March 29, 2024

Taking a Stand is Costly

150pxCarriePrejeanByPhilKonstantin

It was not easy to be a Christian after Christ left the Earth.  A quick read through Fox’s Book of Martyrs reveals that many of those in the early church met cruel fates.  They were beheaded, crucified, used as human torches and fed to lions for sport.  These people took a stand for Christ over the Emperor, they did not recant their faith under pressure, and they grew in number.

In America, we know nothing of the cost to our lives like they did in that time.  There are times where it approaches that kind of actions, but for the most part our society is tolerant of diverse opinions.

However, very important in our culture is reputation, who people think you are and how well known you are.  People spend a lot of time working and building their reputations and self-identity.  The sacrifice to be a Christian in the American culture is a sacrifice of that reputation—because it may be that people will look at you differently when they find out what you believe.

A Change In Course

Today, our culture is finishing up the remake that started in the 1960’s.  As society rebelled against the Christian culture of their upbringing—especially when it came to sexual constructs—the people desired to have Christianity replaced with secular humanism and used the school system to bring forth this change.  Prayer and Bible reading were removed from schools.  Things that were foundational to our understanding of law, justice, and our founding traditions were replaced with that which would focus on secular humanism.

Over time, those that would have a background in the faith would be replaced by those that paid heed to no particular faith, and this would be seen as “progress.”  Secular Humanism would be the new religion of America, and the Christian past would be tolerated for as long as necessary before it could be removed.

For that is what you are seeing attempted today.  The attempted passage of Same-Sex marriage laws, the debates over abortion, and the general question of whether people of faith have any degree of intelligence are all part of a singular movement—though probably not organized as such—of removing the Christian foundation.

That is why you have debates and arguments framed around libertarian principles now instead of Christian principles.  In the moral days of this country, there would be no question about whether homosexuals should marry.  Just asking the question would be ludicrous because of the Bible’s clear teaching.

But that’s the thing, isn’t it—there are those that believe it is clear, and then there are those that twist passages to support the change, and then there are those that do not care.  And those that do not care leverage those that try to bridge the gap against those that would take a stand.

Taking a Stand

It’s easy to try to get along with the flow.  Carrie Prejean could have tried to answer Perez Hilton in a way that would not have offended him.  Knowing his sexual preference, she could have tried to make it easier on herself—saying something about the people of a state choosing what they will or doing some sort of dodge.

And yet, this woman in this position chose to speak what she was truly thinking.  She couldn’t have planned this (unless she was told the question ahead of time, and it was an out of place type thing) and so one has to believe that she was giving an unscripted answer—not knowing the position that would be available to her after losing Miss USA and then Miss California.

For that she should be commended.  Not elevated, for she is just a sinner like the rest of us, but commended because it’s hard to take a stand, especially in a pressure situation like the one that she was in.

More of us should be willing to say what we believe on moral issues regardless of what we believe will be the outcome.  Not that we should force our view on others, or publicaly condemn others1, but we need to be willing to at least give the answer to the question that is asked.

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  1. For we are all sinners, and but for the grace of God we’d be in the same sin. []

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