The Questionable Morality of the Religous Right
(Christians would rather use this than the more effective weapons of the gospel.)
I was reminded about the absurdity of so-called “value voting” when I read a recent article about Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family and one of the most politically influential Christians in the country.
Dr. Dobson has made a big fuss about the issue of Gay Marriage in the last few years, so his diatribe against Fred Thompson is simply the latest. From the article:
“Isn’t Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won’t talk at all about what he believes, and can’t speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?” Dobson wrote.
I’m no supporter of Thompson myself. In fact, I don’t support any politician and only cover Ron Paul because he represents a dramatic shift away our current idolatrous view of government. But what is the chief reason Dobson does not support Thompson (or McCain)? Because Thompson opposes a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, which really means an amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
In other words, Dobson is in favor of the government becoming thought police. And when Webster does the next update of his dictionary, armed government thugs should be standing over his proverbial shoulder so the definition of marriage is put down correctly to coincide with the new law.
I’m against homosexuality and homosexual marriages as much as the next Christian. I’m also against putting a gun to someone’s head and telling them they can’t form a union or that they can’t think a certain way, which is essentially what a law like this does.
Come to think of it, I’m also against losing a game when I play tennis. Maybe I should approach my elected official about this potential crime? Perhaps, instead of taking responsibility and practicing more in order to get better, I can get a law passed that defines “tennis” as a sport only when I win. That would make tournaments a lot easier.
Dr. Dobson, do you actually care about these people? Have you even thought about the consequences? Or do you just like to boss people around and tell them what to think, regardless of whether or not you change their hearts?
This is the problem with Christian alliance with government. We bow down to the authority and power of government, just as long as we get to use some of that power for our own selfish agendas.
And the desire for a Constitutional amendment effectively outlawing gay marriage is indeed purely selfish. Do you honestly think that passing this amendment will actually HELP the Kingdom of God? Are homosexuals going to immediately stop being gay? Are they going to shrug their shoulders and say “Well, the Christians were right all along. Let’s go get baptized!”?
Passing a law like this does, however, allow Christians to sit back and feel smug from a false sense of accomplishment. But all they have really done is participate in a form of violent oppression that stems not from love, but from hate and fear. It’s just another form of jihad.
It’s trading the power of the gospel for the power of a gun. Getting to know some of these people, getting involved in their lives, and actually treating them like the individuals they are is just too hard. We’d rather just blow away the smoke, and happily let the fire continue to rage beneath. We’re fine, just as long as we can breath a little bit. Let’s let the government take care of it so we can sit back, safe and secure in our own marriages that are now “protected”.
Until, of course, another “moral” majority decides to legislate the definition of God, or some other asinine goal, that will put Christians on the defensive. And then we’ll get a taste of our own medicine and political laziness.
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Being an older (male) Christian, that has seen the danger’s of sexual error (including my own) upon the foundation of all within a family, I agree most completely with Dr Dobson re-marriage.
Do not let the confused or deluded talk you into their foolishness, very likely to have caused hurt within their own family, I have found Gods’ wisdon and knowledge (always) superior and correct in comparison to the foolish wisdom and knowledge of man. I really mean what I have said, the Bible was even correct about the increase of these false teachers and prophets in these times.
Emotions can be the very nature of God, or can be the false and implanted deceipt of the ‘man of rebellion’. It is not hard to discern where our or anothers emotions came, just look around today for these signs of the times.
[…] Kingdom based on earthly politics is simply a Kingdom brought about and sustained by forceful coercion and violence. One of the main criticism Jesus himself had of the Jewish leaders and revolutionaries of his time […]
You are officially my favorite Christian.
Not sure what your point of reference is, so I’ll just take it as a compliment. Thanks!
If there is confusion over what is marriage, then any and every interpretation or definition is acceptable. However looking back over mans creation in nature gives only one example as made perfectly clear by God.
May I marry an animal such as a bear, a tree such as an oak, a child such as a 4-year old, or an adult of my own sexual-gender, what would be the result and creation within such a marriage. Perhaps it should also be asked, cannot I be a friend in relation to a bear, an oak, a child, or another adult, and is sex really a necessary criteria for being a friend.
No, nature as Gods word clearly shows that marriage is for procreation and family unit. Other methods such as homosexuality, pedophilia, or other debasing sexism’s will never fulfill what throughout mans life on earth we today call marriage.
