The Supremacy of Traditions (and you thought I was going to say Christ)

The Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting the beginning of this week in North Carolina, with a couple of things worth mentioning coming out of it. Probably the best thing that happened is the election of Frank Page as the new President. The biggest reason that is good is that he was not endorsed by any of the ‘big wigs’ in the convention, and the success of his campaign can be partly attributed to blogs, meaning that people knew what was really happening. Hopefully we will start to see some changes in the direction of the convention, although it remains to be seen if he will actually do anything different.

Among the other things that were occured, besides cheering that the damned are damned and for the spread of war, this important motion was proposed:
– that the SBC “refrain from using the word ‘gay’ when referring to homosexuals in sermons, publications and in the media” and that Baptist pastors and those in other denominations be asked to do the same, submitted by William I. Gay Jr. of Winterville (N.C.) Baptist Church. (Anybody catch the submitter’s last name?)

And just in case anyone mistakenly thought the SBC might be turning back to Biblical truths instead of their traditions, they reaffirmed their belief in the ultimate authority of church regulations over biblical truths and their belief that man does not have a free will by passing another resolution on alcohol. I could go on and on about this, but the first thing to point out is the need for the drafter of this proposal to go back to school. They apparently failed grammar and don’t know the difference between the words ‘use’ and ‘abuse’.

To read the proposal, along with a commentary by Steve McCoy, go here, and then click here to read Wade Burleson’s well written take on this subject.

Here is my question: How is it possible for a group of individuals to read this passage of scripture:

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day– things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)–in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 3:8-10, 16-23

and then write this in their church constitution:

Every pastoral staff and official board member of this church must not misuse drugs or use intoxicating liquor or tobacco in any form or belong to a secret society or bring disrespect upon his or her office through worldly practice and associations.

Article VIII – Ordination, Page 13:
The following persons shall not be considered [for ordination]:
(2) One who partakes in the use of intoxicating liquor, illegal drugs, or tobacco in any form, or who belongs to a secret society, or one who brings disrepute upon his ministry through worldly practices and associations.