The Voice of the Christian Community, serving Yuba, Sutter, and Butte Counties
We are therefore Christ’s Ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20)
WWW.AMBASSADORNEWSPAPER.COM November 2010
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POLITICAL CORRECTNESS by Seth Halpern Editor
The recent firing of Juan Williams by NPR (National Public Radio) for comments on the O’Reilly Factor caused a firestorm of controversy regarding political correctness run amok. Williams shared how he felt “nervous” when seeing people boarding his plane dressed in Muslim garb. Although, many Americans would feel similar, including me, he was immediately fired for his comments. One commentator wrote that Williams showed the same “bigotry” as if someone were walking in a dark alley with a young black man following behind wearing “thug” clothing and thought they were going to be mugged. Wait a minute; is that bigotry or fear of a real potential threat? It may seem to be stereotype but how did it become a stereotype. Certainly it doesn’t mean that every Muslim passenger is going to blow up the plane any more than it means that every young black man is going to mug us; but it can stir up natural fears due to prior experience (whether ours or not). Expressing such a feeling is not “racism”, but honesty. I believe that denying this in fear of offending someone is a bigger problem. Every culture since creation has had racism/bigotry issues and we should work on them, but succumbing to “Political Correctness” as a way to appease the offended, simply makes us the victims of intimidation by the offended “bullies”. Christians are continually persecuted around the globe. In many nations, the persecution is physical and often fatal. In our culture, while not physical, Christians are often persecuted by verbal assault, demeaning or condescending talk or worse, treated as second class citizens by violating our rights. Jesus tells us in His Word that we
The “PC Police” have weakened our nation by cowering in fear to a minority of people. WILL suffer persecution for Him and the history of our faith proves that to be true. Yet, it is strange that the Church often buys into the intimidation of the politically correct agenda. The “PC Police” have weakened our nation by cowering in fear to a minority of people. In fact, two of the most feared and appeased groups are gays and muslims. It’s interesting to me that while most of the people in these two groups are not likely to seek anything from the “powers that be”, a minority of both gays and muslims have used a “victim” agenda to gain rights not afforded the rest of us. Hate Crimes, for example, cater to the homosexual and not the heterosexual. The United Nations is considering a “hate speech” policy that favors Islam above other world religions (see page 10 for more on this). Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are threatened when we cower to any group that pushes its own cause rather than the equality of all. Publications that don’t hesitate to spoof
Christians would not think to joke about Muslim icons. We are a nation in fear those who call themselves “victims”. Recently several major newspapers decided not to run a Non-sequitor cartoon because it might have offended Muslims. The cartoon displayed a cover of a “Where’s Waldo?” popular children’s puzzle book. At the bottom it said “Where’s Mohammad?” The cartoon was not run, even thought it really had no racist “message”, simply because of the name reference. Contemporary culture has appointed a new number one sin, beyond the seven deadly sins of old. The new highest priority sin is “intolerance”. Christians in particular are often most accused of being intolerant and strive (often unbiblically) to defend against being that way. The Church has made great efforts to embrace the culture because we know that Jesus Love ALL of these people. Since, Jesus loves them, we should as well. The problem is in our definition and application of such “Love”. Scripture says to “speak the Truth in Love”. There are three very key words there. First, we are to “speak” it and not be silent or in denial of it. Second, we are to speak “truth”, not lies no matter how culturally unpalatable that truth might be. Third, we are to do so in “love”, not hate. Radical followers of a different Jesus (such as the Westboro Church) miss badly on this part, as do
other judgmental, legalistic Christians. Love is the hallmark of the Christian faith, as it was the foundation of Jesus life and ministry and even the very motivation for Hid death. But Jesus loved “hard”. His love was not always tender, though it was when appropriate. At other times it was gritty, sacrificial, and indignant. His love was and is confrontational as well as merciful. Our love should be the same. To pander to some out of fear of offense or to walk gingerly around others due to intimidation is NOT the way of Christ, nor His people. Let us resolve, as God’s Ambassadors, to Speak the Truth in Love, rather than being silent in fear!
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