Cal Thomas used to be one of my favorite syndicated columnists. Not that he isn’t anymore, just that the publications I read no longer carry his articles, so I am not up to date on whether some of his staunch conservative opinions may have become somewhat flaccid with time – possibly because of his close association with super liberal Bob Beckel.
His current article about the Kentucky clerk refusing to sign same-sex marriage licenses, left me quite confused. He contends that America is not, and never was, a Christian nation. He proceeds to slam Christians for everything that has ever been wrong with America, from slavery to the roaring twenties. He accuses Christians of every form of intolerance and constantly trying to force their beliefs on the rest of the nation.
The Cal Thomas I remember was nothing, if not fair. Though he came down consistently on the conservative side, you could always expect a reasoned analysis of the opposite side. With the Kentucky clerk, it is fair to argue that she picked the wrong time and wrong place to exercise her Christian opposition to same-sex marriage. It is also fair to mention that America has not always conducted itself as a Christian nation, and that singling out homosexual marriage ignores the many sins we are all guilty of.
However, both the rhetoric and the tone were inexplicable in the light of the anti-Christian mood that’s now prevailing in America. Thomas states “America is a nation in which Christians – and every other religious and nonreligious person – have the right to practice their beliefs in private and public free of government intrusion”.
Is he really that unaware of our courts and governments refusing to make accommodation for Christian conscience by forcing bakers, florists, and other wedding providers to service same-sex marriage? Is he oblivious to the fact that the courts and governments make exceptions for illegal aliens, radical Islamists, and fourteen year old boys who decide they are female and demand to shower with the girls, but put a harmless Christian woman in jail rather than find accommodation for her conscience?
The anti-Christian actions are spreading rapidly. Even today Home Depot refused to make copies of a Christian prayer relative to the horror of Planned Parenthood’s harvesting of baby body parts. Mr. Thomas cannot be unaware of where this is all heading. If Christians don’t start pushing back, they will soon be forced underground with their religious conscience, for the radical liberals will stop at nothing to eradicate all tolerance for Christian belief.
Thomas also repeatedly uses the liberal tactic of inventing a straw man. He talks of imaginary Christians with “this flawed notion of a once pristine nation that reflected Biblical values”. Who are these people with the flawed notion? I have been around Christians my entire life and never ran across a single one who thought like that.
It reminds me of the ridiculous lie promulgated by radical gays, claiming Christians say ‘homosexuals are going to hell’. Again, where are these people? No true Christian would risk his soul by judging someone else more guilty of damnation than themselves. In a half century of dealing with church leaders, including District and Synod Presidents, I have never heard a single condemnation of someone for being a homosexual.
Thomas’ silliest observation is that Christians never talk to anyone about their beliefs on gay marriage and abortion. “If you are pro-life, have you ever tried to get a pro-choice, non-Christian to accept your position? If you believe in traditional marriage and practice it, does your example and argument that marriage should be reserved for ‘one man and one woman’ persuade proponents of gay marriage? …I didn’t think so”.
It’s hard to know how to respond to such a strange statement. Does he actually mean that he thinks proponents of traditional marriage and opponents of abortion never talk to anyone about it, or does he mean it is a waste of time, so why bother? Or, is he possibly implying that Christians don’t talk about it because it is such a weak or even embarrassing position to hold?
Surely Cal Thomas has himself had this conversation with many people? Surely he understands like I do, that it is impossible to get a liberal to discuss the two subjects dispassionately? Unable to defend either position with reasoned logic, they always turn to emotion, and frequently end the discussion with a loud and final discourse on fairness.
Mr. Thomas also inexplicably says that Christians have long tried to force their beliefs on others. He has a very strange perspective on just who is trying to force what on whom. Americans have long opposed both abortion and same-sex marriage, yet a handful of judges have forced the view of minorities on both Christians and the entire country. Would it have been too much to ask that Thomas at least mention that fact in his article.
Mr. Thomas concludes “Kim Davis chose the wrong issue for her martyrdom”. Thomas sees himself as a man with ‘common sense solutions for America’. He may be right about Kim Davis, but he may also be wrong, and I can’t help but wonder just where he would draw the line with his own conscience?
Civil disobedience was considered an honored approach when used by Martin Luther King to fight racial discrimination. Apparently Mr. Thomas sees no parallel with religious discrimination. It appears he doesn’t even recognize the organized attempt by radical leftists, the judiciary, and compliant politicians, to restructure Christianity so it fits into the liberal ideal of political correctness.
Many remain in denial, but the war on Christianity keeps moving inexorably forward, and soon enough everyone will be forced to either take a stand for religious freedom and liberty, or capitulate completely to judicial and governmental tyranny.
