Posted on 12/19/2013 2:03:34 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
As you’ve probably heard, Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson has been suspended by A&E over what many are describing as “anti-gay” comments he made to GQ.
So what did he say that was so bad? Here’s an excerpt, via E!:
“‘Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,’ he tells the magazine. Paraphrasing Corinthians, he says, ‘Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.’”
… “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”
… ”We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ‘em, give ‘em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ‘em out later, you see what I’m saying?”
Much of the criticism coming from conservatives (regarding A&E’s decision) has focused on the fact that a). Robertson was merely stating an orthodox Christian position, and b). that this is just his opinion — and he’s entitled to it (and besides, why are people so offended these days?).
But I’ll make another observation: This may be an attack on “unsophisticated” country folks as much as it is an attack on orthodox Christianity.
When you consider the more effete, cosmopolitan America that “Pajama Boy” represents, you’ll get a sense for why the Duck Dynasty folks are out of touch with today’s acceptable norms. There is a huge schism between red state America and blue state America, and these two stories seem to symbolize the yawning chasm.
I’ve always felt that this same dichotomy was at least partly to blame for why the mainstream media hated Sarah Palin so much. It wasn’t merely her conservative positions, but the fact that she was from Alaska — and that she never attempted to conform to their manner of speaking, style, or customs. She didn’t culturally evolve. (Kirsten Gillibrand no longer sleeps with two rifles under her bed, but Sarah from Alaska still goes hunting!)
Along those lines, it’s not just what Robertson said, but how he said it. Suppose, for example, he had simply said: “My faith tradition teaches that traditional marriage is the right path.” It’s hard to imagine that would have landed him in any trouble.
I mean, there are certainly alternate ways to discuss a religious objection to homosexuality that don’t involve “vagina” or “anus.” Perhaps he might have gone that route? (As Erick Erickson, who defended Robertson, concedes: “Certainly some things you or I might have phrased differently, but a self-made man at sixty-five should be shown some latitude.”)
To be sure, always having to make one’s case in the most eloquent and precise manner (in order for it to be deemed acceptable by polite society) may be the first step toward one’s position being deemed unacceptable no matter how finely parsed.
But that doesn’t negate the fact that a big reason this happened is that a pretty regular guy — a guy who hates phonies and tells it like it is — is going to be rhetorically unequipped to navigate the PC land mines that 21st century fame demands.
It has as much to do with class and geography and culture and attitude as it does with religion.
Politics and reality TV are increasingly causing these two worlds to clash. Until we find a way to domesticate these guys with the gun racks in their pickup trucks, I suspect this will be a recurring story.
There really are two Americas.
That isn’t really true. There are not two Americas. There is one America and one anti-America and never the twain shall meet.
Well put.
.....just another facet of the attack on Christians. A set up, lead by GQ, to dampen the success of a very popular TV program where each episode ends with a prayer. They never stop.
I'll add the conflict of plain-speaking versus polite dissembling.
Yeah. The truth has a funny way of being...the truth...and it is usually pretty straightforward.
Dennis Prager has written about the two irreconcilable Americas.
Sacrificing truth on the alter of political correctness is what the left does and what it demands everyone else do as well.
When you make your point with very few words it is a powerful thing.
Email A & E at feedbackaetv@aenetworks.com . Tell ‘em you’ll be happy to dump both the network and its sponsors for its craven cowardice in kowtowing to the hectoring “Free speech for me, but not for thee” whimperers.
"I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get plied upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe."
Thomas Jefferson
What I don’t get is why a Christian would do an interview with such a godless, metrosexual magazine to begin with. You have to know that they will bait you with such trap questions.
Perhaps Phil knew full well he would be expressing the truth about homosexuality. Maybe he wanted this boil lanced.
Phil basically said (except for the whole vagina vs. anus part) what all Christian preachers should be saying from the pulpits of America (and Canada). Are they now guilty of “hate” speech as well? What would the lavender mafia do with the truth-speaking preachers of the world?
Acceptable?? To whom?
I don't set my standards of acceptable conduct by the whims of effete urban socialists. Indeed, their conduct is generally UNacceptable in my part of WEST Virginia. Today's Acceptable Norms here include that faggotry is repulsive and sinful.
I don’t think it’s two Americas as much as it’s two spirits.
Very rapidly, the spirit of anti-Christ is taking over what once was a unified, God-fearing, Judeo-Christian nation.
I do hope the rest of the family will support Phil in this matter, acknowledge the truthfulness of his words, & have A&E drop the whole show.
The big loser will be A&E. Phil & his family don’t need the money.
so....a Christian talks about his faith and what is acceptable and what isn’t - and he’s suspended...but any nut case anti-US - pro-death of babies is given any amount of air time to spouse their opinions and beliefs....uhm...
Seems like the shows popularity illustrates where the majority of viewers concentrate their belief system - and it’s not around the gay movement or abortion rights... A&E is in it for the money and could care less about promoting Christian values...same as TLC and their pedophile show Toddlers and Tiaras...
I loved the authors comment about Phil being “rhetorically unequipped”. Made me laugh. Phil knew exactly what he was saying. He doesn’t CARE about political correctness.
“I don’t think it’s two Americas as much as it’s two spirits.”
Anyone who has watched daytime TV will quickly realize there are two Americas; normal people have nothing in common with people that are fed this stuff all week while we work our butts off. There is 0 common ground.
emails done...
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