The Rot Is Growing

RW writers are trying to make the case that much of the hatred and bigotry erupting across America was present during O's admin, but ignored by the media, "the enemy of the people."

Look, let's be honest: America has a lot of sickness in its soul. We're not pristine, we're not pure as the driven snow, more like the muck on a Detroit street in Mid-January ...

Sure, junk happened during O's term, but the media didn't ignore it.

What's changed is the tone of the day.

We now have in the highest office of the land a man of tawdry character who loves to bait the weak-minded, encourage their wantonness, while making wild promises of peace and prosperity.

And it's not just him; it's the whole damn GOP enterprise with its misogyny, bigotry, racism, christian nationalism, and states' rights.

Within the ranks of the GOP, a lot of crazies, a lot of angry people who fear the stranger, who can't stand other languages and other cultures, who are suffering financially because of the GOP, but are not bright enough, I fear, to see all the GOP lies being told to them.

Like it or not, Conservatives, your friend in the Whitehouse has upped the volume of hate ... has given permission to the crazies to beat LGBTQ persons, desecrate Jewish Cemeteries, burn Mosques, and ramp up racist language.

From the get-go, it's been nothing but lies and deceptions from the GOP, and in such an environment, and with such a tone, the rot increases exponentially, like mildew in a dirty sock drawer.

President Obama spoke up about all of this ... and signed executive orders and sought legislation to protect people and build up our society.

But not so the man currently in the office - whatever's been said by him, per his speech-writers, has been said half-heartedly, without conviction, and without any commitment to protecting people, other than the already-rich.

The rot is growing now, thanks to the man who sits behind the Oval Office Desk.

D.C. Recognizes Gay Marriage

And the walls came tumblin' down ...

The trumpet of truth ...

The cry of justice ...

And a mighty shout of victory ...

A Washington D.C. pastor, protesting the decision (hey, wait a minute, I'm a pastor, too, and I'm in favor of it, and so are lots of pastors all around the country - it's time the media hegemony of the far right came to an end) - anyway, was quoted as saying: "Once you redefine marriage, you redefine family," said the Rev. Derek McCoy from the Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Md (see HERE for article).

Well, hip hip hooray, the man is right - all kinds of things will be redefined, and not a moment too soon.

All along the way, James Dobson and Gang have inaccurately defined family - their take on it couldn't be further from the multivalent images of family in the Bible:

Abraham and others practiced polygamy ...
Jesus was single ...
And said, "My family are those who do the will of God."

When a woman piously says to him: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you," Jesus replies: "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it" (Luke 11:28).

And later in Matthew 22, Jesus reminds us that in heaven, there is no marriage!

And with regard to eunuchs ... these words:
"For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can" (Matthew 19:11-12) ... from birth, made so by others, and self-made ... hmmm ... apparently the genitals are not so important.

My conservative friends have fixated themselves on human plumbing - wonder why?

And family?

Take a look at history.

Families come in every variety and size - the American frontier experienced virtually ever version, and then some - death and abandonment were all too common, and folks survived and even thrived. The only thing that counts is love, and the human being, made in the image of God, is capable of much love in a variety of settings.

So why stand in the way?

Why harp and hinder?

Let's redefine family ... let's open the doors and let's pay attention to all the possibilities of Scripture.

James Dobson and Focus on the Family do not have a lock on it.

As for their house, they can live as they wish.

But as for me and mine, I'm delighted with the progress made thus far for the GLBT community.

God be praised.

I am a Christian pastor who loves Jesus, reads my Bible, prays diligently and has long supported gay rights.

As it should be ...