Things I Think…
1. The Supreme Court ruled that a Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding had been discriminated against for his religious beliefs by state agencies. The court did NOT rule that any such decision to refuse services due to religious beliefs would be likewise protected…in fact, the court was clear to say it would be determined on a case by case basis.
They effectively punted the big decision down the road. That’s why news agencies are reporting this as a “narrow” decision…and why you should stop mocking the headlines because the vote was 7-2…
2. What structural changes will the Southern Baptist Convention adopt in light of the Paige Patterson debacle? None. When independence is the greater virtue than accountability the only change agents are empty pews…
3. Never forget that the basis of American Christianity is not the Bible, but the free market…numbers are what matters…
4. After seeing Facebook this morning, I think our biggest national crisis may be reading comprehension…
5. What does “Focus On the Family” think about refugee families being separated at the border? Asking for a friend…
6. I think the pendulum is swinging back against the forced acceptance of all these sexual identities other than that which is traditionally the norm. The challenge will be to swing with it in grace as well as truth…
7. The ability to reason and debate with substance and intelligence has been replaced with seeing who can spew the foulest utterances about those they oppose. Neither side of the culture dare claim any moral high ground on this … we are all wallowing in filth…
8. In the Older Testament, God showed up and gave instruction personally. In the Newer Testament, the Apostles end up casting lots to try to discern the mind of God. Today, we make our best guess as to what to do. I find this odd…
9. I have a theory…that we’re hardwiring our brains to be unable to hear the voice of God…by overwhelming ourselves with the fruit of technology…
10. I’m still going to be working on finding a new theme to hold the blog as this one is no longer being updated. Unfortunately, I’ve found that blogging technology has passed me by…more unfortunately, it’s not the only thing that has…
Someone suggested that bakeries with a Christian standard simply stop making wedding cakes…. It seems to escape the secular logic that there is a difference between selling cookies and creating a celebratory symbol in sugar eggs and flour…
I don’t know about anyone else, but I have intense “gay issue” fatigue…
If I were in business I’d sell product to anyone who came through the door, because that’s why I’m in business…but I’m a greedy reprobate I guess…
I’d love for you to amplify about the pendulaun swinging back on sexual identities. I don’t have that read.
The free market will definitely determine the direction of the free church tradition. Though I’m sure the evangelicals will always believe the Bible is their guide.
This is not true of the mainline church that already committed suicide over complicity to the culture over the Bible. The Catholic Church remains largely impervious to markets and cultural trends IMO.
The Supremes seem to clearly see that their progressive cultural shift has reached a Constitutional impasse as pertains to religion and morality.
1. Good for the guy. Now we’ll see if the market agrees with him. Assuming, of course, his cakes are good.
2. What structural changes could be made?!? There is no structure. It is not valuing independence…it is actual independent churches cooperating with one another. Literlally, I can’t imagine a systematic change that could take place accross the convention. It just doesn’t work that way. The change that was possible was that we would stop funding SWBTS. They dumped Paige so that would not happen. I would say trustees will be more aware of that type of stuff going forward. I also think Mohler will try to push Mahaney to have an independent investigation.
3. Shame. True. But shame.
4. Everyone, including us, like to comment about things we don’t understand and pretend we understand. It’s embarrasing, but we all do it.
6. For the sake of my kids, I hope so.
9. Probably.
Michael, that raises an interesting question… I haven’t heard of a Christian jeweler refusing Joe and Charlie wedding bands or a Christian bridal shop refusing to sell JoAnn and Judy wedding gowns…. hmmm
I still say the baker has the right to not participate…. When will they take on the establishments that post signs, “no shirt, no shoes? No service!” ?
BD,
I have a very odd way of measuring this.
Go to a skatepark or a middle school…and when boys want to insult each other they use the same sexually themed epithets we did 50 years ago.
There is something hardwired in us that knows these practices are aberrant despite the PC culture pressure…and I knew that eventually it would break through.
I’m not championing either epithets or cruelty…but I see the pendulum coming back in a lot of ways…we’re also now beginning to see the fruit of our folly…
Every bad idea ever created by man, began when someone, somewhere, started thinking.
We all just need to stop thinking.
Thought #7. Agreed.
Kind of like the (MLD will like this one…) regional extreme pro wresting promotion that starts off their main event with one grappler hitting their opponent over the head with a folding chair…it’s pretty much downhill from there.
Likewise, (insert your political/religious enemy’s name here) says something on twitter and our first response is “racist!” or “sexist pig!” or “jerk!” or some other label meant to immediately shut down their opponent.