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What Now?
(Brother Ross is a retired Attorney who was for many years the County Prosecutor where he lives. In addition, he is an experienced and capable gospel preacher. I asked him to write the following article for us which the reader will find informative and useful. — Maurice Barnett)On June 26, 2015, five black robed members of the United States Supreme Court thought that they were smarter than God: they thought that they could change the components of marriage. They have become the latest to call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). For those who are followers of Christ, the question is what will happen next?
The followers of evil do not believe that the war was won; they believe that the battle has been won to lead to a crushing victory over righteousness. Their goal is to destroy from public life any vestige of religion. George Washington, an Anglican, said that our nation could not exist without religion and morality. The forces of evil intend to get rid of both.
The immediate consequences of the court decision are continued attacks upon those who will not participate in the "weddings" due to religious beliefs: photographers, bakers, florists, wedding planners, locations which rent to hold weddings. All of these will, and are, being required to accept and participate. In New Mexico, when a photographer was asked to do a lesbian wedding (at a time when New Mexico did not recognize such a thing), the photographer was cited by the state civil rights commission for unlawful discrimination. Judge Richard Besson of the New Mexico Supreme Court, in his concurring opinion, stated that the surrendering of the photographers' religious freedom was "the price of citizenship" and they "are now compelled to compromise the very religious beliefs that inspire their lives." Justice Anthony Kennedy in the court's opinion finding a constitutional right to same-sex "marriage" stated that religious people retain the right to "advocate" and "teach" their opposition. However, Chief Justice John Roberts points out in his dissent that the First Amendment recognizes the "free exercise of religion" which is much more than teaching and advocating.
Brendon Eich was the CEO and co-founder of Mozilla Corporation, but was forced out of his job when it became public that he had donated $1,000 in favor of marriage in the Proposition 8 campaign in California. Kelvin Cochran, fire chief of Atlanta, Georgia, was fired because he wrote a book for his Baptist Bible study class which enumerated several sexual sins, including homosexuality. There is absolutely no evidence that Eich or Cochran ever showed any discrimination on the job.
It does not take a prophet to see the future. There will be attempts to take away the tax-exempt status of any institution that does not celebrate homosexuality. Churches, colleges, schools, hospitals, and social service organizations will have to pay real estate and sales taxes that were not paid previously due to their recognition as charities. Colleges will be required to open their married couples housing to same-sex couples. Adoption agencies with religious principles have already been forced out of existence because they would not place children with same-sex couples. Any religious bodies that have weddings on the property will be sued if they do not also disobey the scripture. Any contract with government will contain a clause that will prevent those who recognize marriage for what it is from participating. Student loans will not be available to any students going to "religious" schools or colleges that teach the truth on marriage. Graduate schools are already denying counseling degrees to students who will not counsel homosexuals positively about their life style.
Several years ago the Ohio Supreme Court floated a proposition that it should be a disciplinary offense against anyone with a law license to say that homosexuality was wrong. I wrote a letter opposing that. I do not know if I was influential, but it did not happen. However, I can see that's being attempted again against anyone seeking to obtain any type of licensing from a government agency.
A baker in Colorado and a florist in Washington (state) were told that the goal was not to close their businesses, but to "reeducate" them. To those of us old enough to remember the Cold War, that sounds like the Communists sending people to Siberia.
Friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). We must remember that "we ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29). "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15). Edmond Burke said that "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." We sing
"Stand Up For Jesus." Will we?
