posted July 23, 2008
As an avid fisherman, my time to do so is very limited. As a Christian, I think it's great that someone is being baptized. As a fisherman, I find it rude for a baptism ceremony to block my only access to the lake.
The question that stands out in my mind is why do baptisms have to take place on the ramps? Lakes are huge and there is plenty of room in other areas for baptisms other than the boat ramps.
Who pays for the ramps? The user fees that boaters must pay or be fined. Do the churches pay a fee? I know it sounds anti Christian, but, baptisms do not belong at the boat ramps.
Personally, I think it's rude for the person to interrupt a boat ramp for even five minutes. It's tough enough to launch a boat at a busy ramp. One has to be patient with the people that lack experience of backing a trailer.
I think the church should invest in a tank, and keep it within the church like most others.
Craig L. Carpenter
* * *
I agree with Mr. Carpenter. I found it inconsiderate of the church to tie up the boat ramp for such a length of time on July 4th. This is one day that an increase in traffic should be anticipated.
I understand that the church considers these believers' public profession of faith to be very important, but why must the boat ramp be used? There are plenty of other access points along the banks of the lake where baptisms could be performed without obstructing boaters.
Michael Rhudy
* * *
For a local church to tie up a boat ramp on the 4th of July is absolutely ridiculous. Boat ramps are built and maintained for one purpose: launching boats. They are maintained by the recreational dollars spent by fisherman and pleasure boaters alike on license and registration fees.
Churches have no business blocking a state or county boat ramp on any day, let alone on a major boating holiday. Kudos to any fisherman that launches his boat during a baptism taking place on a public boat ramp. Fisherman work too hard during the week to get those precious few hours of needed recreation the sport delivers to be denied launching their boats by a congregation of inconsiderate people performing a religious ceremony on a public boat ramp.
There are just too many other convenient places for a church to hold this ceremony than to tie up a public boat ramp. They might try any of the numerous public swimming beaches, as most have easy access and ample parking.
Dewayne H. Dean
Dayton
* * *
I am shocked to read that so many recreational boaters believe that baptisms shouldn't be performed on boat ramps, and that they seem to believe that only those with boats should be allowed to use what is clearly a public resource. Baptisms have taken place in the river, at exactly the boat ramp in question, for much longer than recreational fishermen have been putting their boats in the river, and longer than there has been a boat ramp there.
I simply cannot believe the selfishness and the rudeness and the extreme lack of courtesy involved in the incident, or shown by those letters. I have been to such a baptism. My grandfather, in his late 70's, was baptized in the river near where he grew up, with several of his lifelong friends. It was a new experience to me, having grown up going to churches with shiny bathtub baptismals, to be a part of such a service. It is a memory I cherish. It is also a wonderful tradition that should be kept alive as long as possible.
The thought that some pathetic Bill Dance wannabee couldn't wait a few minutes to let a group of fellow citizens use a public recreational area is just ridiculous. I think that if church groups have to reserve the use of boat ramps, boaters should too. You can't give special treatment to religious groups, but you can't discriminate, either. Whatever regulations they have to live by, the boaters do too. We'll set up a schedule, and put an armed guard at every ramp. If you show up without an appointment, no fishing for you, Roland Martin. If you show up early, you wait until your appointment. If you show up late, no fishing for you. Come to think of it, if that oh-so-nice boater had actually gotten his lazy bottom out of bed at a decent hour, he would have been in the water before the church service started, now wouldn't he? He obviously wasn't in that much of a hurry or he would have gotten himself together earlier.
Baptisms in the river are, in the grand scheme, extraordinarily rare. They are often used only by the elderly, who need easy access to the river and cannot negotiate steep, rocky banks or climb up and down dock ladders. If boaters don't have the decency and courtesy to just hold on a minute until the baptism is over, they should have to live by the same restrictions and rules as the churches.
Or they could just be nice, decent people. I bet that most of them already are.
Dana Chadwell
* * *
Well, I think the first question is what would Jesus do? What if he were in the truck trying to launch his boat, or if he where the one of the people standing there for the baptisms looking at you?
I know what I would do, what about you?
Richard Sledge
Whitwell
richardsledge@charter.net
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Being a Christian, I am sympathetic with the church who wanted to use the boat ramp for baptisms. That being said, however, there are many other places that can be used for baptisms. I am sure they liked the boat ramp because it provides a firm, non-muddy place to stand and walk during the service.
I have also been to baptisms in private and public swimming pools.
While not all church's have their own baptistery, most large churches would consider it an honor to allow another congregation to baptize in their facility.
