It is hard to ignore the battle that is creeping across our land, as states enact individual laws that some Americans argue protect our religious beliefs and rights, while others argue that these pieces of legislation are discriminatory against the LGBT community.
But perhaps just as unsettling is the distortion and downright lies being engendered by corporations and entertainers, who misrepresent what the laws are designed to accomplish. Gina Miller, has written a sharp and incisive article on Barbwire.com, pointing out the inconsistencies and the misrepresentations of the Mississippi law. In her article, she writes, "It’s certainly distressing to see the large corporations and senseless celebrities and politicians babbling their nonsense about a law that only reiterates our fundamental, God-given rights of conscience that are already protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution... This is not about a homosexual being denied generic products or services, nor is this about denying “single mothers baby shower services,” because none of that is happening."
She continues: "Another of the big lies pushed by opponents of Mississippi’s law is that it’s no different than “Jim Crow” laws, that this is a “civil rights” issue. That is a grotesquely sinister affront to the genuine civil rights struggle that black people engaged in." I must agree! Black people, white people, yellow people, brown people, and all people are equivalent in God's eyes. He created us all! But when we are rebellious to His natural order; when we do not recognize His sovereignty in determining marriage, the sex of a person, or how we are to respect Him and each other, then by what "right" can we demand that all must conform?
In essence, what the opponents of both the Mississippi and North Carolina legislation are trying to do is to "rebrand" religious liberty (upon which this nation was founded) as nothing less than bigotry, intolerance, and hatred. Not so! What the new laws are attempting to do is to prevent discrimination by ensuring the government will not force people to violate their conscience in very specific contexts spelled out by the law.
As Jennifer Marshall at Religious News Service points out, "For starters, Mississippi’s new law ensures that churches and other religious groups aren’t punished for declining to host or solemnize weddings that would violate their conscience. Remember the controversy over Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky? Mississippi won’t have that kind of a showdown because the new law ensures everyone eligible for a marriage license gets one without delay while also accommodating individual clerks who want to opt out of issuing marriage licenses altogether." (While I'm pretty sure that this is still too accommodating for our Lord, how can anyone declare this is a hate law?)
Ms. Marshall also points to the fact that "the law also ensures religious schools and ministries, [who are] serving those in need, can continue to set their personnel and housing policies in accord with their beliefs. (This provision covers only religious organizations, not businesses. The law has nothing to do with business hiring or landlord policies.) Faith-based adoption agencies will be free to continue placing every child they serve with a married mom and dad... While bakers, a photographer, and a florist in other states have faced massive fines, creative professionals in wedding-related businesses in Mississippi cannot be coerced to use their talents to celebrate same-sex weddings."
Isn't it time that these business owners be protected, based on their faith? And why should people of faith be forced to give in to the pressure for transgender bathrooms? I applaud Mississippi's new law, which allows private businesses and schools to set their own policies for the use of bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms. But would it surprise you to know that PayPal announced plans to cancel an office expansion in North Carolina after that state passed a similar privacy protection measure? Even though the law leaves them and other businesses free to make these policies however they see fit?
Am I reading this wrong, but does it look as if Big Business and the Elite Corporations have no desire in compromising -- although I hate that word? Doesn't it seem as if they want Christians and Christian businesses to bow down to the morally corrupt culture, and admit our defeat? But here is the truth that they will never admit, and don't want the general public to know: Most of the new law is about protecting religious groups and individuals who have a different perspective on marriage. It guarantees their religious freedom while not taking anything away from anyone else. What the new law is trying to express is that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of differences. Big Business and the Entertainment Industry believe in that precept, too -- unless you are Christian, and wish to live your life (which includes how you conduct business) according to your moral conscience and faith.
I just want you to be cognizant of this media and marketing blitz that is going to come against the religious community. We are already seeing it on nearly every TV commercial and prime time show. They are targeting our children in school, and portraying the faithful as bigoted, hate-filled, insensitive and intolerant. "Transgenderism" is the new cause célebré; children are encouraged to seek their "true" gender, which could be the opposite of that in which they were born, or any number of variations, according to their desires and what they would "like" to be. Experimentation and imagination are invited and cultivated.
The Bible tells us that immorality will increase in The Last Days, and even tells us what an immoral society looks like: People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. I think men wanting to dress as women and using the womens' bathrooms pretty much hits the target of immorality, wouldn't you say?
So, while we watch our society and culture grow further away from our Christian morals and values, we can expect the backlash and the distance between us to grow. The discord between the faithful and the faithless will become rampant; and sadly, those weak in their faith will walk away from the hope that is Jesus, and distance themselves from us, too. But I'm not telling you anything you didn't know. It's just hard to watch it coming so fast, and almost without a fight. At the same time, it is our privilege to stand for God in this battle, and to seek His Spirit for courage and endurance. We know it's coming ... and we know what we must do!
Matthew 24:11-12 "Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold."
I find it so enormously hypocritical that anyone would be fined for refusing any customer's business that goes against their religion. I've been shaking my head over this for years but am heartened to see some states finally acting to protect this God-given, constitutional right.
ReplyDeleteI know we shouldn't be surprised that the world has gone mad but it is just so sad to witness. Rampant injustice stirs my spirit but it's also exhausting because it's everywhere you turn and just so overwhelming. The only rest is in Jesus and I have to keep reminding myself of that because there is only so much I can do physically and far too many deserving causes.
Thank you for your blog which gives me hope because you remind me that there are still people out there who are sane and love the Word of God.
DB, I, too am heartened to know that God's remnant in these days is alive and well! We have to remember that we are IN the World, but not OF this World, so we must expect that those in the world will not find our views or our faith to their liking. Regardless, we should find it all joy to know that we are set apart to be more like Jesus, and that the Father is pleased with our obedience. Now it is up to each of us to bear much fruit for Him and His Kingdom! Never stop glorifying Him and shouting to the world of His mercy, grace, and judgment!
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