Christian preachers who make commentary on serious, timely secular issues should be very circumspect and do so only after careful study of relevant facts and documents. If legislation is involved, even legal consultation should be sought, for when a preacher speaks, he is understood to be doing so with the authority of centuries of a respected moral tradition.
Furthermore, a clergyman should seek to avoid seeming sentimental and to be promoting false mercy and compassion, because law is about what is right and just. Even the Lord and Ruler of Christendom, when the woman caught in adultery was cast down before Him, called for the execution of the judgement: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Challenged, one by one the accusers withdrew. Jesus was merciful, but only after the secular law of justice was upheld.
Thousands of Belizeans have studied the Equal Opportunity Bill. Many, including lawyers, have pronounced it to be severely flawed. The most insightful critique finds it to be very presumptuous, for it would supersede (by its own provision) all other existing laws, only the Constitution excepted. That would be tantamount to sweeping aside values treasured for centuries as the rice and beans of Belizean culture. This would include the re-definition of “sex”, family, social justice, etc.
What would happen to the recognition of merit, skill and ability, if the most important matter of concern would become, not truth, nobility, and virtue, but non-discrimination? Would Belize not become a very drab place where “sameness”, fake uniformity, and forced conformity would impel us into mediocrity as the best measure of Belizean-ness?
Already in previous writings, this writer described EOB as a serious attempt by a few Belizeans following and obeying foreign influences to transform our society by destroying our constitutional values following the example of European societies that are executing themselves through abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage. EOB would promote these killers through non-discrimination measures that would choke our moral and spiritual life.
Legislators usually introduce a new law to eradicate aberrations in human behaviour with the end of securing civil order and peace. However, when the violations are so few, a blind eye is turned, rather than creating, by law, measures that are draconian to counter the picadilloes of a limited few. Therefore, we have to ask: why does the lifestyle of a tiny portion of our population deserve an obnoxious super-law to protect the few? Does not good law promote THE COMMON GOOD? Would this law not promote the interest of the few? Is not that what we call ELITISM?
It has been suggested: the only protection they need is from the jealous rage of one another.
Returning our attention to Christian preachers, we must suggest that false mercy may so easily usurp true conscience, which says “I love you, but hate your sin.” It seems that even the word “sin” would be a violation when said in reference to homosexuality. It seems to me that according to EOB, they would enjoy freedom of expression while the vast majority would have it choked off by being legally forbidden to term homosexuality an abomination.
Why do I continue to link EOB’s “Commission and Tribunal” to the historical word “INQUISITION”?!
The Preacher concluded his remarks about EOB by proposing that instead of making a fuss about EOB, Christians should do something about starving children and the rampage of murder.
I do agree that as a Christian society we must do more to alleviate poverty. Where do we start? Would raising the minimum wage help? This would be a legislative matter hopefully done after careful economic study.
Crime, is another urgency. Might it not help to re-instate the death penalty — and flogging? When we called a halt to hanging three decades ago the strongest argument in favour of abolishing was that it engendered cruelty in society. Yet, in countries where drug dealers are executed on sight, there are no murders. Is this real or just apocryphal?
To continue my response to good-intentioned preaching, it seems unfair to thrust the solution of society’s most vexing problems on Sunday worshippers. But may the Almighty inspire them and all of us to dedicate more resources to solve these most challenging and vexing ills. May the Almighty guide and help us!
A last comment, on EOB. The poor Liberal Agenda is proposing to solve a problem that has been with us from time immemorial. Brilliant thinkers, like Rosseau in the 18th century, proposed that our ills are man-made because we create institutions like marriage, that unduly inhibit the good, natural expressions of man’s need to love, like sexuality. Well, Monsieur Rosseau fathered offspring who all died in orphanages as children, because he never provided for those who were born as a result of his loving attentions to women.
Need I say it in so many words? Humankind continues throughout the centuries to seek to solve our perennial problems by using tired human law.
Perhaps what we should do is brush off the cobwebs from the two great stone tablets and place them in different prominent places, everywhere in the world. These represent the rules and precepts given by the Creator who wants us to live fruitful, tranquil, peaceful lives!
A POSTSCRIPT:
In the beginning, after Almighty God created heaven and earth, when He had made Eve out of the ribs of Adam, He gave the very FIRST commandment to the first couple: INCREASE AND MULTIPLY.
Catholic Spain and other supposedly enlightened nations, instead of obeying, have been aborting, contracepting and sodomizing and are dying or are near death.
When we disobey Natural LAW, the consequences sometimes take decades to show their ugly heads.
Let the REAL BELIZE LIVE! Continue to say NO to EOB!