Tim Wildmon
AFA president
September 1999 – One thing I have learned over the years is that when you write for public consumption, people will respond with their own opinions about whatever it is you’ve written. Such is the case with this column. If you’ve been reading this space for any time at all, you know I often use humor to make a serious point about the Christian life, culture, or a particular battle in which AFA is engaged.
I have received many complimentary cards, letters and E-mails. And I have also received some criticism. And then there are the letters I read aloud to some of the staff to see what kind of reaction I get. This month I would like to share a few of these thoughts and suggestions from readers. I won’t use their names because I don’t have their permission. These are all recent letters but I have gotten some doozies over the years, trust me.
About a year ago I wrote about how many people visit the birthplace of Elvis Presley here in Tupelo. I said that the greatest birthplace to visit is Jesus’s birthplace in Bethlehem. Then I wrote that unlike Jesus, Elvis was a “dead man.” I guess the way I wrote upset a certain gentleman from New Jersey who wrote me a letter that his Elvis was a great man and I didn’t have to remind him Elvis was dead. So I want to remind him again here that Elvis is dead. Although his movies live on, and I actually like them.
Last April I wrote a short story about how popular culture had influenced even my home when my five-year-old son Walker used profanity at pre-school. He had heard the word on something his parents had let him watch on television. I wrote how I had scolded Walker and took him back to the school – after he had confessed this to me in the van – and made him apologize to his teacher. I failed to mention in the story that I was proud of the little man for telling me on his own what he had done wrong. But the way I described the situation caused a backlash among some readers who thought I was too harsh with Walker. This thoughtful response came to me from Arizona: “The criticism of your son, expressed in your words, ‘Unbelievable! What’s wrong with you?’ has probably done more harm than any negative influences he has seen on TV.” The writer also said, “Perhaps there are some parenting classes that will help you become the father that God called you to be.”
A couple of gems came to me as a result of a story I wrote about traveling to the Holy Land in the May edition. I wrote, “I love to travel. I love to see new places and experience different cultures. Except for the food. I like American food. To be more specific I like country cookin’. Aside from my family, that’s the one thing I miss while traveling in other countries. Instead of ham and eggs for breakfast, in Israel, I have tuna fish and scrambled eggs. When I tell people that, they look at me like I’m sick. Well, I never thought I would do it either. But, you adapt. To a point. I don’t put ketchup on the eggs, for example, like some sick people do here in America….”
So I’m not Max Lucado. This was about all the fun I had in that 900-word column and still came this note to me. “Dear Tim, Now why would someone be sick for putting ketchup on eggs? I like it. Statements like that add nothing to your message and are just what the media jumps on to label us the ‘radical religious right.’”
About this same column – which was much about the wonder of traveling the Holy Land – came an E-mail. Now sit down for this one, okay: “I am truly saddened by the American idea that taking a pleasure trip to the so-called Holy Land is a pilgrimage. Christians in third world countries are being murdered for the faith of our Lord and we think we are doing great things by touring Israel. I will be embarrassed to stand beside a Christian in the final judgement who was beheaded or burned for the faith while my greatest contribution to the cause of Christ was a so-called pilgrimage.”
This fellow was trying to put me on some kind of guilt trip that I didn’t need to take. Funny how sometimes people read things into what is written. Especially when one tries to use a little levity. Still, I welcome feedback from folks who read this column and who care about AFA. So please, drop me a line sometime. 
