Sensitivity
So, I attended a sensitivity workshop yesterday. Working on a university campus, these things are unavoidable from time to time. And to be honest, it really wasn’t all that bad, especially compared to some that I’ve been exposed to at other places of employment. But I digress…
It was pretty standard “awareness-enhancing”/”diversity” type of stuff, but there was one exercise where I’m sure that my response raised some internal eyebrows. More specifically, we had to choose one of four things that we would least like our children to be. The choices? Drug Addict. Mentally Ill. Convicted Felon. Gay/Lesbian.
I was the only one that chose “Gay/Lesbian”… 
Fortunately, I had a little time to come up with my reasons why, as we were required to give a brief explanation. Now, I think that I generally did ok with my explanation, but I’m not totally pleased in retrospect, especially as I would’ve liked to done a better job of preemptively addressing the implicit disapproval that was shown by the folks who felt the need to couch their answers by explicitly stating that they would (of course/obviously) have no problem if their kids were gay/lesbian.
I based my answer on two things:
- Social - in our current culture being gay/lesbian is not an easy row to hoe, even though in many circles it’s very accepted. There’s still a lot of sinful behavior directed against gays/lesbians. Frankly, I wouldn’t want either of my kids to end up like Matthew Sheppard, or any of the other folks who’ve been beaten by misguided folks who thought that physical violence was an acceptable response.
- Theological - I clearly stated that I also had theological/religious reasons for not wanting my kids to be gay/lesbian. For good/bad/right/wrong, I didn’t elaborate the reasons why, but just left it at the statement that I had strongly held, faith-driven reasons for my choice.
I wish I had been a little more explicit in better fleshing out my reasons/thought processes. Fortunately, as I have my own little forum here, I can do so now!
- The other three choices (drug addict, mentally ill, convicted felon) are all things that are generally recognized by most reasonable folks as things for which help can & should be provided. IOW, they are viewed as negative states that must be addressed.
- This is not the case with being gay/lesbian, if you are approaching it from a truly Biblical perspective — IOW, that which the Bible clearly shows to be sinful, is something that society increasingly views as ok & even to be celebrated rather than prayerfully addressed.
- There are (rightly) medical & support options for addicts & the mentally ill. We can, and must, be compassionate in helping these folks overcome these circumstances that result from our sinful condition. The same is true of rehabilitated felons — many folks realize that convicted (and rehabilitated) felons need help in rebuilding their lives.
- Society doesn’t give the same benefit to those whose lives are impacted by the sin that is homosexuality. I don’t want my kids to have society encourage their sinful tendencies any more than is absolutely unavoidable. I wouldn’t want them to be unnecessarily tempted by societal approval of over-drinking and/or over-eating, either.
- It doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t love my kids. I will always love my children. I may not always like them and/or their choices/responses, but I will always love them & try to faithfully execute my vocational responsibilities re: their spiritual well-being. That I wouldn’t want them to be gay/lesbian should never be misconstrued/misrepresented as a lack, or withdrawal, of love. Approval, possibly/certainly, but love, never.
I guess it largely boils down to this: Current “tolerance” & “sensitivities” seem to dictate that it is wrong (or at the very least ignorant) to view all four things as negative/unfortunate conditions that need to be addressed with compassionate support & concern for folks’ temporal & eternal well-being.
I pray that, should the opportunity present itself again, I’m able to more resolutely confess based upon that which has been given to me!
-ghp
Tolerance vs. Acceptance
Nice blurb over at Beggars All, with a quote regarding the place/role of religious “tolerance” in the current culture, particularly as regards free speech.
I’d expand it out beyond “mere” religious tolerance, to the general/larger concept of tolerance in a free society. tolerance is just that — tolerance. Not acceptance. Not respect. Not endorsement. Not celebration. It is often done through gritted teeth, and even done against one’s better judgment. For the greater good of civil society, certain beliefs and opinions, and the espousing thereof, are tolerated.
The current, postmodern, relativistic, politically “correct” (to indulge in a cliche) culture, however, has been inexorably shifting the meaning of “tolerate/tolerance” away from the traditional dictionary meaning, and towards a meaning where to tolerate a behavior/opinion/belief is to accept, endorse, and espouse it. The only thing that is not tolerated (in either the new or old definition) is “intolerance” — aka: having beliefs/opinions based upon a value system in which there are absolutes of right/wrong, true/false, good/evil.
As Rob said, Yep. The truth is often not very nice.
Indeed. God’s Truth is quite offensive to our fallen minds. And the sinful Old Adam in each of us rails wildly against being reminded of that fact. And a cultural mindset built upon a humanistic postmodernism/relativism will never change that, no matter how often the cultural elites say it, or logically state it to be so.
-ghp
The Intolerance of “Tolerance”
Check out the great article over at humaneventsonline.com, entitled “The ‘Tolerant’ Left Lectures the Rubes of America”. It offers a great overview of how the leftist intelligentsia has gone off the deep end in the aftermath of last week’s elections.
On one hand, I’ve found the hue & cry of the left to be highly entertaining, albeit predictably so. On the other hand, I find it greatly saddening, as it is a reinforcing reminder of the fact that we are fallen, sinful people living in a fallen, sinful world.
I find the inconsistencies of the left to be quite humorous — though I must confess that I do have somewhat of a dark, cynical sense of humor — because they are so blatantly absurd. To state on one hand that everything is relative, and that each person must define/frame his/her/its own “reality”, then to state on the other hand that “intolerance” is an absolute that cannot be tolerated… well, laughter is the only rational response to such and absurdity.
Christians should not be surprised that the left doesn’t “get it” and/or understand just how and why morality could’ve played a role in determining the outcome of the election. Face it, Christians have been living in increasingly “enlightened” & Gospel-hostile world for the past few hundred years. The humanist views of the left are not new. Neither will they be vanquished, or even diminished, any time soon.
In fact, the Bible clearly states that Christians will be a persecuted minority — a remnant — for whom ridicule from the worldly will be the norm. Our faith goes against our sinful reason. Sinful reason does not like to be shown, in any way, shape, or form, that it is lacking, much less wrong. Darkness cannot coexist with light. Satan abhors God. The world, thus, hates Jesus and (we are told in John 15:18-19) all Christians.
Quite frankly, worldly success & laurels (especially in the form of political success) scare me. We walk on a narrow & lonely path, facing many temptations to deviate from that clear & Scripturally mandated path. Human reason is one of the chief temptations that Satan uses to try and lead us astray. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t use that which has been given to us by God (indeed, I’m thankful for my God-given intellect!); however, we must take care to not let that reason (or feelings/emotions) trump the clear, revealed Word of God given to us in Holy Scriptures.
-ghp
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