Never here…right?
A French mayor is facing up to five years in prison and fine of up to £63,000 for declining to carry out a same-sex marriage.
Jean-Michel Colo, a mayor in South West France, rejected a wedding application from two men and says he stands by his decision.
But under French law, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation can be punishable by up to half a decade in prison and up to a €75,000 fine. (1)
The "gay marriage" issue has never really been about equality. It is the stifling of anyone who disagrees. The great challenge for Christians in the coming years is not to return to a "Christian America", but to represent Christ faithfully and fruitfully wherever we may find ourselves. We ought pray that God would send a great awakening, but we also must do the work of the ministry now even if He doesn't.
The great push of this era, unlike the last, is not to destroy religion, but to marginalize it. You may believe what you will, but don't bring it into the public square if it crosses the prevailing winds. This operates on one simple assumption. Here are some of the "big questions":
- Where did I come from? (Origins)
- Why am I hear? (Purpose)
- Where am I going? (Eschatology-end times)
- What am I supposed to do? (Vocation)
- How am I supposed to do it? (Ethics)
Our secular age assumes that your answer to those questions doesn't matter and isn't based in reality. Your religious opinions are a personal faith and have no bearing on anyone else.
Contrast this to how Udo Middleman described the ministry of his in-laws, Francis and Edith Schaeffer:
Together they travelled and taught in churches and university halls from Finland to Portugal, helping people understand Christianity as the truth of the universe, not a personal faith, and pointing out the cultural and philosophical pitfalls in everyone’s way.
If the Bible is true and Christ is who He says He is, then the world must know. Our faith does not run from reality, but it both embraces and explains it.
Update (2013-06-25): I corrected who said the Schaeffer quote. My original notes were wrong. I also included a link to the source.
- Via David Murray from The Christian Institute.