By Thomas Vick
Part 2 of a 3 part series
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre; The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”
The words of the poet William Butler Yeats, penned in the early 20th century, describe a world in which the foundation is crumbling, compasses are failing, and anchors are loosening. Although Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming” certainly did not teach the truth on that particular event (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), his words remind us of the radical changes affecting traditional values in America today. If it has not already, America is losing its moral compass and many are threatening to destroy the principles of Christendom on which this country was founded. In particular, homosexual activism, led by President Obama, is attacking God’s design for marriage and sexuality. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (“LGBT”) activists have never had a greater ally in the White House than Mr. Obama.
First of all, each summer that President Obama has been in office, he has held an LGBT Pride Month reception at the White House. This year’s reception took place on June 15. In a 1,000-word speech that lasted almost ten minutes, the President reminded the audience of their political accomplishments and encouraged them to pursue the LGBT agenda. At the outset of his speech, President Obama said, “After decades of inaction and indifference, you have every reason and right to push, loudly and forcefully.”
Christians in America must be warned of the President’s words as he concluded his speech. As the President ended by rallying the audience, he said, “So we still have a long way to go, but we will get there…. We’ll get there because of every man and woman and activist and ally who is moving us forward by the force of their moral arguments…. And as long as I have the privilege of being your President…you won’t just have a friend in the White House, you will have a fellow advocate” (emp., TAV).
Critiquing this statement of the President is not difficult: 1) In reality, the “moral” arguments of homosexual activists are immoral (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11); 2) Indeed, the President is the best “friend” and “advocate” the homosexual movement has ever had in the White House. His actions during his four years undeniably demonstrate his active role in advancing the “rights” of homosexuals.
Second, on February 23, 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder, upon the direction of President Obama, declared that the Department of Justice would no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”). DOMA defines marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” In addition, DOMA defines the word spouse as only “a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife” (1 U.S.C.A. § 7). Stated simply, President Obama declared unconstitutional God’s design for marriage (Matthew 19:4-6). Under DOMA, individual states were not obligated to recognize same-sex marriages from another state that has legalized same-sex marriage. Undercutting DOMA by declaring it unconstitutional, President Obama has made clear that he wishes every state in the Union to recognize the same-sex marriages of the six states that now legally approve of such an ungodly relationship.
Finally, as a real world example of President Obama’s homosexual agenda, the University of Arkansas recently allowed an anatomically male student, who identifies as a female, to use the female restrooms. The decision of the university was influenced by the Obama administration. The Department of Justice had sent a letter to university officials encouraging them to make sufficient arrangements for the student.
If Christians allow homosexual activists to revolutionize the moral landscape of this country, America will realize the words of W. B. Yeats. Our beloved nation will be lost spiritually—and perhaps physically. At the very least, the result will be a nation that neither tolerates the God of Heaven, His Word, nor His faithful followers. All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good citizens to say nothing. Let your voice be heard.
Thomas Vick is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University and a second year law student at Liberty University School of Law.
Private Enterprise and Homosexuality
Religious freedom among private enterprise is under attack. Lawmakers are passing laws that threaten Christian businesses. Judges are ruling against men and women who courageously make business decisions based on their religious beliefs. Christians must be aware of these dangers.
In the spring of 2012 Hands-On Originals, a T-shirt company located in Lexington, KY, refused to print T-shirts for the city’s annual gay pride festival. The Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO) sued Hands-On Originals for sexual orientation discrimination under the local public accommodation law. “The Lexington public accommodation law states that no business may discriminate against a person on the “basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and age forty and over” (Lexington Ordinance Sec. 2-33[1]). The statute was recently amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity as illegitimate reasons to discriminate against a customer. Many other communities across the nation have adopted similar public accommodation laws.
The outcome of this case is of critical importance, especially in Kentucky. The Lexington statute exempts religious institutions. However, the legal world is unclear as to what constitutes a religious institution. Is it a business that operates on Christian principles? Is it merely limited to a church? Or is it somewhere in between, in need of a definition supplied by a judge who probably does not hold a Biblical worldview? If Hands-On Originals is determined to be outside the scope of the “religious institution” exemption, the law will require Christian business owners in Kentucky to acquiesce to the homosexual agenda, despite their strongly held religious beliefs.
Frankly, every business owned by a Christian is a religious institution. This is because every decision of a Christian is informed and motivated by the Word of God (Colossians 3:17). For this reason, Christians do not associate themselves with gay pride festivals or any other ungodly activity. Although the religious affiliation of Hands-On Originals is unknown, the business owner’s decision is an example to New Testament Christians (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). Had Hand-On Originals caved to the demands of the homosexuals, it would have had an unspeakable fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).
In a similar case in New Mexico, Elane Photography declined to shoot pictures for a lesbian couple’s “commitment” ceremony. Vanessa Willock, one of the lesbians involved, sued Elane Photography for violating the public accommodation law under the New Mexico Human Rights Act (NMHRA). Elane Photography lost its case both at the district court and appellate court levels. It is expected that the Supreme Court of New Mexico will hear the case. In ruling that Elane Photography unlawfully refused to shoot the pictures for the lesbian couple, the Court of Appeals decided that a citizen’s freedom of religion was insufficient to justify denying photography services based upon the couple’s sinful lifestyle. In other words, if the Supreme Court of New Mexico upholds this outcome, the law will compel Christians to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
Another frightening piece of legislation is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). As of this writing (July 2012), a Senate Committee is considering a vote on it. ENDA would give special protections to homosexuals and cross-dressers. The probable effect of ENDA would force small business owners to allow employees to use the bathroom that best suits their “gender identity.” The definition of “gender identity,” according to ENDA, is “the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth.” While it is unlikely that ENDA will become law this year, homosexual activists will raise it for a vote again. It has been introduced in every Congress since 1994. President Obama supports the bill. Sadly, our country has reached a point in which its citizenry wishes not to recognize the most basic of divine distinctions. “Male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27).
Brethren, this is not fantasy. The militaristic homosexual agenda marches forward. Without hyperbole, spiritual bombs are exploding every week across our nation. Thankfully, God has provided our spiritual weaponry (Ephesians 6:12-18). But while the Christian’s armor is readily available, King Jesus has need of soldiers to fight with it. Christians, wake up and engage in the battle that now rages (Romans 13:11-14)!
