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01/18/2008
An 'evil' choice we wouldn't make
In a Crosswalk.com commentary on all of the things that are wrong with society and the Christian's responsibility to combat them, Baptist pastor and radio host Paul Dean says the following:
"...the Kingdom of Darkness encroaches in regard to our biggest social issues. Simply consider a few of the massive concerns before us in this culture: abortion, euthanasia, cloning, the homosexual agenda, etc. Pharmacists are required in some places to dispense the morning after pill even if it violates their consciences. In these citations alone the moral breakdown of our culture combined with the erosion of personal liberty has served to advance evil in our culture in an unprecedented way."
You know, it's interesting. This website and this writer have an extremely difficult time referring to our opposition as "evil" or even "bigoted," as we don't like to frame life in such polarized ways. We feel that folks can be led to horribly ignorant and misguided mindsets without being a bad person. And while we unapologetically oppose the very existence of the anti-gay machine and those who fuel it, we don't like to write off every aspect of our opposition's work as bad. All human beings have worth, and we truly do believe that even our staunchest critics add value to others' lives and do make positive contributions to the betterment of mankind.
Yet our opposition, the likes of whom have placed themselves on such a high moral pedestal, seem to have no problem positioning all of us who support gay rights as working towards "evil." They never hesitate in using words like "Kingdom of Darkness" in regards to our movement. And they never feel a need to qualify their statements by considering any alternative. Perhaps it's because they hate the Devil so much that they refuse to play Devil's Advocate within their own mind. But whatever the reason, it is mind-numbingly enraging to be frequently told by our "moral" opposition that we are on the side of "evil," when we, the likes of whom would never be so bold as to claim intrinsic moral superiority, would never show them the same simplistic discourtesy!
Folk like Pastor Dean have been so emboldened in their gay rights antipathy for so long, it honestly seems like they no longer have even an ounce of belief that gay people are fellow human beings who contribute to the world around them. As gay visibility grows, they don't respond by considering that maybe, just maybe, the triumph over oppression could be a good thing. Instead, they right off the turn towards acceptance as an insidious cancer on the ass of humanity. And we who face off against the aggressively ignorant trivialization see our voices stymied under the cruel thumb of religious persecution.
Again, we would hesitate to refer to this demonization as purely "evil." That sort of a banal outlook makes it sound far too much like their anti-gay views are in-born and out of their control, rather than the chosen biases that they could work towards alleviating if they truly wanted.
Cultural Engagement: Every Christian's Obligation [CrossWalk]
Your thoughts
The Kingdom of Darkness has eroded personal liberty for the past seven years and this guy is just now noticing?
He might just want to include in the "massive concerns before us" the little matter of a senseless war and the tens of thousands of killed and wounded instead of worrying about cloning and the "homosexual agenda".
Besides, I understand that the 2008 edition of the agenda isn't even in the mail yet.
If anything represents moral decay and the advancement of evil it is, in my opinion, him. Please, Mr. Dean, go back under your rock.
Posted by: dave b. | Jan 18, 2008 2:08:26 PM
So the denial of the morning after pill at someone's request isn't an "erosion of personal liberty???"
Anyone who has even a slight chance of needing this should stock up well in advance from an available source, "just in case."
Bill
Posted by: Bill Ware | Jan 18, 2008 6:17:28 PM
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