the end of that life you will get all the credit, the Good and the not so Good.

Life is short do all the Good You Can..........

As I read all these posts, I get this feeling that there are those who in there hopeless want to bring others down, by trying to prove God doesn't exist. If you believe there is no God then you must believe that this whole world is just a random sequence of events. Those who would refute God'd existence have never even read the bible enough to even make an intelegent choice. Ten statements in the bible define what GOD is all about. Read the ten commandments. Don't kill, don't lie, so on. What could possibly wrong with that.

For all the skeptics who doubt the sincerity of this modern day saint and GOD who IS and WAS and IS to come, who think you're so smart with your syncretistic, secular, philosophical values; listen to what an ancient sophist had to say:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into udgment
Including every secret thing
Whether good or evil."

But of course, "He who hath an ear, let him hear..."

For all the skeptics who doubt the sincerity of this modern day saint and GOD who IS and WAS and IS to come, who think you're so smart with your syncretistic, secular, philosophical values; listen to what an ancient sophist had to say:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into udgment
Including every secret thing
Whether good or evil."

But of course, "He who hath an ear, let him hear..."

Thank you Reverend Taylor, for sharing your story. It is often a mystery how God directs us and reveals himself to us. It is all a great Mercy on His part. It is YOUR story, and we all have one.

So, to those who want to try to find a way to poke some kind of hole in his story or explain why it is so illogical,....of course, you could find some angle to do that, but, then you might miss the possibility that God could also be intervening... Ultimately, we all put our faith in something...we walk by faith and not by sight.

I first met Dr. Gardner Taylor in the early seventies, when I was pastor on Long Island and he was in his prime as pastor in Brooklyn. I recently heard him in Tulsa, OK. Time has taken its toll on his body, but he is still a master preacher. If I were to make a list of the best preachers I have ever heard, he would still be at the top.

I don't know when or where you other losers lived, but my grandparents were alive in Louisiana in 1937--all of them--and they would've told the truth. My in-laws, too. They would've checked to see if the man was drinking or had stolen the car, sure--as we would today.

Think of the attorney this man might've become! He might be a Supreme Court Justice today. Instead, he's just another black preacher, toeing a line written in a book of fiction, oblivious to the principles of fairness and democracy, yet he says two men who subscribed to those American principles led him to GOD? Talk about your faulty logic.

I was raised in an Anglo mansion by Anglos and spoiled rotten. After I was older, I had a little trouble with the law, shot and killed an Adam Henry. He had it coming for saying unfriendly things to one of my fellows. He was one of them, you know so I had to run for my very YKW else I would have been falsely charged. Luckily I got away, crossed the border and found myself down and out in Mexico. The locals quickly recognized me as aa Anglo.

I met a good looking hunny, married her and she had a son for me. We were near starvation when I managed to convince a near blind and deaf bedraggled sheep herder that I was his nephew. So he let us share his tortillas and beans but not for free. I had to watch his sheep.

One day while tending my benefactor's flock I noticed a bush that was on fire. It didn't burn up but just kept on burning so curosity got the best of me and I approached it for a closer look.

Then I heard a voice coming out of the flame. When I asked who was speaking, the voice replied, "I'm God." So I hid my face and fell on my knees. I knew then that I was saved. Sure enough I was correct in that. But I had to do what God said.

With God's help I took the chance, robbed a bank and wisely invested all the money I could spare as God told me to do. Now I have my very own ministry. I am chauffered everywhere I go and I go everywhere in a limo where multitudes cheer my arival. I just tell them to have faith and stop fighting unless it's "just cause."

That's all God wants, faith and of course we must worship, adore, glorify, honor and sacrifice to God. Reluctantly, I accept gifts to God. I get them tax free, and they're tax deductible to the faithful so give until it hurts, (never miss an opportunity to promote one's Godly business). Of course my grand palace is tax exempt. Thus is the greatness of Almighty God.

Now which part of my story don't you believe? Warning: All those who do not believe me are going straight to hell where they will be set on fire to burn forever.

dear mark

i do respects other peoples believe even though i think its a complete waste of time. but if u think it helps u stick with it.but just think of all those hours that people are on their knees praying while they could be helping our soldiers that were wounded in iraq or perhaps take care of the 50000 homeless persons here in los angeles. how can you possible have a relationship with a jesus/god while knowing that she just doesnt exsist. i know for many people they need someone to lean on but they are false crutches . pray to your jesus/god and ask that she will make your next mortgage payment and you will find out that foreclosure will happen shortly! this reverend im certain was a fine person but he was lucky he didnt run into the kkk and they are a god/jesus fearing church going group.

