The Battle Will Continue Unabated Until…!

Carrie Prejean's comments about her opposition to same-sex marriage ignited a media firestorm after a celebrity judge suggested her response may have lost her the Miss USA title; she finished as first-runner up. The photos from her teenage years surfaced later and led to the review of her state title, but pageant owner Donald Trump said Tuesday that Prejean may retain it. --- quote from AP news release, May 13, 2009

Miss California, Carrie Prejean, will keep her crown due to a decision by Donald Trump who says what is or isn’t concerning the Miss USA pageant. It was Miss Prejean’s answer regarding marriage being between a man and a woman that stirred a pageant judge who advocates same gender coupling as a legitimate way of life. His negative response and the resulting fall-out dominated the media news for some time.

While all this was happening the Hate Crimes Bill is making its way through the U. S. Congress with provisions of special protection for those who practice same gender coupling as a way of life.

We also have witnessed the acceptance of same gender “marriage” in some states and pressure being brought to bear for others to do likewise – it is no longer an issue of “civil unions” – it is the goal to have same gender couples enter into a marriage covenant and that ultimately these would be performed either in a civil setting with a judge or magistrate presiding or in a church with a clergy person officiating!

Church groups that have “held the line” on refusing to ordain those who practice same gender coupling while indicating that such a way of life is incompatible with Christian teaching find themselves under assault. Protests are increasing and pressure is mounting to change the standards and accept this “alternate lifestyle” without objection. The United Methodist Church is at the forefront of controversy on this issue during its General Conference every four years. The alarming thing is that the will to resist becomes weaker at each of these gatherings. It is obvious that eventually a cave-in will take place.

What does it all mean for the country? With laws that provide special protection for the same gender couplers along with their well organized groups, high profile supporters in the mainstream media, almost unlimited financial support, and highly intelligent people to map out future strategies, it is simply a matter of time until all are forced to comply and accept the same gender coupling philosophy of life! We will march in lockstep with them without objection, or else face extremely serious consequences, including severe penalties!

To object or speak against it is to open yourself up to criminal charges if that objection should be raised in a public arena. This seems to be wild and far fetched now, but a pastor in a Scandinavian country actually did some jail time for preaching from Romans 1 in a Sunday morning worship service in his church. He had charges brought against him for negative statements made about homosexuality as based on the Romans 1 passage of Scripture! And so he did time in jail as a result of that “offense.”

The message? Don’t speak against same gender practices regarding sexuality – accept it and we’ll all be one big happy family, right?

If someone had told me when I started in the pastoral ministry 50 years ago this coming June that the time would come when a battle would rage over the legitimacy of same gender sexual practices, I would have said to that person, “You’re crazy – it will never happen!” Obviously, my prediction was very, very much in error!

But as I often do – I try to close out on a positive note – it will be rough for a while – but it is like the dark night for a brief time, and then the bright dawn breaks with the sun shining brightly. The day is coming when the Lord Jesus Christ will confirm the truth of His Word and His promises – this mess we have to put up with now and the battle in which we are presently engaged will be ended – the wheat and the chaff will be separated, and He will rule with His people living in peace and prosperity forever!

And don't forget the other good news -- when that event happens it means also that all politicians and judges (Supreme Court included) will be out of a job -- isn't that exciting to think about?

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." --- Psalm 2:1-6

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" --- Revelation 11:15

I'm One of Those Lower, Lower Middle Class White Guys -- Can I Get Special Protection Too?

(Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2012 to increase DOJ personnel to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in combating hate crimes.
(Sec. 6) Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit willfully causing bodily injury to any person through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to 10 years for violations and a life term if a death results from a violation or certain other violent crimes are involved. --- from H. R. 1913 which was recently passed

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. they trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. --- Isaiah 59:3, 4

There's a high pitch level of excitement in the air and the end is not yet! The House of Reps gave their nod to a piece of legislation identified as H. R. 1913 and referred to as the Hate Crimes Bill. Incorporated into the bill are provisions in the federal criminal code for heavy penalties against anyone who has caused bodily injury to another person because of "actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability."

For years those who are aggressively pursuing an agenda favoring the concerns of homosexual, lesbian, and transgender persons have been putting the pressure on to have the "sexual orientation" category included in such legislation as H. R. 1913. So these come under the scope of special protection that many other persons do not have at present.

This is but one more step in the direction of reaching the ultimate goal -- which is forced acceptance of sodomy and lesbianism as a legitimate way of life. This includes marriage being recognized by both state and church. The "couples" should have the right to adopt and raise children. Finally, these units should be considered "families" in every sense of the word as would be the case of a man married to a woman with children being born to them in the course of their marriage.

For anyone to question same gender coupling or to speak against it in any way is to be considered guilty of being homophobic and inciting hateful attitudes and/or acts!

Now the question – why can’t I be given similar special protection by law? The chance of that happening is as great as that proverbial snowball surviving in that very hot place you have heard about from time to time!

Here are the basic reasons I won’t get that special protection although prejudice against my kind is growing day by day.

• First, I am a white guy – it’s mainly my fault that the country and the world are so badly messed up – therefore I deserve no special protection because of that alone!
  
  
• Second, I’m a heterosexual in my “orientation” and that’s also a solid reason as to why I deserve no special consideration and protection under the law.
  
  
• Third, I am married to a person of the opposite sex and have been so for many years. The fact that I don’t feel pangs of guilt because I enjoy this privilege which is denied others of a different orientation provides solid grounds as to why I should not be given any special protection under the law.
  
  
• Fourth, I am a pastor who has proclaimed the truth of God’s Word regarding human sexuality and the boundaries which God has clearly established for sexual experience and expression. Rather than being afforded any special protection it would more likely be ruled that lynching a person such as I would be justifiable and adding an amendment to that effect in Hate Crimes legislation would be appropriate as well as necessary!
  

Fortunately the One Who established all moral law to start with is slated to return to this planet and among other things, He will set the record straight on what is or isn’t a hate crime!

Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil." --- Isaiah 56:1, 2