The Supreme Court Did What?

Yesterday a friend messaged me, “isn't there some way to protest our Supreme Court recognizing gay marriage?? What a crock!!” This is the powerless feeling of many in our country today.  Our government of the people and for the people doesn’t seem to be by the people, and the court lends its ear to recognize only a few loud and persistent voices.  It is a feeling of betrayal to the values that have formed our country and the moral foundations that are anchored in the Bible.

The Supreme Court’s decision is an inevitable outcome of competing worldviews.  The constitution proclaims that we are all created equal and as such deserving of equal protection of our rights under the law.  But what happens when individual beliefs collide and what seem an imposition to one is a moral issue for another?  How does the civil nature of our laws protect both? 

I was recently in a discussion with an individual who said he left the Church when evangelicals tried to take over the government.  He felt that conservatives were trying to impose their moral beliefs on others.  I asked why it was all right for others to impose their moral views but not that of evangelicals, because all laws are impositions?  He raised the issue of homosexuals’ desire to be married, and that they were not imposing anything on evangelicals, they only wanted to live their lives free from intrusion.

But the reclassification of marriage is an imposition on my faith.  It forces the Christian employer to support/acknowledge a lifestyle that is contrary to his beliefs under penalty of law.  Christian adoption agencies will have to comply with adoption requests by gay couples under fear of prosecution.  Christian colleges will be threatened with the loss of government grants if they don’t comply or stop speaking against an immoral lifestyle.  Catholic hospitals have already felt the government’s intrusion on their beliefs with the issue of condoms; all in the name of freedom and rights.   If I as a Pastor preach against the immorality of homosexuality will I be open to a law suite or my church losing its tax-exempt status?

However, the Supreme Court did not redefine marriage.  They simply said that the case in California didn’t have any standing.  In other words the people who brought the case to the court weren’t allowed to under the rules of law.  In fact the Court made it clear that the decision of the definition of marriage is up to individual States and that States didn’t have to recognize the definition set by other States.  Yes, the dismissal of proposition 8 in California delays conservative moral values from taking hold in California, and that the case would have to be retried appropriately all the way to the Supreme Court.

Eph. 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The first thing we need to do is acknowledge the spiritual nature of the fight.  The battle isn’t against gays; it is against all sin that permeates a world that is bent against Christ. 

Therefore “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”  2Cor. 10:5. The second step is to understand our argument and be well informed about why we are against something.

The third step is to call, write, and email our representatives.  They need to know how we feel and why.  They need to understand that if they don’t represent our convictions then they will lose our votes.  Moral convictions and character in a politician is more important than their views of the economy. 

The fourth step is connected to the first. We need to remember that God is in control.  Jesus said the world hated him and they will hate us.  People will claim we are uncaring bigots because we don’t condone their lifestyle.  People will spew hatred toward us because we stand firm on what we believe.  But we should never give them an occasion for such visceral behavior.  In the end God will judge all men’s behavior, ours included, so we need to be as wise a serpents and as gentle as doves.  We need to love those who oppose us while standing firm on our convictions.  I’m just saying…