The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 4

4A Tin TwwwHin SwxUyJANUARY 13. 1991 Ministers pray over gulf crisis, but many keep opinions private By RAY WADDLE Religion News Editor The Persian Gulf is too sensitive a topic for many local pulpits, but other ministers are overcoming reluctance to preach on war issues even though it might divide their congregations. while local Muslims circulate petitions calling for President Bush to back off and allow Muslims to break the stalemate, Christian ministers disagree oyer whether their spiritual role allows them to grapple publicly with the military crisis. "More than preaching, we're praying," said the Rev. Michael Graves, pastor of Temple Bap tist Church.

"I don't think the pulpit is the place is raise the ques tions, since so many people in a congregation are touched by this. We have 10-15 people who are over there or about to be called up. You're the spiritual leader. If war breaks out, you're the one who'll be doing the funerals, too." nothing to say about events." In his sermon Macfie said he does not believe a desert clash with Iraq qualifies as a just war because all diplomatic options have yet to be exhausted. Most members who commented to him later about it said they agreed, he said, while those who disagreed said they nevertheless "affirmed my decision to preach it." "I did not try to coerce or say this is God's word on the situation," he said.

At Friday services at Nashville's Islamic Center, Muslims did not hear preaching on the war, but they signed petitions urging Bush to pull the armed forces out of Saudia Arabia, an Islamic holy land. The petitions also argued the crisis should be arbitrated by other Muslims. The petition has been sent to the White House, he said. Another petition, begun nationally last week, was signed by Muslims here and sent to Iraq, calling for Saddam to allow an American Muslim delegation to visit for the cause of peace. Ahmed added that incidents of harassment of local Muslims is increasing, because of non-Muslims' mistaken view that "all Muslims are Arab." Most Muslims in the world, including the millions who live in Malaysia and the Soviet Union, are not Arab, Ahmed pointed out.

At Madison Church of Christ, minister Steve Flatt said church members are praying for troops by name because so many are connected with the congregation, but Flatt has not addressed war issues from the pulpit. "Addressing this in the pulpit isn't a political issue with us." That view would be disputed at Brookmeade Congregational Church, where the Rev. Dan Rosemergy has used his pulpit to promote his denomination's "grave misgivings" about a desert war and the church's argument that economic sanctions against Iraq be given more time. The Rev. Pat McGeachy of Downtown Presbyterian Church said he sees his role as "KP rather than com manding officer." He wants to feed his flock the gospel rather than "nag" about political strategy.

"I have not tried to tell people what to think. I want to feed them so they can do what needs to be done. I've tried not to nag about affairs in Washington. Now, if I had a church in Washington, then maybe I'd nag." A Tullahoma priest, meanwhile, recently overcame 11C his reluctance to question Bush's war posture publicly, and the effect of a sermon last month on the subject was to "open up the parish to really talk about it," he said. AJ I "It was initially a real struggle to preach on that be cause we have a lot of retired military folks," said the Rev.

Tom Macfie, rector at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Tullahoma. fiffw Griffith lost 65 tn 1 "But, once someone initiates discussion in a context 373-1000 people respect, it starts them thinking. If we continue to pass up topics as a church, we will eventually have or 1-800-321 -THIN Lose all the weight you can for only 12 PER WEEK Hourlong worldwide prayer vigil televised A Mount Juliet Christian televi sion station participated in a worldwide hourlong prayer vigil yesterday as religious leaders prayed to stop the United States and Iraq There's A Right Way To Lose Weight. from going to war.

V- I s2 WHTN-Channel 39 in Wilson For Nutriyitm Mrvio. Turn frarm of tpetal oHr by tt Nutri Data oornputer program for your weight lots goal. Special offar doaa not induct tha ooat of NutnVSyvtom foods, aval ual ton faa and maintananoa. ft cannot ba oombinad with othar offara and mutt ba paid in fuU at tha tima of purohaaa. Valid only wth tna purohaaa of a naw program at a participating oantar.

now di-ma only. Ona diaooum par paraon. Offer axpiraa 11491 (Offar may ba axtandad.) i As ptoptt vary, to dots an mtmdutTs wttgM toss 4 C1990, Nutrirsiam, inc County broadcast prayers from area religious heads that God would grant world leaders wisdom to solve the problem correctly. The International Hour of Pray GALLATIN DONELSON S. NASHVILLE SPRINGFIELD GREEN HILLS BELLEVUE COLUMBIA LEBANON COOKEVILLE FRANKLIN MURFREESBORO CLARKSVILLE RIVERGATE er, which WHTN officials learned about only three days earlier, was a collective prayer from millions of people in 178 nations, said station manager Jerry Dunn.

Dekxes Delvki Stafl The Rev. Dan Leiker leads prayer for U.S. leaders on the International Hour of Prayer, on WHTN in Mount Juliet. Debbie Thomas and Chaplain James Messer, of Lebanon pray in the background. Dunn said he hopes the collective prayers, which took place noon-1 p.m.

yesterday, will be answered. Davidson legislators want Wapner-type court said trial lawyers opposed similar moves in the past. II I mm' Tk "I don't understand why they can't do this now," Summers said. Niiiu" umwiiii iliinwwww- mmm mmm W1 "We already have a small claims court, and it is General Sessions." Sen. Joe Haynes, chairman of the der $500 anyway," Ruben said.

The small claims court system would apply only to Davidson County. People would write their own complaint, file it for $7 with the General Sessions Court and a judge would hear the matter. Ruben said that fee may be too small to pay for proper service of documents. Criminal, libel and slander complaints could not be filed in the small claims division. Before they file, they would have to agree to give up the right to an attorney, a jury trial and to appeal the decision of the judge.

"I think it is one of the most popular consumer bills I have ever seen," West said. Davidson County delegation and an attorney, said he was against the idea in the past. are filed with General Sessions Court. "Everyone deserves their day in court," West said, "but it takes months, if not years, for a case to get through the current system." Currently, it costs $48.75 to file a claim in Metro courts, plus a per-page filing for other documents, plus attorney fees if one uses an attorney, plus the cost of warrants and stenographers. A person with a claim for under $500 may spend that much just to get through the legal system, Ruben said.

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