By Bill Connor
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| Lt. Col. Bill Connor and Prince Harry, Afghanistan, December 2007 |
A Charleston Professor of Philosophy (recently) gave readers a small taste of the new intolerance. This was in his article opposing the South Carolina Marriage Protection Amendment. Using the Liberal talking points, this professor compared support for traditional marriage to racist opposition to interracial marriage. The clear implication throughout the writing: Those supporting “one man and one woman” marriage are similar to racists of the past. The intolerant intent of this comparison is to scare away principled disagreement. Being tagged a “racist” or “homophobe” is the new McCarthyism in America. The professor even tossed in the nuclear term “homophobic” to describe Judges (what a “conservative” group they are!) who factor sexual orientation when deciding child custody cases.
In response; comparing the civil rights issue with gay marriage is wrong and demeaning to the values of civil rights leaders. The following quote from the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior made clear those values. In “Letters from a Birmingham jail” Dr. King wrote: “(Civil rights protesters stand for) the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage”. In no way can gay marriage be considered a “sacred” Judeo-Christian value. Dr. King was an ordained Baptist minister and used the teachings of the Bible as the foundation for the civil rights struggle. Colin Powell spoke directly to this issue when some politicians compared integration of gays into the military to the integration of African-Americans: “Skin color is a benign characteristic, sexuality is not”. A top black enlisted man, called to testify at Congressional hearings about gays in the military, claimed he found it “insulting” to make this comparison. The fight for racial equality is just too important to be compared with the militant homosexual agenda.
The Professor attempted to make a preposterous argument for Biblical support of homosexual marriage. This was an attempt to show Christianity is “unclear” and therefore cannot be used to oppose gay marriage. Since his argument is becoming more “vogue” among the certain Liberal Christian leaders, it deserves answer. Some won’t accept the clear Old Testament prohibitions against homosexuality in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (and that Jesus claimed he did “not come to destroy the (moral) law but to fulfill”). Some, including the professor, will not accept the many references decrying homosexuality throughout the New Testament Epistles. However, any intellectually honest Christian must accept the Words of Jesus Christ speaking directly about marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read,” he (Jesus) replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Jesus’ quote is spoken at all Christian wedding ceremonies to commemorate the prescribed joining of one man and one woman. Homosexual marriage supporters may disagree with the Bible. However, the attempted argument about support for gay marriage is just specious.
In addition to Liberal intolerance against those supporting traditional marriage, orthodox Christian belief is under increasing attack. Kinky Friedman, a Texas Gubernatorial candidate claimed: “He (Texas Governor Rick Perry) doesn’t think very differently from the Taliban, does he?” This came after Perry was asked whether or not he agreed with the belief in Jesus Christ was the only Way to salvation. Perry’s “Taliban” response to this reporter’s question was as follows: “In my faith, that’s what it (Bible) says, and I’m a believer of that…..my Christian faith teaches that the Way is through Jesus Christ.” Perry was also criticized by politician Carolyn Keeton Strayhorn: “(I here to tell Governor Perry) There are many ways to heaven” She told the Dallas Morning News. Texas Democratic politician Chris Bell opined about Perry: “when you are in public office, you need to respect people of all other faiths and denominations.”
Governor Perry has a personal belief, which holds faith in Jesus Christ being necessary for salvation. This is the traditional and historic Christian confession derived from many verses in the Bible, including (John 14:6): “I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the father but by me.” And as Peter said of Jesus Christ in Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men which we must be saved.” Most Christians throughout history, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., have held to this same Christian belief.
Think about something: Is a personal belief in what follows death “intolerant” to those outside that faith? Atheists believe all human existence ends at death. To many, that “faith” is cruel and hopeless. However, most would also agree that an atheist or other non-Christians are entitled to hold these kinds of personal beliefs without persecution. Unfortunately, in the case of Christian Governor Perry, intolerant secular progressives demand he end his personal belief to continue in public office. What’s wrong with this picture and why are Americans accepting the steady erosion of values.
The intolerant secular progressive attack machine should be stopped. It has rolled over Europe, bringing utter despair, and created much havoc to the United States over the past 35 years. If we cower in silence now, we have no right to complain when the real persecution comes to our children.
