In our New World, where outrage culture abound we need to weigh our words carefully. Lest a statement of fact should offend the sensibilities of a group somewhere, watching our every move on social media or in other dangerous habitats.
Cases in point
For instance Lyle Shelton the notorious Christian fanatic (and former leader of the clandestine Australian Christian Lobby, a radical organisation committed to the subversion of our society by insisting on extremist doctrines like; marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman- where do they get these whacky ideas from?), had the temerity to state (in a blog January 2020) that drag queens performing to young children in public libraries is harmful to the children’s development. (Doesn’t Lyle know that according to neo-Marxist doctrine young innocent children need to be sexually awakened?).
Well the outrage machine was appalled. His comments were ‘degrading and dehumanising’. They were so upset, they decided to use the Queensland taxpayer funded LGBTQI Legal Service to teach him a thing or two. Lyle needed to feel the pain of the emotional damage done to these drag queens; because after all we as a nation need to learn that the Truth has offended their truth.
So, Lyle has been summoned to appear before the Queensland Civil and Admirative Tribunal, to give an account for his reckless insensitivity. A date has yet to be determined for the reckoning.
Sadly, there are others, who have provoked the fury of many other genteel LGBTQI community members. Major Bernard Gaynor, a multi-decorated serviceman, with the Australian Army knows what it’s like to offend the untouchables. He’s lost his job and his house for suggesting privately, that servicemen and women shouldn’t march in the so called ‘Gay Mardi Gras’ (which happens to be official Army policy) and then in frenzy of bigotry, he made the outrageous statement that heterosexual marriage is what God requires of humanity. Oh no, I can see the outrage machine burning with rage.
Then there’s Caroline Farrow, an advocate of family values through the Citizens-Go organisation. A mother of 5 children, who’s been falsely arraigned before the courts in the UK, once on vexatious charges, for defending children and the rights of unborn humans.
Now the LGBTQI activists are at it again. Doxing her parents, harassing her online, threatening to pour acid over her daughter and taking her to court for a second time on false charges, with a view to bankrupting her. Well it seems these genial tolerant progressives will go to war when their truth is contested.
So why does the truth offend their truth?
Why do once accepted truths like: marriage is between a man and woman, or children have a right to their innocence, or ‘all lives matter, not only black ones’ cause the quasi-virtuous offence? Why is there so much outrage against us?
The answer is because the West no longer believes in absolute truth. The Bible teaches that the Truth isn’t culturally defined, and therefore open to various redefinitions over time. On the contrary Truth has been bestowed to culture from the absolute moral character of God.
When Cain slew his brother Abel, God didn’t say ‘Well Cain in order for societies to function rightly, I really need you stop killing people’. Rather He said ‘the blood of your brother Abel cries out to Me, from the ground’.
Nor did Joseph say to Potiphar’s wife ‘It isn’t appropriate for us to tryst, think of the damage it may do to your family and harm to your relationship with Potiphar’. On the contrary he said “How can I do such a thing and offend the God of Heaven?’.
Every sin is a violation of the Truth, and has a transcendent reference point, not only a societal one. Truth is founded on the inalienable character of a Holy God, and we his image bearers, Christians and non-Christians alike are under strict obligation to conduct ourselves under its mandate.
While ever we as a civilisation continue to repudiate the revealed character of God as the ultimate reference point for right and wrong, we’ll continue to drift like a ship without moorings, on the changing currents of man’s fallible ideologies. Criticism of my truth (since there is no absolute truth outside of it) will be received as a personal attack, and not as constructive dialogue in search of the truth.
Silence or reaffirmation, that is the question
I conclude by quoting Martin Iles of ACL. He said ‘While a new generation is looking for true answers, let it not be said that we were too afraid to supply them... or too self-interested to bear the cost... or too ignorant to know what they might be... or too foolish to think it really mattered... or too compromised to speak clearly’.
History has been here before. Moral courage was the essential antidote then.
"Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your servants may speak Your word with all confidence." (Acts Chapter 4, verse 29)
Our silence, because it’s convenient and easier than speaking the truth, becomes tacit approval of lies. Let’s speak up no matter what the cost.