A&E’s not to blame for kicking Phil Robertson to the curb. We are. The Church. Sure, A&E wrote out his checks and signed him to contractual agreements, but the real reason for Phil’s retribution lies on us, the Church. Somewhere along the way, the Church joined the rest of our Country in the “wussification” of America. For those unfamiliar with the term, it means, “the trend of becoming an increasingly wimpy society.”
Over the last several years, there’s been a movement to make the Country more soft. Little boys can’t bite pop tarts into shapes of guns without stern reprisal. In the Fall of 2013, Fox News reported, “An elementary school in Nashua, NH has reminded parents and students that playing “tag” violates the school’s longtime “no contact” rule for recess games.” And the no contact rule now extends into the adult world. In football, players are limited in their methods of tackling; Major League baseball plans to ban home plate collisions beginning in 2015. Soon, spectators will fill arenas to watch professional athletes in marathon pillow fights or playing tag….well, maybe not tag. Little kids can’t even play “Cowboys and Indians” because of the offensive nature of the “I” word. America’s becoming too soft.
Sadly, the “wussification” movement has crept into our churches as well. A couple of centuries ago, pastors pounded pulpits and loudly warned of “hell, fire, and brimstone.” In 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The message depicted the realities of hell so clearly, the hearers could smell the sulfur burning. Fast forward to the early 1900’s and to the evangelist, Billy Sunday. NPR contributor and author Steve Inkeep wrote of Sunday, “The “muscularity” and movement of his sermons was meant to counter the view by some that Christians were docile and fragile.” Finally, over the last 50 years, Billy Graham spoke plainly about the hell awaiting those without Jesus. Unfortunately, many churches today shy away from sermons about God’s Judgment or the text Phil quoted in his GQ Interview. I Corinthians 6:9-11 states,
“ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a]10 nor thieves
nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the
kingdom of God.”
Tough words but none more true.
Soon the executives and A&E will crowd around a conference table wondering how to keep their proverbial ship afloat, and some will ask why did we allow 5% of the population to dictate this decision. None will think to blame Christians. If the Christian voice resonated with as much volume and fervor as GLAAD, Phil Robertson wouldn’t be out of a job; the rest of the cast wouldn’t be facing tough decisions about their television future. But we needn’t worry. Duck Dynasty will land on their feet with even greater success. God blesses faithfulness.
In the meantime, Christians today need to “man up.” Phil Robertson transported America back to the days of Jonathan Edwards and A&E’s response to Phil’s comment proves that in 250 years, this Country’s grown soft…too soft. And so has the Church.
I stand with Phil Robertson.
More importantly, I stand on God’s Word.
December 21, 2013 at 4:16 pm
In Phil Robertson’s GQ article, he claimed that Blacks didn’t mind the pre-civil rights era, that Japan’s activity during World War II was due to the Shinto religion, and he he condemned homosexuality in terms that even his own pastor said that he would not use.
If it is wussy to oppose racism, religious intolerance, and incivillity. I guess I am signing up for wussiness. And I do it exactly because I am a Christian.
December 21, 2013 at 4:26 pm
The only issue A&E condemned was the perceived “attack” on homosexuality. In regards to the terms used, Phil utilized anatomically correct words to get his point across. He could’ve been much more vulgar…
December 21, 2013 at 1:40 pm
I agree – there is a very inaccurate picture of the King of the Universe in the current American church body. Most people have no idea what the “Lord Almighty” even means, but they can tell you all about “twerking”.
Jesus is depicted as a pushover, a boyfriend, a pacifist because few pastors want to look at the whole of God’s Word. They dwell in the New Testament and avoid the Torah like the plague or cherry-pick it to support “outreach” efforts.
Why did Christ stop mid-verse when reading Isaiah in the synagogue in Luke 4:19? Why does no one talk about the Day of Vengeance? Ignorance of the TNK (Old Testament) depiction of Messiah is astounding. Y’shua will bring justice to the nations, and it won’t be nice, it won’t be soft. It will astound and terrify everyone, including believers. Those who hate Him and his children will not be shown mercy after the appointed time.
So the bigger problem is not wussification, but pride, unbelief and lack of love. We’re too proud to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We don’t believe a loving God would exact swift justice upon those who have knowingly hardened their hearts and chose to hate him and love themselves more. Such unbelief is unloving, because it sugar-coats an incredibly harsh reality.
Christians are also very confused about the relation between government and believers. This confusion leads to apathy, or the notion that turning the other cheek is always the desired means to show love. The devil loves to push things out of context and produce extreme reactions, but that too shows a lack of love to others.
Phil Robertson has a very good basis for a civil-case for religious discrimination and he should sue A&E for every penny they have.
December 21, 2013 at 5:18 am
My goodness – how easily we confuse God and country… and guns.
I must have missed the part where the Lord answered Peter’s question about being struck with, “Well, Peter, you should not only hit him back, but you should blow his head off with a shotgun should he try to hit you again.”
December 21, 2013 at 11:46 am
Hate to be this way– but:
Turning the other cheek is not getting on your knees with your mouth open and your tongue hanging out. ….
As for the shotgun part, no one is suggesting that at all.. People are simply saying they aren’t going to do things that monetarily support people and organization they find offensive..
So they’re borrowing the Professional Left’s boycott tactic.. You know, the one that backfired on the Homosexual community when they decided to try using it against Chick Fillet not that long ago..
If A&E ends up dying the way Homosexuals wanted Chick Fillet to die, then the American people will have sent a unmistakable message.. Would you not agree?
December 21, 2013 at 4:55 am
All Leftists are anti American and should be put in their place. If not America will by a bye word in history!