It does not take a great deal of intelligence to see that same sex marriage in no way fulfills the purpose of marriage, and contrary to what some think, marriage belongs only in a union and commitment between a man and a woman. Cloning artificially and what I would call beastiality in other method might be error of the future, but as the signs of today prove, the more man denigrates themselves, the more they demean and destroy life and nature all around them.
I agree with those thing DeWayne. What exactly are you trying to argue?
The Bible as word of God instructs in many ways by which to live, perhaps not understood completely, but of those understood proven good and worthy of being followed.
Christ taught many but chose only a few as Apostle to begin His church, and of His church appointed only a few that were to bring the church into unity and maturity, and the church together accomplishing this as each with their gift do their part.
Although it is only for a time we live in this world, Christ gave the church a commission to disciple the world. Christ did this by teaching as a parent, and with Christ as example so should the workers of Christ follow and use this example. Then if the church in majority may establish community/State/nation rules, such as His definition of marriage, it would then be wise to accomplish this.
I too believe in seperation of church and State, knowing the nature of State in this world, worrying instead about a corrupted church as State that might adopt error of Reconstructionist/Dominionist, meaning Old Testament Law they do not understand nor have the Spirit to correctly impliment.
It is not uncommon hearing that a parent often must teach and direct in ways their children might not want, however if the way of the parent is worthy it will benefit the child, the child themselves often noted chosing a way toward error. Christ saying feed my sheep has meaning along this line of parent and child, sheep are simple and follow as directed, only the rebellious following their own way to destruction. My experiance of 71-years finds Christ was prophetic using sheep as example, sheep led by a wise shephard prosper during life, sheep led by a fool to their peril.
Perhaps the best guide in leading, is out of love, and not for self gain. A time is conming when the Spirit will be removed from this earth, and then the man of rebellion will have his way entirely.
Hate the sin, not the sinner.
Hate the sin, not the sinner is no where to be found in the Bible. In fact,the Bible teaches that we are to let our love be without hypocrisy and hate evil. We are to love and hate just as God loves and hates.
The Bible also talks about homosexuals, marriage and the government, it says the government is God’s minister to execute wrath and judgment on evil doers without mercy (NT). So I must agree with Dobson taking a stand against legitimizing the marriage of homosexuals because homsexuals are immoral perverts. The government’s role according to the Bible is to enforce moral laws e.g. murder, rape, theft, beastiality, homosexuality etc etc etc.
And Thank God the government is to be rooted in reality and only punish people who have commited a crime. The government can’t look in your heart, it must go by your actions. But God can look in our heart. Like Jesus said ” if you look at a woman and lust you commited adultry in your heart”.
So to sum it up, men marry woman , woman marry men, homosexuality is a crime, the government should punish criminals.
Jesus clearly loved sinners. That’s why he came. So what you’re saying is that it’s alright for you to hate me and for me to hate you, since we’re both sinners.
That’s Romans 13, and in the context, it’s Paul telling the Christians not repay violence with violence, evil with evil, and let the government take care of the violent part. It says nothing whatsover about Christians taking place in government, as that would indeed fall under “evil for evil”
And be careful when you desire government to punish victimless, personal crimes like homosexuality. And especially if you want to encourage this punishment and go exactly against what Paul says in chapter 12. It’s a form of tyranny, and it starts down a slippery slope.
Government has already gotten carried away with stuff like this. Christians don’t need to encourage it.
Do you even care about these people? They are obviously hurting in some way. Punishing them like a criminal will do about as much good as the Drug War, and has the potential to do more harm for to the reputation of Christians.
Remember what Paul said in 1 Cor. 5:12-13. “For what have I to do with judging those outside(outside the church). Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside.”
We are not to be concerned with judging those outside, only caring for them, loving them, and trying to bring them inside.
And also 1 Cor. 6:9-11:
And such were some at the Corinthian church. I wonder if, instead of helping those offenders, Paul instead lobbied the Roman Empire to persecute and punish them?
THe Bible teaches not to be vigilantes and punish criminals because God has given the authority to punish criminals to the government. The government according to the Bible is God’s minister. The Government is God’s minister and its primary purpose is to punish criminals! WOW
LEts not usurp the government’s God given right to punish criminals. Instead let us as christians learn in its entirety the true breadth of the form, the limits and the responsibilites of God’s Minister, The Government.
Let us be knowledgable. Let us also hold firmly to the truth revealed through scripture on such an important like government.
Christians arent called to neglect or negate or be ignorant, no, just the opposite.
So let us pray to God that he may give us a thirst for truth, a humble heart and a teachable spirit.
Galation 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.