I have repeatedly asked Evangelicals to give me ONE instance where pastors or churches would be harmed if same-sex couples are allowed to marry. Just one…how hard can it be to come up with ONE instance where two people in love marrying would materially harm any Evangelical church or pastor? Evidently, quite hard and Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary agrees with me. Speaking in Columbus at the national gathering of Southern Baptists, Mohler stated:
“Look, I really don’t fear – it’s really important that you and the other presidents and every Southern Baptist pastor, every Gospel pastor, preacher needs to say ‘I’m not going to perform a same-sex wedding.’ But let’s be honest: There’s not really a danger that the sheriff’s gonna show up and say, ‘You have to do this.’ So far as I know, no pastor has been sued successfully for refusing to marry someone on other grounds; that’s not the real danger.”
“The real danger is we’re going to pay an enormous social, cultural price for not doing a same-sex ceremony….We’re going to be considered to be morally deficient. Let’s admit it: We’re much more accustomed to being accused of being morally superior. They’ve said we’ve been ‘stand-offish,’ meaning better than them. Now a large part of this culture thinks we are morally deficient. And we’re going to find that’s a very different way to do ministry.”
I sense resignation in Mohler’s words, realizing that all the Evangelical bigotry and hate towards homosexuals and same-sex couples has come to naught. According to Mohler, instead of being viewed as the standard bearers of Christian morality, Evangelicals are increasingly viewed as “morally deficient.” Morally deficient? Nope, just ignorant bigots who, like slave owners of a century ago, refuse to act justly. Now that Mohler has told the faithful that there is no homo boogeyman under the bed, can we all get on with love, peace, and happiness…and equal protection under the law?
I think, though, that Baptists were used to being looked up to for better morals. Now, that time has passed. Instead, they are look at as being out of touch and bigoted, as you said. Although Mohler said it and meant it, there are plenty of Christians who think they are morally superior for being hateful towards LGBTQ people.
I’m pleased to read Mohler’s warning. My guess is that the fundamentalist retreat from one mainstream institution after another has revealed the hateful extremism for what it is. It’s one thing to rail against fluoridated water, but quite another to reject the entire educational system, birth certificates, marriage licenses, drivers’ licenses, and even churches that meet in buildings other than houses.
*Reads Al Mohler statement*
*Falls out of chair*
Between this and his post yesterday admitting that, yeah, maybe the SBC has a bit of a problem with racism (in light of the Charleston shooting), I’m almost starting to think that Mohler may be having a bit of an awakening. Almost.
Hi Bruce,
The supreme court of the USA ruled (today) in favour of equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians. Mohler may believe that there is “no homo boogeyman under the bed”, but have a look at Charisma News’ hysterical response to the Supreme Court decision. The Fundamentalists on this website seem to think that the boogeyman is there.
I am no longer commenting on their website ( my comments supporting same-sex marriage). They have deleted numerous comments on mine on previous same-sex marriage articles, though Disqus still records these. It seems that one can make all kinds of spiteful comments about same-sex oriented persons on the Charisma website and have one’s comments accepted but to critique these spiteful comments seems (often) to lead to their deletion.
To claim, as Charisma does, that “Supreme Court Tyrants back Gay Marriage against the will of Americans” seems to me to be very misleading and a hysterical response. (http://www.charismanews.com/us/50276-supreme-court-tyrants-back-gay-marriage-against-will-of-americans)
Shalom,
John Arthur