Originally Published 3/29/2009 on my Facebook "Notes" series: "My Soapbox Topic Of The Day."
Let Me Be Clare…
No, I'm not going to be preaching about your computer. That's a whole other soapbox day.
I had a discussion, recently, with a good friend. We got on the subject of political correctness (PC). We were in agreement that PC has gone a muck, when school mascots and team names must be changed as to not to appear insensitive to ones culture, nationality, or race, etc.
To illustrate this annoying (but more common than I would care to experience) example, is a news report I listened to about a JR. or SR. High school, with the team name of some field rodent like the "Prairie Dogs"...I don't know, I just made that up and their mascot was "Speedy Gonzales" and I also know that doesn't make much sense, since, I think that cartoon character is a mouse with a sombrero and a holster belt, but you get the picture. Anyway, then the PC Police move in (with the ACLU, no doubt, or as Bob Dutko would label them the Anti-Christian Liberal Union) and tell the school that they need to stop using the mascot character because it is racially insensitive. Really! Then, get this, the community started complaining and I'm paraphrasing, "What's wrong with Speedy Gonzolas? We like our mascot, he kind of represents a part of our culture. We want it to remain." Ironically, this happened to be a neighborhood populated with Latinos. I don't remember the outcome, but many of these incidents result in defeat for the, so called offenders.
This is what I'm shouting from my soapbox about. "Enough already!" We need to take the mention of God out of our Pledge of Allegiance, no praying in school, unisex bathrooms, so as not to discriminate against the transgendered community and on it goes. What's next? Will it come down to a simple act of asking for a beverage in a restaurant? Will I have to start ordering my coffee as, you know the kind without the cream and sugar, so I don't offend some one of the "African/American" race. Do you think I'm exaggerating? Maybe not so much! What about ordering it with cream or with sugar, am I then insulting anyone with light colored skin? For crying out loud, literally I shout again "ENOUGH ALREADY!"
Do you know Jesus offended many people, while on this earth? Oh yes! I'm not going to list all the times. You should read the rest of the story, if you want to confirm it, but I'll give you one to think about. He told Peter, quite possibly His most beloved disciple "Get thee behind me Satan." (Mat. 16:23) Wow! Can you imagine how Peter felt, after the shock wore off? Would that offend you if your best friend, that you really look up to, said anything close to that, to you? Jesus offended people with the absolute truth, not in a malicious, careless nor insensitive manor, but with great love called agape. This kind of love is a sacrificial love. It forgoes what people will think about you, or how they may react to your position, for the opportunity of trying to enlighten them to the salvation of their eternal life. How much more can one show their love for someone, except for actually giving your life to save another? With certain people you are risking your health and maybe even your life, by sharing the truth with them.
My point is that the words "intolerance" and "discrimination" have become bad words in society today, to the point that in order to be politically correct, we must tolerate everything and not discriminate against anything, any behavior, any "false truths," so to speak, because after all what's wrong for you may not be wrong for me, it's relative, everything's relative. I may be one of few that insists that intolerance is a good thing when it's directed toward bad things. Yes, I discriminate against criminals, why? Because they're wrong to behave that way. People are born as thieves, for example, therefor we should allow them to continue steeling, because that's the way God made them. They're just being themselves, because it's in their genes to steal. That's ridiculous! It's in our genes to sin! I believe we're all drawn to a particular sinful behavior. It's our cross to bear and our challenge to resist the temptation, to show obedience to God, as we should try to please Him. We're not obligated to tolerate, or not to discriminate, or not to judge, inappropriate behavior. This isn't the same as judging one's heart or the severity of a particular sin. Sin is sin! To believe that a sin is not sin, is a sin in itself. However, to say "there is no absolute truth" is an absurd position to hold and an oxymoron, if you think about it. What did that person just claim?
There is absolute truth and you can find it in the Bible. Not everything written in this miraculous book is up for interpretation, despite what some may believe or say. That's a position for cherry pickers, that want to find justification for folly, in an attempt to avoid a sense of guilt.
I may not be a PC person, but I will profess that what's good for you IS also good for me, according to God's word. One can argue about it, but just know that you're argument is with Him and good luck with that! And with that long winded rant, I am stepping down off the crate, for now.
May His blessings be upon you and your soapbox,
Doug