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Carrol Sutton–Noel Merideth Debate on
Church Support of Children’s Homes
Carrol Sutton affirmed: The Scriptures teach that Churches of Christ may not build and maintain benevolent organizations such as Boles Orphans Home, Tennessee Orphans Home, Childhaven and Home For the Aged for the care of the needy. Noel Merideth denied.
Noel Merideth affirmed: The Scriptures teach that Churches of Christ may build and maintain benevolent organizations such as Boles Orphans Home, Tennessee Orphans Home, Childhaven and Home For the Aged for the care of the needy. Carrol Sutton denied.
01 – Sutton 1st Affirmative
02 – Merideth 1st Negative
03 – Sutton 2nd Affirmative
04 – Merideth 2nd Negative
05 – Sutton 3rd Affirmative
06 – Merideth 3rd Negative
07 – Sutton 4th Affirmative
08 – Merideth 4th Negative
09 – Sutton 5th Affirmative
10 – Merideth 5th Negative
11 – Sutton 6th Affirmative
12 – Merideth 6th Negative
13 – Merideth 1st Affirmative
14 – Sutton 1st Negative
15 – Merideth 2nd Affirmative
16 – Sutton 2nd Negative
17 – Merideth 3rd Affirmative
18 – Sutton 3rd Negative
19 – Merideth 4th Affirmative
20 – Sutton 4th Negative
21 – Merideth 5th Affirmative
22 – Sutton 5th Negative
23 – Merideth 6th Affirmative
24 – Sutton 6th Negative
I agree with MR Sutton. No matter if the translation from the Bible (Scroll) was exact. As I was once a Foster Child in one of these Church of Church, Faith Based Residential Children Care Facilities. Abt 5 years back this facility worth abt 19 Million. Now as I see it. When there is money involved greed sets in. Now is that not a sin? I was born in Memphis sent to another state with my siblings. We were placed in that home as permanent Foster Care. Corporal Disapline they called it. I earned my keep. I was farmed out for labor. Also put on for show. Anytime Brother Sutton. I k ow you Doctrine and I know the Bible by memory most of it. It was drilled in me. I can help you prove The Children’s Homes are Evil. I am a wonderful person and I have a great life! I went home to Memphis to my first Foster Parents and joined the USAF. And never went across that bridge again. My offer stands Brother Sutton. Peace be upon you and your family.
Thank you for visiting The Scripture Cache and for responding to the debate video you watched. I truly regret to hear of the unhappy experience you had in a children’s home operated by members of the church. I can understand how this would affect your attitude toward other such homes. However, it is not fair to conclude that all children’s homes are evil based on the one that mistreated you (should the Lord have rejected all of the apostles because one turned out to be a thief and His betrayer?). I am almost 84 years old, and over that span of years I have had interactions with several homes operated by members of the church and financially supported by congregations of the Lord’s people. I am also familiar with some people who have lived in such homes. In fact, the wife of the preacher in the church of which my wife and I are members lived in one of them, and she’s never had anything but good to say about her treatment there. Your very negative experiences in one such home have caused you to “paint with too broad a brush.”
The issue in the debate was not whether one of such homes may have failed (even grievously as you described) to provide loving care for the children living there. The issue was whether the Scriptures authorize congregations of the church to support such homes when they operate in harmony with loving care of the children living in them. The purpose of such homes is to serve as a substitute for the natural home of which children are deprived, for whatever the reason. The abuse of a system, institution, organization, etc., that has the right to exist when functioning as intended cannot logically/rightly be used as an argument against the existence of the system or institution itself. Likewise, a Scripturally authorized institution (which a home is, be it a natural home or a substitute for it) cannot rightly be opposed on the ground that one or more homes (whether natural or a substitute) fails in its purpose. I can understand your strong emotional reaction to your experience, but it is just that—-emotional rather than Scriptural or logical. By your “logic,” every congregation of the Lord’s people is evil, simply because some congregations have abandoned the Gospel and are preaching and practicing things that are false and destructive. I strongly encourage you to read a couple of my MSS that touch on some of the matters I have mentioned. One of them is titled, “Good People in Bad Churches,” which you will find HERE . Another one I hope you will read, “Has the New Testament Church Been Restored?” you will find HERE.
I rejoice to know that the outcome of your life has been a happy one, and I hope it will continue to be so. Thank you for your good wishes, which I return to you.
In Christian love,
Dub McClish