Religious Right demanding specials

In Derby, a devout Christian couple, Eunice and Owen Johns well known for their anti-gay views over the years, have lost their appeal to the British High Court over an adoption case.

It was not that the couple was prevented from adopting children simply because they were christians who had anti-gay views, but they had themselves withdrew their application after being told by the Derby City Council that they could not spread their anti-gay rethoric to the children. They have asked the judge to declare that their "anti-gay" position were Christian values and anything deemed as Christian values should be protected under the law.

The couple had wanted special rights and special exclusions simply because they were Christians, setting a risky precedence that would mean that Christian religious opinions had special considerations under the law and above all other rights and religions. For example, if our faith did not allow us to have fellowship with a "non-Christian", a sales person could not be taken to tasks for refusing to serve a Hindu couple buying groceries since he was not to touch the unclean! 

 In a landmark decision, Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of sexual orientation "should take precendence" over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds.

The justices rejected the argument that this was a threat to religious liberty, adding that "No one is asserting that Christians .... are not fit and proper persons to foster or adopt. No-one is contending for a blanket ban".

We are reminded that the Focus on Family calling for "dialogue", or Liberty League affirming their right for religions opinions. However, the claim to "religious opinions" or for a dialogue and debate is simple untenable. It's hardly a dialogue on equal terms, for the Christian Right agenda has gone from a private religious faith belief/opinion, to a demand and insistence as a "religious right" to :-

a) Unduly influence Politics 

Christians are hounding the politicians demanding special rights to deny the basic rights of gay people simply on account of their own religious beliefs even though it does not impact them one way or another. They want laws to limit the basic rights of gay people, rights which Christians themselves have and indeed been flounting such as marriage and adoption. 

 b) Unfairly influence the judiciary

  Christians are demanding special rights for criminal laws to persecute Gay people to put them in jail simply on account of their own religious beliefs even though it does not impact them one way or another. They termed two men having sex as "promoting homosexuality" and in Singapore has insisted that two men having sex be put to jail.

In summary, the Christian Right wants special religious rights to override the basic rights of others simply because of their religious opinions. They are inisisting that what they say ie their word is "Law", with power to penalise others.

The Christian Right have become a law unto themselves. When they insist on their "rights", they are worshipping themselves and self has become an idol and god they are worshiping. The god of the "religious right" is themselves.

The call for dialogue as if the Christian Right were "well meaning Christians" is also insincere and self delusional on their part. We are not talking here about two sides of equal power constructions or sincere motives, but a significantly one sided context:-

a) In America, the Christian Right has a massive majority following, whilst gays form far less than 10% of the population and have little voice. The voice of the Christian Right is like a loud horn speaker through the thousands of churches, the mega TV televangelists, the hundreds of radio stations and Internet TV/radio portals, and major news/religious web sites. The voice of the GLBT community is hardly heard above the white noise.

b) The voice of the Christian Right, including all their deliberate false rethoric and demonization of the gay community is taken as blibical truths by the community. The protests by gays against such mis-information and deception is hardly heard.

It should not be taken as a matter of religious opinion or religious dialogue, but a case for persecution of the religious right peddling false rethoric leading to gays being put to prisons and death. Under the law they will not be persecuted, but under God's moral law, surely the Christian Right will be held accountable.

For example, in Singapore, the likes of Rev Derek Hong and Rony Tan can preach and spread their false anti-gay rethoric to a very large audience of tens of thousands without restrictions. The more lies that are preached and often enough, would surely in time become "blibical" truths! When the American Christian Right preachers came to Singapore, they off-loaded their teachings to our local pastors who are indoctrinated without questioning.

The bible doesn't call for civil dialogue with those who spread false witness as a religious life style, but to call for separation against these unrighteous and ungodly people.

God is a God of justice and I don't believe that He will be mocked by those who treat His grace and mercy in vain.  Gays are far too small and weak to ever be an effective voice against the flood of the Christian Right. But there is always justice at the end, and those who used the name of Christ in vain for their own anti-gay agenda may find themselves being judged and treated on the same bar of judgement as they have condemned the GLBT community. God is rising up a banner for the Gay community and the Christian Right is fighting a loosing battle however powerful they may be. 

Therefore, let us err on the side of God's love, grace and mercy personified in Jesus Christ lest we bear up arms and kill the innocent, their blood which will become sin amongst us.

 

 

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