Having lived in Louisiana for quite a number of years, I can tell you that the experience that Reverend Taylor went through was definitely an anomaly for that region of the country. The fact that he did have witnesses in his favor could just as easily been ignored by the courts system (and has been ignored by the courts system systematically for years). The Reverend was extremely fortunate in that the area the accident occurred was close to Baton Rouge, which was a little more tolerant than say, had it happened to him in Marksville, Crowley, Leesville, Jonesville, Covington, or many of the small communities outside of the major cities at that time.

Now, I'll accept the fact that this incident led the Reverend to re-evaluate his life and try to do good for his fellow man. This is a very noble goal, although from a practical experience few religious leaders today are so concerned with their fellow man as they are in where the money for their next excess in church building will come from. However, the event could have just as easily made the Reverend re-evaluate his life, and become an automotive engineer, concerned with developing new safety features to prevent what happened to him from occurring to another. He could have decided to become a physician, as he was unable to save the individual who died that day. There are any number of possibilities here, and to say that God (by whatever definition you wish to use) was involved seems quite self-centered. God did not make the choice unless you believe in predestination. The Reverend made the choice based solely on a sequence of events that were likely preventable.

This does not however diminish the fact that the Reverend has indeed done a world of good for his fellow man since that time. It is a shame that there are few like him in the ranks of the religious clergy. Perhaps then religion would be better received than with the current self-centered, self-gratification leadership that is in place in many of the major denomination.

Ah, Willem. You have "done without any of this weird stuff" and "survi[ved] with no side effects," but that is not the point. Being without God or faith does not ruin someone's life or make it worthless. Anyone who says so is selling you lies, trying to scare you or threaten you into faith--a faith that they clearly do not understand.

But going through life in relationship with God, guided by faith, adds to life: to love, to joy, to hope, to personal peace, and often, as in the case of Rev. Taylor, to vocational decisions and values which often make one's life more service or other-focused. This last part is particularly significant, as faith often serves to influence people into careers in public service and helping professions which impact the world.

remarkable story but oh so stupid. if my doctor would tell me tomorrow that i have aids but if i start believing in jesus/god and she would heal me ofcourse i start praying like mad. but fairytales dont come true its all bs coming mostly from homophobic moneyhungry preachers.look around our world and you will see that religion is the problem and NOT the answer! believing in a god/jesus is like believing in santa claus, no there, there! its a scam a fraud ! at 72 i have done without any of this weird stuff hey and i survided with no side effects!

I am a non-believer, so reading stories like this don't have much meaning for me. I am glad the Reverend found a purpose for his life. But I certainly don't view it as god intervening in his life at such a crucial time; as Bob says there surely must have been some decent, moral white men in Louisiana in 1937. Reverend Taylor just had the good luck to find two of them. But on the other hand, if the Reverend's story has meaning, then couldn't we also rationally infer the opposite; that a loving and merciful god would not permit the harsh treatment of many other black men who were not as fortunate in similar situations?

What a remarkable story! The proof that you were led by God is this: that this chain of events brought you to live a life of service to others and satisfaction for your own spirit. You found God's presence in the unexpected goodness of some fellow human beings. Best place to look for Him!

Well, Reverend, I suppose your emotional, illogical reason for becoming a believer is about as valid as any other illogical, emotional reason. But then, by the very nature of beast, what other reason could there possibly be for believing in something for which there is no evidence.

It never ceases to amaze me how people fail to read and comprehend the context of what someone is saying. I'm thankful for the grace of God in people's lives that enables them to go on experience so much more than the mundane.

Thank you Dr. Taylor for sharing your experiences and enlightening all of us.

Bob - He is talking about Louisiana in 1937. In your lust for argument you might try to not come across as an ignorant jackass.

Thank You.

With respect, Reverand: The premise that all white men lie to keep African American students in jail in racism, isn't it?

The fact that white men are also human beings, capable of higher human reactions, may understandably be a cause for momentary joy, it is hardly a reason to surrender that joy (and good fortune) to the irrational.

Thank you.

I always look forward to reading your posts REVEREND
and you never disappoint.

i had a similar kind of experience in long beach calif when i observed a policeman gun down an unarmed man- shot 5 times in the stomach at close range- i was imprisoned for 2 months and never charged and told that i was lost in the system- was a number and would never leave- unless i changed my story of what i saw-
miraculously- a neighbor in my poor neighborhood was some kind of crazy eccentric millionaire bailed me out- so that i was able to testify-

my testimony alone however probably wouldnt have been enough- but it so happened that 2 local and politically prominent lawyers saw the wholw thing also- they tried to find out what had happened to me but couldnt discover my name-(i was whisked away immediately)

the policeman was discharged form his service on the force.

it is beautiful that you with gods help were able to experience justice and go on to use your life to help others see justice too.
may god bless you sir