Gay Family Bashing

Interesting video over at Shawn’s site.

What do we think? Should there be a right to express one’s opinion in public when working? Where does the boundary between freedom of speech and respect lie?

For the record, not sure that the “Don’t judge ‘cos Jesus says don’t judge” line works. Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2 is clearly arguing that Christians, when they judge, will be judged by the same measure they judge by. That is not the same as saying they shouldn’t judge in the first place.

5 Comments on “Gay Family Bashing

  1. Thanks for the shout-out, Peter.

    I totally agree about your judging comments. I’ll be adding a post that talks about this as well. Too many times, we misread/misunderstand what Jesus is saying in Matthew 7, thus we tend to justify and overlook sin – in our own life and in the lives of others.

    In regards to this video, however, and in other “real-life” situations, we need to remember that our words carry weight behind them. As scripture says, our words bring life and death (Proverbs 18:21). This was no place to have this type of conversation, let alone bringing the couple’s kids into the debate. What type of truth is the waitress trying to get across, and how effective is it being received? All anyone is hearing from her is anger and hatred.

    Does the couple first need to hear condemnation, or do they need to hear about God’s extravagant love? Which one leads us to repentance? Romans 2:4. I give props to the Christian here. May many more respond likewise.

    Thanks again.

  2. What the video didn't include is that after the guy in the earrings tells the waitress, "don't judge" … the guy in the white shirt then leans over and tells him, "don't judge." Then a woman sitting in the corner walks over to the guy in the white shirt and tells him, "don't judge." And then the waitress goes over to the woman in the corner and says, "don't judge." Then the guy with the earrings says to the waittress …

    "Don't judge" cuts equally both ways if we take this out of context. We denounce ourselves when we accuse others of "judging" if we are not careful.

  3. >>>>>What do we think? Should there be a right to express one’s opinion in public when working?

    No. And that applies to all varieties of ideology. People serving the public should do exactly that, not assume that they posses a soapbox and a captive audience. Starbucks barristas asking if one is going out drinking (admittedly, that might be a Glasgow thing ;)) is one variety of the horrendous modern intrusion of private norms into public exchanges. And I would say the same thing if, for example, a Priest, ordering coffee, was grilled about the RC Church’s position on women priests and homosexuality. Utterly inappopriate. People who are paid to serve the public but who can’t check their private issues at the door are failing to do their job right.

    >>>>>>Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2 is clearly arguing that Christians, when they judge, will be judged by the same measure they judge by. That is not the same as saying they shouldn’t judge in the first place.

    And how many *heterosexuals* never “look lustfully”? Exactly. And how plausible is it that all the people in a diner are Christians? Isn’t “judge not” the perfect response to e.g. heterosexual atheists invoking scripture to bash gays?

  4. This was most interesting Peter! I agree that the woman serving the family was completely inappropriate in what she said. Had it been limited to one or two inquiries about what it was like for this family out in public is one thing, but to add her editorial comments was out of line–especially in front of the young children. One problem too many Christians face is what to say and how to say it–even when the time is right for discussion with someone. Whatever the issue, if we are not able to articulate our faith in a positive and helpful way, the "target" of our good intentions will not receive the Good News and will walk away, hurt, and remembering only the hateful message. It was only when folks told me the Good News in a positive way that I was able to hear it and then allow the Lord to transform me.

  5. I found this almost too painful to watch. It's one thing to engage in a debate of this nature on a blog such as this, and quite another to aggressively confront people in this way. My first thought (in agreement with Don above) was 'those poor children'. Even as actors and actresses.

    I agree totally with the waitress, but never, never would I deliberately set out to hurt people in this confrontational way. I may well inadvertently have done so in some of my blog posts, but when we are semi-anonymous, it is the 'issue' rather than the 'people' that I am debating. This is not the way to go about it. It was sheer bad manners on top of everything else.

    I couldn't watch it to the end. Did she get the sack?

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