Is a wet county a slippery slope?

Recently Clark County residents have been seeing signs that read “say no to alcohol” in residents windows, and along Arkadelphia Roadways. In a city of 10,912 citizens, 6,100 signed a petition to put alcohol on the Nov. 4^th ballot. The issue of drinking is clearly addressed in the bible. The bible does not prohibit drinking, but getting drunk. Ephesians 5:18 says,

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;.” Supporters of the ban of alcohols sales are rallying together according to parent and OBU professor Bill Visor.

"There are already meetings being organized across the county as we speak," he said.

In the recent decision by Judge John Thomas on Friday Oct.17^th, the issue of alcohol sales in Clark County is to be on Nov. 4^th ballots. The two plaintiffs Dr. William “Bill” Visor, OBU professor and Rick Mays, local minister filed a suit against defendant county clerk Rhonda Cole for questions of voter registration and two suspected forged signatures on petitions. On Friday, Thomas cited section 479-104(b)

“That some that fail to sign….. the correct date shall not invalidate the petition.” Primarily the prosecuting argument was that the signatures were invalid, because they were signed before registration of the persons in Clark County. The petition was post dated for after the persons registered. Addressing the issue of voter registration on the same day of signing the petitions the Judge stated since the voter registration was done at a separate location, and before the signatures petition date that they were valid. Mathew and Claudia Noelle Skaff testified that they had not signed the petitions, but their signatures were forged. Thomas said the “alleged forgeries” should not be counted. Dr. Visor graduated from OBU with a double major in psychology and religion in 1970. He denies claims that the plaintiffs have not received money from Hot springs liquor stores.

"We have received not one dime from liquor stores in Hot Springs," Visor said. "The fact of the matter is we haven't and we wouldn't. ... It would have been an oxymoron." The plaintiffs plan on appealing the case by next Monday. If they do it could either go on a “fast track” to the Supreme Court that would rule before Nov. 4^th. Or the appeal would make votes on this ballot null, and would rule after the fourth. According to Christian history.com the start of organized church resistance was in the mid 1800’s especially against liquor, but not as much beer. Jeremy Carter, an HSU senior, reports that he drank on his 21^st birthday party, but was not “anybody’s role-model”. The bible also encourages us to be self-controlled naming it as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5v22 and to rest in God in 1^st Peter 1:13.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

The bible makes it clear that our hope isn’t in men, but the grace of Jesus Christ.

From Articles on Hsu Oracle, and The Daily Siftings Herald.

All scriptures quoted is KJV unless otherwise noted.