Just for the record...I don't have a beef with Dobson, he/they are doing many great works through their ministry. That said, I still think much of the anti-homsexual agenda just doesn't sit right with me.
I understand their point, their fears, their concerns but I don't understand the feeling I get when I hear and read their rhetoric. It almost never reminds me of something Jesus would say or do.
Deep down inside I just think there has to be a better way to engage a culture on its moral confusion. Granted truth always has enemies but it seems we have exchanged the love your enemies path with another that simply leads to anger, villainous overtones, hysteria, fear mongering and gnat straining. Sometimes I feel like we are going to hear about some of these ministries wanting to sew pink triangles on homosexuals clothes like the nazis did.
I know that seems extreme to say but I am just being honest. There are a lot of other agendas out there that worry me more and frankly I would think are of a more concern to Jesus. Personally I think there needs to be a good diversity education in school because we are not the school of yesterday. We do have a multitude of diverse ethnic, religious, family units, and backgrounds. There needs to be an understanding among the new Americans based on our pitiful history of racism, prejudice and hate crime in this Nations past. I think based on recent history and present reality we should educate for something different. It would be foolish to not capitalize on the advancements of tolerance, acceptance and civil liberties won by noble Americans and various civil rights movements towards equality.
Many times I think we sound like the disciples of Jesus asking to call down fire on those who don't receive us or what we desire to teach. The response of Jesus seems to fit...you do not know what spirit you are of, I did not come to destroy mens lives but save them
3 comments:
You guys both make great points. Human rights (among other things) is definately near to God's heart. One thing to keep in mind about Dobson is that he is not preaching from a pulpit, but has a "focus on the family." He must feel the homosexual agenda has a large impact on the family and wants to keep others informed. From what I read on there website, it sounds like this whole thing got blown out of proportion.
I have read Focus on the family's website response and there still is no transcript of what was actually said...anywhere. I would simply say, show us the transcript of the speech and put the questions to rest. But even if James Dobson's remarks were taken to mean more than he was saying, I think the main points are still valid. His remarks in Oklahoma quoted here in a local newspaper are what I am concerned about:
In October, Dobson spoke on behalf of Senatorial Candidate Tom Coburn of Oklahoma at a rally at Oklahoma Christian University in support of a constitutional ban on gay marriages. To prove that gay marriages led to fewer men and women getting married, Dobson cited countries such as Norway that have allowed same-sex couples to marry...Dobson said 80 percent of children are born out of wedlock in Norway. Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth, Dobson said. (The Oklahoman, 10-23-03)
That is the kind of fear mongering and aims to pump cultural hysteria into followers veins; and that paints all of us Christians into a bigot corner and I simply do not think that represents Jesus as I know him. In my opinion.
Shouldn't we leave the judging to God? Freedom of choice was given for a reason. God knew the consequences of that freedom. Let God be the one to sort it out in the end.
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