Listen- I’ve got nothing against people of faith practicing their religion. Heck, I am a faithful Beaver and as I understand it, we are commissioned to share the Gospel with all in hopes that it can lead them to salvation. BUT- we are NOT commanded to smack people over the head with it. Rather, we are to share and live a life in such a way as an example that others want to emulate. “What is it about that Beaver dude? Why is he the way he is? How can I be like him?” That, to me, is the good side to religion. The gentle way.

However, there are some that seem to wear their faith as a badge of some sort, and for some, even as a weapon. A weapon with which to threaten and attack. Sadly, these types end up as the stereotypical ones that can give the rest of us a bad name. Lacking forgiveness, seething with anger, and delivering harsh judgement, they DO give us a bad name. Why on earth would anyone want to be like them? They do what they do in the name of their “god”- why would someone listen to such a deity that would direct them in such a way?

Here, we present some recent examples found here in Belknap County. The people that did these in response to actions involving the Gunstock Ski Area dust-up are self-professed faithful people. Make no mistake, I do NOT dare to ascertain or question their faith in the least. But I also do not believe that their actions are some sort of divine intervention or inspiration either. These are activities and actions of man (or woman). Earthly machinations built on false beliefs stoked with misguidedness, outright lies, and perhaps pride. Things that most faithful people battle within to curtail.

This photo was spread about social media in response to the recent ruling in the Gunstock lawsuit case. You can click here to read about that. In that First Look Bastion Exclusive, you will see that the below picture, which had been taken and turned into a mean spirited meme. The person that posted this implies, during many tear-laden video “sermons” to her followers, that she is an “instrument of God” doing his work in her political battles against her many foes, some real and some imagined. She has often referred to people in her crosshairs as “evil”- some of whom she has never even met. When called to task in some instances, she says things like, “Oh, trust me. I KNOW. I have sources.” She sometimes knows things about certain people that even they themselves didn’t know! Perhaps she is informed by voices? In her head? Anyway, in this photo, she labels the Chair of the Gunstock Commission as “the devil.”

Gunstock Chair Doug Lambert AKA “the devil” (L) and Representative Tim Lang (R)

We caught up with Doug Lambert and provided him with a copy of this meme and asked him point blank: “Are you the devil?” After a brief pause, he assured us he wasn’t, but readily admitted that he is “a sinner and always looks to the Lord for forgiveness in hopes of attaining Eternal Salvation.” Lambert further told the Bastion that he feels sorry for the lady that did this and he worries for her health and well-being. He had gone on to say that he has had an exchange or two with her on social media in the past, and watched some of her Facebook Live videos. “Let’s just say that she could probably use some prayers,” he said. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

Next up, is this video. It was recently provided to The Bastion and was apparently filmed on or around August 1st- the date that ten representatives from the Belknap County Delegation met to take the necessary steps to save and reopen the Gunstock Area. Several members of the Delegation opposed the action, including Representative Paul Terry of Alton. Terry is apparently a retired pastor and can often be heard at various events delivering invocations and political speeches resembling tiresome and rambling sermons of New England’s early Puritan past. In some cases, one could surmise he lays things on pretty thick and gets carried away. Like here, where he compares the somewhat disgraced former Gunstock Commissioner Strang to the Lord Almighty himself:

To watch seemingly decent people get so wrapped up in a disagreement of a relatively minor local political issue that causes them to do and say the things we see here is very sad. As Mr Lambert noted above, these people don’t deserve derision or scorn. What they need is pity. And prayers. LOTS of prayers.