The scene behind the scene?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/17/mccain-strategist-warns-gop-risks-religious-party/
Unfortunately, sentiment in the above link is not uncommon. Since the success of Prop 8, Christians have become the villains, accused of spreading a message of hate and bigotry. It’s seems many outlets would have us believe that Christians were the only ones who voted in support of Prop 8, that it was a coordinated effort by Churches across the nation to rob people of there rights. It’s been a year now, and this message is still being spread daily. Why?
Now I’m not so naive, and I do realize that there are many folks out there who call themselves Christians who are helping to solidify this public opinion….of course Westboro Baptist come to mind. But I don’t blame them completely, as I believe anyone with a shred of intelligence would listen to their message and realize that they are no more a Christian organization than any of the white supremest groups that claim they are “doing God’s will”, or the TV evangelist who lets you know that God can cure your physical illness, for $100 dollars in a certified check or money order.
So where does it come from? How did standing up for the sanctity of marriage turn into “homophobia” and “hate mongering”? Why are Christians bearing the brunt of misrepresentation a year after the fact?
I think it’s quite possible that many opportunist…individuals, opportunist and media outlets are using the success off Prop 8 to rally support for their own mission of ending the Church. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But is it? Visit any Atheist website and I’ll bet you find several articles on the subject…I’m talking about the hardcore Atheist group that lobby and propagandize to remove any evidence of Christianity from public view. Take a passionate issue, paint a picture of a villain through lies, half-truths and twisted scripture and you have created an army of unwitting pawns doing your dirty work for you. I will attempt to dispel some of the above:
Myth #1 – God Hates Homosexuals
To answer a question of God character, the only place we can turn is his written word…the Bible. Hmmm, lemme see. Is homosexuality a sin? Romans 1:26-27 and Corinthians 6:9 spell it out pretty clear. Homosexuality is a sin. But does got hate Homosexuals? Proverbs 6:16-19 says “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Hmmm, don’t see homosexuality in that list. In fact, 2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” EVERYONE, homosexuals included. That my friends, sounds like love…a perfect love that we cannot even comprehend. So through what I understand from his word, God loves homosexuals, just like he loves the rest of us sinners…you and me included.
Myth #2 – All Christians hate homosexuals.
A “perfect Christian” (although no such thing exists) could not hate homosexuals. 1 Peter 3:15 tells a Christian what to do “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect“. When Jesus himself was asked what was the most important commandment, he replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Love you neighbor…not just the straight ones, the pretty ones, the socially graceful ones, or the ones that go to your Church. I pretty sure he meant all of ‘em.
But their has only been on perfect man on this planet. Because we are not perfect, we all fall way short of God’s glory. So while there are some Christians that do hate homosexuals, that’s not the “Christ” part of “CHRISTian” but the “ian” part. Saying ALL Christians hate homosexuals is stereotyping. Kinda funny how stereotyping a homosexual in the workplace will get you fired, but stereotyping a Christian as in the above example with get you a “high five”.
Myth #3 – Christians supported Prop 8 to push their morals on everyone else.
Now, obviously I can only speak for myself on this one. I didn’t vote in California, since that would be illegal as a Oklahoma resident. But I did support Prop 8 and prayed it would pass because I support the institution of marriage. I believe a marriage should be between a man and a woman. If you ask my opinion on the matter, I’ll give it to you. If you ask me to vote on the matter, I’ll vote in support of marriage being defined as a man and woman. Everyone has a line on whats “allowable” for marriage. My line is clear above. Some believe that line extends to a man and a man being joined, and will state that as long as two consenting adults love each other they should be allowed to wed. But I’m guessing that if a father and his adult daughter were in love, most would not condone a union between them. Or polygamy…another line. If either of these went to a vote, I’m guessing that some of those who support gay marriage would vote against it. So you see, everyone has a line, and standing up for what you believe in is not “pushing” your values on someone else.
Myth #4 – Gay marriage is a legal issue, not a moral one.
The facts just don’t support it. Especially in the case of California. California Family Code Section 297.5 states:
“Registered domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections, and benefits, and shall be subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties under law, whether they derive from statutes, administrative regulations, court rules, government policies, common law, or any other provisions or sources
of law, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses”
Now I’m no lawyer,but it seems to me gay couples in California already have legal rights equal to those of a traditional married couple. So to pursue a traditional marriage become a moral issue. To say not allowing gay marriage is discriminatory is wrong. There is qualification required for marriage and if you don’t meet them …then you don’t qualify. I failed my drivers license test the first time, so I wasn’t allowed to drive a car. Was that law discriminatory against people too lazy to study for a drivers exam? Maybe I should sue the bar, since their refusal to grant me a law license because I don’t have a legal degree is a socially discriminatory policy designed to keep folks to broke for college out of the legal profession.
The point is (it always takes me awhile get to the point,doesn’t it?) that folks gotta learn tolerance. And folks gotta learn that tolerance doesn’t mean acceptance. And that is it okay not to accept something. Don’t hate me because of my beliefs, and I won’t hate you because of yours. Can’t we just respectfully disagree?
