Matt 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say
all kinds of evil against you because of me.
This week there are two news items that I
have followed. The first is the Hobby
Lobby story – the Supreme Court of the United States of America, voted that as
an organization it is within their right to not pay for what are considered
abortion causing drugs. The second news
story, is the decision of Naniamo’s city council to cancel a Christian
conference at the city’s convention centre four days before it was scheduled to
happen.
Both situations are touted by the Christian
media as being indicative of the increasing persecution and intolerance towards
Christianity. In the Hobby Lobby case,
it is being presented as victory over those who would trample our religious
freedoms. In the Nanaimo situation, it
is being presented as being a clear case of bigotry.
It does not help that Hobby Lobby purchases
goods manufactured in a country that practices extensive birth control
including abortions. It also does not
help that Hobby Lobby have invested funds in companies that produce the very
drugs that Hobby Lobby does not want to pay for based on their religious
beliefs. The moral underpinning of the company’s stance against abortion gets
negated by its practices in purchasing and investing.
The Naniamo conference was sponsored in
part by Chik-Fil-A, thus the objection to the conference was based on an arm’s
length association with an organization that has taken a stand for marriage to
be between one man and one woman.
Chik-Fil-A has made donations to organizations that are opposed to same
gender marriages. So in a situation of
seemingly five degrees of separation, the Nanaimo city council cancelled the
conference. (It was a classless move by the council as they did this four days
prior to the conference starting.)
Before I go on let me go on the
record. I think we as a church need to
take strong stands against active discrimination and promote the fair treatment
of all. We have a pathetic track record
in doing so. Even in situations that
seem so abundantly clear, such as racism, we have been slow to respond, when I
think we need to have led the charge. In
fact, using the example of racism, we have often resisted efforts to secure
equality for others.
Our refrain of “The bible tells me so” has worn
thin as we used it to actively support racism.
I also know that in order for a news story to
be sellable there has to be polarization of the issue. So each of these stories have people lining
up on every side to debate and ridicule and further the story to meet their
agenda. But there is a theme going on
here, and I think we as Christians are missing it. Intolerance will no longer be tolerated.
A few months back a certain camouflage
wearing redneck made some rather thoughtless
comments. The result was that the
company who employs him suspended him.
There was a fair boisterous outcry for the
protection of this man’s right to free speech.
The same right to free speech was not afforded the production company of
his TV show. The man could say whatever he wanted, and the production company was just supposed to stand there and take it. Free speech for all, unless you happen to disagree with what I am saying.
WE, if you are Christian this means you,
and it means me, WE have created a reputation for ourselves. I don’t think the current backlash against us
has much if anything to do with the name of Jesus. We have created a reputation as being an
intolerant and judgmental group.
Yes, there are groups that have a
reputation of doing good works amongst those cast aside by our society. Dr. Martin Luther King, a Christian minister,
was at the forefront of securing civil rights for the African American. Yes, there are those whose agendas are to
belittle our beliefs and to find fault with us.
Yes, in the very act of being intolerant towards our intolerance they
themselves are being intolerant (kinda viral).
But to a very large extent we have brought this on ourselves.
So maybe we could stop missing the
point? I know that those around us are
not really good at articulating the point – that for too long the message of “Love
the sinner – hate the sin” is really one of hate. When we add our voices to those that would
deny basic rights to others, we are not protecting our values, we are denying others
the expression of theirs.
Maybe we could be more outspoken in
our compassion? Maybe we could be a little
more demonstrative of “Love your neighbour as yourself”? Maybe we could be a
bit a more critical of ourselves, more humble?
Maybe, we could challenge each other to be more Christ-like in our
dealings with people? Just maybe.
Maybe we could stop bemoaning that people
are being mean to us, and realize that they are just hitting back?
Maybe we could consider, that if we want to
be free to live our lives out the way that we think is right, we should afford
the same courtesy to others?
If we are really intent on being the light
of the world, then maybe instead of being the moral sign posts, we can be guide
posts on how to be loving and caring with each other? Maybe we can work harder on pointing out our
own wrongs and not those of the people around us?
Chik-Fil-A did.
The company in response to a very public campaign against them responded, I think, in the most Christian of ways.
Chief Executive Officer of Chik-Fil-A, Don
T. Cathy has risen to the occasion. Chik-Fil-A
has adopted the following as its policy in hiring – “will treat every person
equally, regardless of sexual orientation.”
Mr. Cathy himself has developed a connection with the LGBQT
community, that seems to be far beyond a simple publicity grab.
It is sad that Nanaimo city council did
not do adequate research into the issue.
At this time, even this left leaning liberal Christian would want to
hear what Chik-Fil-A or any group associated with them would have to say. Particularly, in light of the more recent
actions of Mr. Cathy and his company.
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