In response; comparing the civil rights issue with gay marriage is wrong and demeaning to the values of civil rights leaders. The following quote from the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior made clear those values. In “Letters from a Birmingham jail” Dr. King wrote: “(Civil rights protesters stand for) the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage”. In no way can gay marriage be considered a “sacred” Judeo-Christian value. Dr. King was an ordained Baptist minister and used the teachings of the Bible as the foundation for the civil rights struggle. Colin Powell spoke directly to this issue when some politicians compared integration of gays into the military to the integration of African-Americans: “Skin color is a benign characteristic, sexuality is not”. A top black enlisted man, called to testify at Congressional hearings about gays in the military, claimed he found it “insulting” to make this comparison. The fight for racial equality is just too important to be compared with the militant homosexual agenda.
The Professor attempted to make a preposterous argument for Biblical support of homosexual marriage. This was an attempt to show Christianity is “unclear” and therefore cannot be used to oppose gay marriage. Since his argument is becoming more “vogue” among the certain Liberal Christian leaders, it deserves answer. Some won’t accept the clear Old Testament prohibitions against homosexuality in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (and that Jesus claimed he did “not come to destroy the (moral) law but to fulfill”). Some, including the professor, will not accept the many references decrying homosexuality throughout the New Testament Epistles. However, any intellectually honest Christian must accept the Words of Jesus Christ speaking directly about marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read,” he (Jesus) replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Jesus’ quote is spoken at all Christian wedding ceremonies to commemorate the prescribed joining of one man and one woman. Homosexual marriage supporters may disagree with the Bible. However, the attempted argument about support for gay marriage is just specious.
In addition to Liberal intolerance against those supporting traditional marriage, orthodox Christian belief is under increasing attack. Kinky Friedman, a Texas Gubernatorial candidate claimed: “He (Texas Governor Rick Perry) doesn’t think very differently from the Taliban, does he?” This came after Perry was asked whether or not he agreed with the belief in Jesus Christ was the only Way to salvation. Perry’s “Taliban” response to this reporter’s question was as follows: “In my faith, that’s what it (Bible) says, and I’m a believer of that…..my Christian faith teaches that the Way is through Jesus Christ.” Perry was also criticized by politician Carolyn Keeton Strayhorn: “(I here to tell Governor Perry) There are many ways to heaven” She told the Dallas Morning News. Texas Democratic politician Chris Bell opined about Perry: “when you are in public office, you need to respect people of all other faiths and denominations.”
Governor Perry has a personal belief, which holds faith in Jesus Christ being necessary for salvation. This is the traditional and historic Christian confession derived from many verses in the Bible, including (John 14:6): “I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the father but by me.” And as Peter said of Jesus Christ in Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men which we must be saved.” Most Christians throughout history, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., have held to this same Christian belief.
Think about something: Is a personal belief in what follows death “intolerant” to those outside that faith? Atheists believe all human existence ends at death. To many, that “faith” is cruel and hopeless. However, most would also agree that an atheist or other non-Christians are entitled to hold these kinds of personal beliefs without persecution. Unfortunately, in the case of Christian Governor Perry, intolerant secular progressives demand he end his personal belief to continue in public office. What’s wrong with this picture and why are Americans accepting the steady erosion of values.
The intolerant secular progressive attack machine should be stopped. It has rolled over Europe, bringing utter despair, and created much havoc to the United States over the past 35 years. If we cower in silence now, we have no right to complain when the real persecution comes to our children.
Bill Connor is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve who received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his service in combat as the senior American advisor in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He is a 1990 graduate of The Citadel. After serving over ten years as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army, he received his Juris Doctorate from University of South Carolina in 2005. An attorney with Hamilton and Associates, he is currently a candidate for South Carolina Republican State Chairman.
As the parent of once and current CofC students I'm shocked, shocked! that a "Charleston Professor of Philosophy (recently) gave readers a small taste of the new intolerance."
ReplyDeleteAnd this on the cusp of the 150th anniversary...
never mind.