By now, you’ve no doubt heard of the
controversy surrounding the A&E
decision to suspend Duck Dynasty star
and family patriarch Phil Robertson for comments he made about homosexuality
during a recent GQ Magazine article. Admittedly, I never watched the show until I
heard of the hullabaloo; but have now come to enjoy it. (In fact, I bought DVDs of the four seasons
to see what I missed.)
In a follow-on interview with Katie
Pavlich of Townhall.com Phil said, “We’re
Bible-thumpers who just happened to end up on television.” Katie pointed out, “You put in your article that
the Robertson family really believes strongly that if the human race loved each
other and they loved God, we would just be better off. We ought to just be repentant, turn to God,
and let’s get on with it, and everything will turn around.” Interestingly, little to any reference was
made to this portion of Phil Robertson’s quote.
In Robertson’s worldview, America was
a country founded upon Christian values (“Thou shalt not kill,” etc.); and he believes
that the gradual removal of Christian symbolism from public spaces has diluted
those founding principles. He sees the
popularity of Duck Dynasty as a small
corrective to all that we have lost. “Everything
is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong,” he says. “Sin becomes fine.”
Imagine that! A reality television star said something ... real!
What a shocker! Phil Robertson is a Christian who believes we
are all sinners and also happens to be a straight male (well known by the Duck Dynasty audience) not interested in
other men.
Naturally GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian
Alliance Against Defamation), the same gay activist group that stayed
silent during actor Alec Baldwin's many homosexual rants, demanded A&E executives take action against
Robertson, which is exactly what happened. “Phil and his family claim to be Christian,
but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true
Christians believe. He clearly knows nothing
about gay people or the majority of Louisianans — and Americans — who support
legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes
is a stain on A&E and his
sponsors who now need to re-examine their ties to someone with such public
disdain for LGBT people and families.”
Now there’s irony! The fanatical anti-Christian GLAAD lecturing Christians about how to
be Christians! A&E expressed “disappointment” in Robertson and stressed that Phil’s
views do not represent the views of Duck
Dynasty or the network. They also
said they are, “Strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.” Apparently, A&E doesn’t have the same support for the Christian community …
by their own admission.
After announcing the suspension, the
media followed GLAAD and their witch
hunt with ‘anti-gay’ headlines. According
GLAAD and the media, being pro-Bible
is now somehow “anti-gay.” (Convenient
to their agenda, they completely ignore Robertson's comments about loving one
another.)
Robertson later released a statement
about his comments and beliefs: “I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered
my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted
Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is
to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible
teaches; and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be
together. However, I would never treat
anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like
Him, I love all of humanity. We would
all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”
What has happen to America … a place
where people used to be able to express a religious opinion when asked without
being ‘crucified’ for it? Do we all
agree with Robertson's comments? No, but
that's the point. Further, it appears
that unless a person holds the same opinion as GLAAD about homosexuality, they're not allowed to have an opinion
at all … which is the opposite of our 1st Amendment rights of free speech and
exercising one’s religious conviction.
The fact is: Duck Dynasty and the Robertson's have been ‘sitting ducks’ for quite
some time. The show Duck Dynasty encompasses everything the so-called ‘tolerant’ left
hates and wishes to destroy: the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, traditional
families, women in the home with the men as heads of the household, achieving the
American dream, hunting, religion, success, entrepreneurship, being rewarded
for hard-work, prayer before meals (often in Jesus’ name), free speech, etc. Duck
Dynasty rakes in 14-million viewers per episode. A&E
needs the Robertson's; the Robertson's don't need A&E.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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