WHEN THE LEFT SNARLS (By Dr. Bill Bouknight)
“When liberals are a minority, they usually talk about diversity and tolerance. But
when they form a majority they often snarl at their conservative opponents. Conversely, I cannot think of a single responsible conservative who disputes the right of liberals to state their points of view. But when liberals are in charge, as is often the case on college campuses, every degree of leftist is entitled to speak at commencement ceremonies but conservatives are routinely rejected. Tolerance is replaced by a snarl.
The snarl of liberalism was on display recently in the NEW YORK TIMES. Following
the approval of same-sex marriage in Ireland, an editorial declared, “The outcome in
Ireland sends an unmistakable signal to politicians and religious leaders around the world who continue to harbor intolerant views against gays and lesbians.” Note the thinly veiled threat and the judgmental word (intolerant) in that sentence.
Op-ed writer Frank Bruni, a homosexual activist, wrote that Christians who hold
on to “ossified,” biblically-based beliefs regarding sexual morality have no place at
America’s table and must be obliged to rewrite their moral code. Note the snarl of
compulsion in his statement.
Bruni trashed all believing Christians as “bigots,” saying that Christians’ negative
moral assessment of homosexual relations is “a choice” that prioritizes scattered passages of ancient texts over all that has been learned since—as if time had stood still—as if the advances of science and knowledge meant nothing. “Religion,” he wrote, “is going to be the final holdout and most stubborn refuge for homophobia. It will give license to discrimination.”
Therefore, religions should be made to “take homosexuality off the sin list.”
Notice that Bruni does not suggest that liberals and conservatives should debate
their differences in the free marketplace of ideas. Instead he argues that the major religions of the world should be forced to change their convictions. Even in America where the First Amendment is supposed to protect free speech, orthodox Christians who regard the Bible as God’s inspired and authoritative word should be prepared to face the snarl of liberalism.”
It is increasingly apparent that evangelical Christians are “persona non grata” in many quarters of society, simply for their beliefs about the Bible’s authority in their lives. It is a shame that believers who have been willing to “live and let live”, to “think and let think” have found themselves marginalized by those who wish to silence the evangelical voice altogether. Bill Bouknight expresses his observation of this in his editorial in The Confessing Movement’s newsletter. This “snarl” factor is a growing source of evidence that the days of the UNITED Methodist Church may be shortening. Many dread the coming year’s actions in the UMC. because of this issue, I among them.
The link below to an article entitled “The Silencing” points to this same issue.
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/27638?spMailingID=11683833&spUserID=MTMyMjUxNzg1MAS2&spJobID=561385625&spReportId=NTYxMzg1NjI1S0