So, what is Phil Robertson supposed to do? Lie or just be quiet and not answer the question? You tell me, is this country looking more and more like an empire or what?
I am a Christian, and I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. I believe what it says and I strive to live my life according to it. Because if you love God, you love His word, His precepts, and His law.
What I see coming from A&E and the media, is exactly what they accuse Christians of being. Intolerant. Intolerant of anything the Bible says, and intolerance for anyone who actually speaks it out loud.
Phil Robertson shared his opinion and then quoted the Bible (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Now, his way of stating things is very blunt and not very pretty. But in no way did I think he was espousing hate for homosexuals.
If you are a Christian, and you read God's word, then you know, you can't hate people and call yourself a Christian. That is not God's way, and that is not what Jesus did while he was on this earth.
He loved everyone, whether prostitutes, thieves, adulterers, or any other kind of sinner. He showed grace to all of them and forgave them their sins. His word says, I can give everything away and have great faith, but if I have not love, I am worthless, a clanging gong. (1 Corinthian 13:1-3 paraphrased).
So I find it very frustrating, when a Christian who is in the limelight, tells the truth in love and people lose it.
We live in America. And in this country there is freedom of speech and freedom of religion. And it seems funny to me, that people can say as many awful things as they want about Christians and no one bats an eye. But you speak scripture out loud in public and people want to crucify you!"
It's very simple, the Bible is not popular because it tells us what our sins are, and it tells us to change. And when you are living in sin, you hate that. You hate anyone or anything, telling you, you're in sin. But that is exactly what the Bible does and is supposed to do.
What people are actually saying is, "I hate your God, I hate your Bible, shut up and let me live in my sin."
I guess the truth hurts, and we don't want to hear it. Otherwise, why do people get so mad?
God loves us, no matter what we've done, and as Christians we should do the same. But that doesn't mean Phil Robertson, or other Christians should lie to people or the press, just so they won't be offended. Jesus never apologizes for the truth. Jesus never said, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but this is sin in your life." But He does point out sin our lives. And He does it in love, without malice or hate towards that person, because He loves them and wants to save them.
Now I can't go into detail about the Bible and expect everyone to agree or understand. The Bible states, if you are not a believer, then the Bible will not make sense to you. It will just sound foolish. But I can say, that speaking the truth from God's word, out loud in public, is our right. You may not agree with what is said, and that's ok. But what A&E did, was penalize Phil Robertson, for exercising his right as an American and as a Christian.
Intolerance indeed!