Try calling some local pastors, I would be surprised if they can't find a site within one hour.
James Dandy
* * *
It is against the law to swim from or congregate in the waters located near a public boat ramp. It is illegal to hinder the withdrawal of craft or launching of craft by anyone from waterways within Tennessee, whether it be in TVA, TWRA controlled areas, or public ramps. Private or access restricted launch areas fall under different regulations.
Furthermore why would you want to use a boat ramp to do a church service? You obviously haven't stood below the water line on too many of them. They are slick, very slick and more often than not have some broken glass or other form of debris close by. You would be better served using a swimming area, many of which have steps or are low sloped to allow easy access.
Don't complain about courtesy or rules and regulations when you are obviously not informed, Mrs. Caldwell.
And to the gentleman purposing the question about what would Jesus do? Jesus wouldn't need the boat ramp, that whole walk on water thing, nor do I believe he ever used one to baptize people.
Todd Bowen
* * *
I have no problem with churches holding baptisms on the boat ramps as long as all participating have paid for their fishing license. It is the money from these licenses that pay for those boat ramps, and if I am waiting on your activities in order to launch my boat, I would like to know that we are equal participants.
Mr. Bowen is correct about the conditions below the water line, so it amazes me that Ms. Caldwell would suggest that a boat ramp is a good place for the elderly to be walking.
Just because you are participating in a church function, does not give you the right to "control" an area that is designated for another purpose.
S. Cook
Hixson
* * *
I can't believe this is even being discussed.
Boat ramps are for loading and unloading boats, not a place to have a church service . If you understand this no explanation is needed. If you don't understand no explanation will help.
F. Roper
Chattanooga
* * *
It is really strange that Soddy Daisy will allow baptisms at the boat ramp, but they will remove you from the dock for fishing.
I have been an avid fisherman all my life, buy a fishing license every year and have raised two daughters that love to fish. I have always promoted conservation and proper fishing. We never litter or leave anything behind when we are done. I realize that this is not always the case with a lot of people who like to leave their trash behind.
My youngest daughter, age seven, and I were fishing on a Monday at about 7:30 a.m. in the middle of January, the water was down for winter levels, there was not one other person, vehicle, boat, animal or anything within eyesight. All of a sudden we were being escorted off the dock by Soddy Daisy Police because it is posted no fishing from the dock. I asked why and wanted to know who we were hindering while we were fishing? The nice officer didn’t take this too kindly. Imagine the horror on my seven-year-old’s face because she thought we were in trouble with the law.
I believe that it is clearly posted at the ramp, no fishing, swimming, wading etc. So why would churches be allowed to hold baptisms on the busiest day of the year for water traffic? If my family and I have to find some other place to fish, (like in the high weeds that they don't mow that are filled full of mosquitoes and snakes or walk out in ankle deep mud when the water is down in the winter months) then everybody needs to find another place to conduct their business.
I must agree that boat ramps are the worst place there is to walk in the water - their slick with mud and algae. This should be a no brainer for Soddy Daisy. Nothing should take place at a boat ramp but the launching of boats.
Robert Beale
* * *
Just read the report of the Baptism at the boat ramp in "Soddy-Daisy". This story is making the rounds on the Internet and is creating much stir, especially among people with intellect and an understanding of the Constitution.
When a public boat ramp becomes an extension of a church, and infringes on the public's right to access their tax payer supported facility for the primary purpose for which it was designed, you have a clear violation of church and state. Plain and simple.
That anyone, much less an elected government official, would espouse amazement that a boater and taxpayer exercised his right to launch his boat in spite of a superstitious religious right being performed on publicly owned property, on the Fourth of July no less, is more than inane, it's pure ignorance. The respect is owed to the boaters, 'not' to some ritual which has no place on public property.
My guess is that the good Christians of "Soddy-Daisy" would be less than tolerant had 'they' been forced to wait in line at the ramp, on a holiday, while some Wiccan pagans performed some ritual to their water spirit; or if some Satanists opted to similarly use the ramp for some "spiritual" purpose. Indeed, good ole "Baptist Bubba" would probably rev the engine on his Johnson as he backed his bass boat down the ramp to see if he could create some chum. No doubt he would be released on his own recognizance. The attitudes of the good Christians would be somewhat less ecumenical toward those "heathens", no doubt, since the hypocrisy of Christians when the shoe is on the other foot is renown.
This story reinforces everything educated people think of when they think of southern Christians in general, and Tennesseans in particular.
B. Centre
Alstead, N.H.
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