These are my thoughts on an article about Chick-fil-A and Northeastern University, and the recent Kirk Cameron interview on Piers Morgan. You can rest assured that this will not be a short entry, because let's be honest, I'm simply not capable of it...
Let me preface this by saying that I love Jesus. Before you scoff or roll your eyes, let me explain what I mean by this. I recognize the fact that I have a wicked heart. There are plenty of people who know me that would probably say "NO! You're a good guy. A nice person". And there are probably a few people that are privy to my capacity for wickedness. This is in the context of the fallen, broken world that we live in where sin has fractured what is right and good. So in my recognition of my own brokenness, my own wickedness, my own sin, I also recognize my need for Jesus. I have been saved from my sin, not because I'm awesome, and not because I did anything awesome, but because of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. And because of this, I am thankful and I love Him. Does this mean that I am perfect now or that I am somehow immuned to sin? No. It just means that I'm washed clean, and when I stumble (notice I said when, not if) I can fall at the foot of the cross, bask in God's mercy and grace, and turn from my sin. Does this mean that I can just do whatever I want because I'm saved? No! It just means that I no longer have to be bound or controlled by my sin. The point that I'm trying to make is that Christians are NOT perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There is a lot of misunderstanding and misrepresentation concerning this, which kind of leads in to the whole reason for this post. So my reason for prefacing this post is to make it clear that I have no intention of offending anyone, and I am not attacking any particular individual or group. That said, I'm sure that someone will be offended or feel attacked by this, and I'm sorry if you feel that way. But I believe that I have the right to my beliefs and my opinions just as much as the next person, as well as the right to express them. This is America right? My hope and prayer; however, is that I do so in a manner that gives glory to God.
I read an article today about how the student senate at Northeastern University in Boston has voted against bringing Chick-fil-A to campus due to their affiliation with several Christian organizations that have "anti-gay" agendas. I also read about Kirk Cameron being interviewed on Piers Morgan where he was asked if he believed if homosexuality is a sin. He answered honestly saying that he believed it was "unnatural", "defined by God as one man and one woman", and therefore he does not support the idea of gay marriage. Chick-fil-A has been accused of homophobia and Cameron has been called "antiquated" and a bigot. The bible is full of warnings and disclaimers about what Christians can expect from the world. In John 15:18-25, Jesus warns that following him will be costly stating that because the world hated him, it will hate those who follow him. So while these reactions shouldn't really surprise us, I believe that they should move us to "stand firm in the faith." (1 Corinthians 16:13)
What the bible is not full of is bigotry, intolerance and/or hate speech. If you believe that it is, I would venture to say that you either have not read it, or you misunderstand what you have read. The bible is not "anti-gay", the bible is "anti-sin". The world is full of sin and sinners including you and me. God hates sin, all sin. It is disgusting to Him. And He has to, and will, deal with it, one way or the other. Christians believe the bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God, given to the authors by God. You can roll you eyes if you want, but here's the deal... it either is or it isn't. There either is a God or there isn't. Our (Christians) belief in God does not make His existence true, nor does our belief in the bible determine whether or not it is true. In the same way, you choosing not to believe in God and/or the bible does not make them any less real or true. If God exists and if He revealed His design through scripture for the way He intended things to be, including marriage, then our belief, one way or the other, is irrelevant in determining what is true, right, and good. We can choose to follow His design or not. So as bible-believing followers of Christ, we have no choice but to hold to what we believe truth to be. This is not hate.
Terms such as hate, hate speech, tolerance/intolerance, bigotry, and racism get tossed around far too loosely in our culture today and it has reached a point where people are being attacked for simply answering questions about their beliefs. Kirk Cameron was asked to be a guest on Piers Morgan's show to talk about a documentary he has coming out. In the interview Piers asked the question about his view on homosexuality, which was not a part of the agreed-upon interview, and now the media has turned it into a circus about Cameron's "controversial" hate of homosexuals. It's highly unlikely that this question would have even been asked if Cameron were not a Christian, so it seems a little "ambush-ish" to me. Rather than having a rational, adult conversation about pressing or controversial issues, we resort to finger-pointing, name calling, and character assassination.
Labeling someone a bigot because they do not support gay marriage is like labeling someone a racist if they don't support Obamacare. And while the media, the government, and certain "advocacy" groups have pushed these ideas with full force , they are absurd notions. Not to mention the fact that in today's technological age of information "going viral", labeling someone a "bigot" or "racist" can be just as detrimental and destructive as bigotry and racism themselves. Similarly absurd is the statement made by Northeastern University's administrator's in support of their decision about Chick-fil-A that the company's principles contradict their "commitment to be an inclusive, diverse community that is respectful of all". It seems like a double-standard to me. We want tolerance for all, but we will not tolerate you disagreeing with our beliefs. Surely I can't be the only one that sees a contradiction here.
As Christians, we are commanded to love, care for, and forgive others as we have been loved, cared for, and forgiven in Christ. We are also commanded to stand firm in our faith and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus. We are not commanded to tuck our tails, shut our mouths, remain silent, or compromise our views for fear of being attacked and ridiculed or because our culture is changing. Jesus said that "...whoever is ashamed of me and of my words... of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed..." (Mark 8:38). So Kirk Cameron found himself in a situation on the international media stage where he had to make a choice. He could stand firm in his belief and proclaim it boldly, or he could tuck his tail and pander to the "Tinkerbell Jesus", "anything goes" culture being pushed in our society where we make our God into whatever makes us feel good. He chose to be faithful to his beliefs and now he's being raked over the coals... just like Jesus said would happen. Hmmm....
Kirk's response to all controversy can be seen here.
