Christianity’s historical stance against gay sex may now mean that Christian churches will come to be considered “hate groups” in America, based on recent trends.
While the LGBT lobby has so far avoided calling churches “hate groups,” this is likely to change, if its behavior toward individual Christians and pro-family associations is any indication. Those who continue to uphold the biblical condemnation of sodomy are routinely excoriated as “bigots” and “haters” simply for adhering to the traditional biblical sexual morality upon which the nation was founded.
During a Senate confirmation hearing last week, Cory Booker (D-N.J.) assailed Secretary of State-nominee Mike Pompeo for his biblically informed views of same-sex marriage. Pressed by Booker as to whether he believed that it is not “appropriate for two gay people to marry,” Pompeo, a graduate of Harvard Law School, replied, “Senator, I continue to hold that view.”
Shortly afterward, the LGBT advocacy group Human Life Campaign (HRC) sent out a tweet urging that senators reject the Pompeo nomination, saying that the former CIA director had been “funded by anti-LGBTQ hate groups, including the Family Research Council.”
HRC president Chad Griffin said that Pompeo’s views on same-sex marriage make him “a reckless choice to lead our nation’s diplomatic efforts,” a judgment that would apply to any conservative Christian.
The Family Research Council (FRC) is a non-profit conservative Christian association that advocates for traditional family values. The HRC’s designation of the organization as a “hate group” stems solely from the Council’s faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage.
From here it is only a short step to labeling the Roman Catholic Church or all of Evangelical Christianity as “hate groups,” since they share the same understanding of the nature of marriage as the union between one man and one woman.
The trend to viciously attack Christian organizations and individuals for their opposition to gay marriage provides a poignant confirmation of the prophetic words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in his 2015 dissent on the Obergefell v. Hodges case, which imposed same-sex marriage on the country.
When the Court issued its ruling, the four dissenting justices foresaw that the decision would be used as a stick with which to beat those who uphold traditional marriage, and their predictions have already come true.
In his powerful dissent, Justice Alito predicted that the ruling would be employed “to vilify Americans who are unwilling to assent to the new orthodoxy.”
Though the majority decision paid lip service to the rights of conscience of those who disagreed with the ruling, Alito seemed to have little doubt of what the real outcome would be.
“Perhaps recognizing how its reasoning may be used, the majority attempts, toward the end of its opinion, to reassure those who oppose same-sex marriage that their rights of conscience will be protected,” Alito wryly observed.
“We will soon see whether this proves to be true. I assume that those who cling to old beliefs will be able to whisper their thoughts in the recesses of their homes, but if they repeat those views in public, they will risk being labeled as bigots and treated as such by governments, employers, and schools.”
Unremarkably, this harassment is on display daily in American society and even in the hallowed halls of the U.S. Congress.
It is just a matter of time before Christianity itself will be declared a “hate group.”
Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter Follow @tdwilliamsrome
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