I've commented before about the rash of books, some by Christians, to insist that the faith has been "politicized" by the religious right. I mentioned Randall Ballmer in this regard, who has said: "I am a traditional evangelical; it is the right-wing zealots of the religious right who have hijacked my faith. They have taken the gospel, the "good news" of the New Testament, which I consider lovely and redemptive, and turned it into something ugly and punitive."
And I have commented about Scot Mcknight, a generally likeable and irenic blogger, scholar and author who nonetheless laments: I think the Religious Right doesn't see what it is doing. Other titles include "Why the Relgious Right is Wrong", "Blinded by Might" and "The Myth of a Christian Nation". The list could go on and on.
Today I find on Worldnetdaily.com a classic example of why I think this sort of whining about the alleged unbalanced politicking of the "religious right" is completely oblivious to reality. In Massachusetts, Estabrook Elementary School has been teaching "homosexuality" and "transgenderism" to 6-year-olds. There was apparently a state law requiring notification of parents of such topics were to be taught. A parent, David Parker, requested that he be notified and complained to the school, which refused. It was Parker who wound up in jail.
The school then "presented the book 'King and King,' about homosexual romances and marriage, to second-graders and again refused to provide notification." The WorldNetDaily article continues
"Parker and other parents followed with the federal civil rights lawsuit, alleging school officials were refusing to follow state law. David Parker's son brought home the book 'Who's in a Family?' in school's 'Diversity Book Bag' (Image: Article 8 Alliance)
Just days later, David Parker's son, Jacob, was beaten up at Estabrook Elementary, officials said. MassResistance said a group of 8-10 kids surrounded him and took him out of sight of "patrolling aides," then pummeled and beat him."
U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf dismissed the lawsuit. Dismissed. The school refused to comply with the laws on the books, the parent brings the suit and the judge dismisses it. Why?
"In the ruling, Wolf makes the absurd claim that normalizing homosexuality to young children is 'reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.' According to Wolf, this means teaching 'diversity' which includes 'differences in sexual orientation.' "
This is the reality Christians face in this country. There is a steady march toward the legitimization of things we find morally wrong, things that most every civilized society in history has also found morally wrong. That legitimization is put forth as a quest for "freedom" or "equal protection", but generally leads to the marginalization of the traditional views. So now, instead of a homosexual merely being "free" to be a homosexual, Christian parents are in essence forced to acquiesce to the homoerotic view of morality. Of course the judge said the Parkers and other parents could send their kids to a private school, but we all know what the next lawsuit will be - to force the private school to protect the "rights" of homesexuals.
Critics of Christian conservatives need to open their eyes to the realities here. Christian conservatives have been political from a posture of self defense, not a quest for power. A steady, continual pressure has been underway for at least thirty years - I trace it to Roe v Wade, to use the courts to advance a naturalistic and relativist social agenda, one often fueled by radical leftist ideology, one that makes it increasingly difficult for Christians who value life and sexual purity to simply live as citizens. Pro-life nurses and doctors have risked loss of employment for not participating in abortions. Teachers, corporate employees and others are subjected to "sensitivity training" for simply believing that sex is a sacred trust between a married man and woman and for stating those beliefs. Christian pastors are subjected to hate-crimes lawsuits for reading Romans 1 from the bible.
Somehow we are supposedly the ones who are "ugly" and "punitive". Really? Type in "Religious Right" on google and see how many websites equate conservative Christians with fascists, hate-mongers, theocrats, and use a variety of other less printable labels.
And to this, this path toward outright persecution which conservatives are merely attempting to resist, popular Christian authors respond by saying it is all the fault of the religious right? What then would they have us do? Turn the other cheek?
I have no problem turning the other cheek when I alone am the one threatened, but should I turn the cheek of a six-year old and allow that child to be morally pummeled by views I believe will destroy that child's soul? Shall I allow small school children to be the lab rats in a vast social experiment which no one really knows the outcome to? Shall I as a citizen simply be silent and allow evil to flourish? Would these critics say the same thing if the issue were slavery? That getting involved in politics "hijacks" the gospel?
Look all I am arguing for is that conservative Christians vote for what they believe in on matters that affect all of society. All I want is for conservative Christians to have the same right to lobby for causes they believe in. If that makes us fascists in the eyes of gays or pro-choice feminists, fine. But if it makes us "ugly", "punitive", "zealots" to other Christians, if they really see parents trying to protect their kids as "blinded by might" I have to wonder who it is who has been blinded, and by what.
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