I frequently read the old hometown newspaper online. An article today has made me get ready for an earthquake that may even be felt as far as the porch in Salado. The article was on the front page of the paper and is about the First Baptist Church in Conroe providing prom gowns for girls in need.

The program is sponsored by the young married couples Sunday School Class. They call it the Priceless Gowns Ministry. They say it is their way of showing Christ’s love to the girls. They want the girls to feel like they are in a boutique when they come to pick out a dress. The dresses have been furnished by several upscale shops in the Houston area. The dresses will be limited to Junior and Senior high school students.

The thing that strikes me as funny and hypocritical about the whole thing is that when I was in high school, at the same chuch, it was a sin to go to the prom and dance. We had a youth revival and a young evangelist came and preached hell fire and brimstone messages for several days. After one of the sermons he ask that everyone come down to the front who promises God they will not dance again. The majority of folks marched down to the alter, pledging not to commit this mortal sin again.

My how the Baptist have changed. They are now in competition with the Methodist in the social club category. The next thing you know, the Baptist will be buying their liquor in the open. When I was in high school, the Church of Christ also forbid dancing. They may still think it’s a sin but I’m afraid to ask my Church of Christ friends about this because they think I’m going to hell anyway and it shouldn’t matter to me.

Forget the starving people in Haiti and Africa, our first priority should now be to provide prom dresses. I guess this is a great way to show the love of Christ. I just hope we don’t confuse Christ about our changing views on dancing. Maybe God revised his list of sins since I was in high school. Maybe I need to go to church more often to keep up. I don’t cover this sort of stuff in my Bible study on the porch.

Beam me up Scottie. There is no intelligent life down here.