Have You Seen This Video? | Eastern North Carolina Now

Have You Seen This Video?

    In only 3 days we go to the polls. It is hard to believe---except our airways are cluttered with commercials for this or that candidate.

    I have a dear friend from Emory days named Charles Walker. He is a unique person who finds many unique things on the Internet. Hardly a week goes by without him posting something thought-provoking and different. That is because Charles is the same way!

    We first met at the Baptist Student Union at Emory. He had just come from Mercer University to pursue a PhD in Math at Emory. I was already involved in the BSU as a commuting student with few friends or much time to spend socially on campus. I was working my way through and had to use a Trim Carpenter's hammer when not in the classroom or library. It was a challenge to my mind and budget to get through Emory as tuition went up every year! Charles had enough brains for a fellowship to pay his way through.

    Pretty soon we realized we had much in common. My father graduated Mercer in Theology. Charles' family lived on the edge of Macon and were people of the same ilk as us = Baptist to the bone! His mother was as active as my mother in Woman's Missionary Union. She played music for their little church as well. Both our parents were THINKING RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. That is somewhat unique for Baptists!

    To make a long story short, Charles and I both became Presidents of the BSU. I was such when Thomas J.J. Altizer did his "God Is Dead" stuff and that put us both in a close observation position for "Liberal Theological Thought." Neither of us bought it, but it was a lesson in modern theological thought. We both did ministry through the actions of the BSU. We were on the Deputation Team that went to churches to lead weekend youth activities. We were in the College SS group at Decatur First where serous and deep discussions took place. We met weekly as Prayer Partners and that is where you hear one another voice a conversation with God. I built the little table that served for an alter at knee level. We took our religion seriously, you might say.

    The most unique thing about Charles is his quest for knowledge and insight which has gone on through his lifetime.

    I graduated and went on to a Masters of Divinity graduate time in Wake Forest. Charles became President of the BSU after me. The guy following us was black, named Hank. Our BSU was open to any religious people who chose to participate. We had a Jewish girl and several who were "religious without denomination." We all did community activities before such became part of "activist student life."

    Charles did something strange, though. He was writing his dissertation and decided he had something else of greater interest than math = zoology / botany. He enrolled at NC State and studied roses as a specialty. How many of you would have the guts to make such a Change? He had a great Interest in roses---especially the Cherokee Rose which frequents GA. His question was, "How did roses get all over GA when it is believed they are a flower unique to China?" He also was interested in breeding disease resistance into roses and did DNA studies on both questions! While science was doing such studies on humans, Charles was doing it with roses!

    Charles does work with families studying their ancestry. He makes a little Money tutoring as well. He has, like me, remained somewhat poor, but his mind and experiences are rich. He is the only poor man I know who got to fly each year to Bermuda to judge the International Rose Competition. Now he is interested in orchids and I am looking for some unique woods to use in the mounts. We both enjoy "exploring things not yet explored."

    The video does such for me. You can explore it too, if you please. It just might cause your mind to expand a little bit. It certainly does take mine into areas not yet touched in this campaign for political office.