So, You Wanna Fight, Huh?

The title means exactly what it implies. We are in the year 2012, and there are many issues dividing people. But the most frightening thing is: when people cannot sit down and discuss things without becoming rude, nasty, crude, or violent.

Now, anyone who will resort to the use of violence because others will not accept the views they present; cannot be carrying the truth (Matthew 7:16-20, 23:29-31). Jesus Christ told the Jews that He was the Savior of the world and that was the truth, however the Jews threatened to kill him (John 8:37-47).

The Apostle Paul spoke the truth on a subject and was hit in the mouth by a man standing nearby. We can see that Paul was surprised and spoke in a tone showing displeasure to the high priest that had commanded him to be hit in violation of the law (Acts 23:1-5).

Why do we have to start calling names, sending nasty hateful e-mails, phone calls, or talk about doing bodily harm to those with whom we disagree? Shouldn’t we just sit down instead and bring forth our source of authority and let that information prove the stance we have taken on a subject?

The CEO of Chick-Fil-A got in trouble by gay advocates recently because of his stand for male and female marriage. There is nothing wrong with that. Being born by a father and mother is how all of us got here. No gay advocate came into existence by the cause for which they try to contend for. Leave the man alone, he has a right to voice his stance just like a gay guy can voice his own belief.

Just this past year, a church put a statement on their sign outside the meeting house saying “marriage is of a man and woman”.

Gay advocates started attacking that church leaving nasty profane remarks on the phone (but no name or address so that the church members could contact them). Sounds like a bunch of cowards to me. And some of those remarks called for the church building to be burned down.

Now if a person doesn’t like what someone has said, this kind of conduct is not the way to deal with it. A church has the right to teach what they believe marriage to be. And it can be done on a sign out front, their bulletins, from the pulpit or whatever means they have. As Americans we all have the right to free speech, and the right not to be attacked or insulted because of what we may say or teach. The audience has the right to correctly refute the message or just walk away. What is taught by a church doesn’t give a person who disagrees the right to insult them with nasty cowardly phone calls or commit vandalism to the church property. Plus, if we do harm to others we will go to jail and why should we jeopardize our position by being put in jail?

For example, I disagree completely with what gay advocates teach. I also disagree completely with the teachings of Islam. However, I would never go to a mosque or a building used by gay advocates, and damage that structure or insult them by calling out names like intolerant, ignorant, discrimination breeder, hater, etc. Nor will I injure or kill a Muslim because of their belief system.

So, how about these two groups returning the same to those who don’t agree with them? How about tolerance for those who don’t agree with same sex marrying and the belief in Muhammad?
So, if you wanna fight, go to a war zone in the Middle East, become a boxer, pro-fighter or wrestler, etc. Otherwise, allow those of opposing views to express their position. And if there is disagreement, use the polemic platform to honorably refute the message (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

​~James Baker