I'm siding with the Muslims on this one.
A club football team in Paris known as PFG - or Pro Foot Gay, because they are a team comprised of gay football players - is threatening litigation on a Muslim team after the Muslim team decided they would not compete with the PFG team because they "don't agree with their philosophy."
So the press is throwing around terms like "homophobic" and "intolerant". Well, yeah. My question is: when exactly did it become wrong to be intolerant of people's choices? If someone commits murder, are we not intolerant of their behavior?
Wait, I know the argument you want to give me. Homosexuality doesn't hurt anyone. Well, there are very relevant arguments against that overly-stated mantra; none that an immoral, god-less society will really consider, though. So for the sake of argument, let's say nobody gets hurt any more or less in a gay relationship than in a straight one. Philosophically speaking, I am against homosexuality. And I am not in the monority. Obviously, I have my reasons. Our society has gotten to the point that I am expected to keep my philosophy entirely to myself in order to avoid being "homophobic" or "intolerant". Why should we care? Really? Why should we be so concerned about being labelled "intolerant".
A couple weeks ago, we went to McDonalds. As I was getting the kids out of the car, there was a man in the parking lot yelling across to his friend in very colorful and persistent offensive language... and he knew we were there with our three little ones. As I stepped away from the car to kindly ask him to stop, my wonderful wife beat me to the punch and not-so-kindly told him to stop. Obviously, we don't want our kids to hear such coarse and offensive language. My wife showed intolerance towards his language. Those words can not hurt my children in any measurable way. The words can not break their arms or scratch their knees. In fact, it is likely that our kids would forget the language after getting their chicken nuggets. However, as members of this obsessively non-judgemental society, are we to close our eyes and ears and ignore all forms of deviant behavior, or do we have the right to draw the line and stand up when the line is crossed?
When my wife tells the guy that he should choose different words when he is in public, is she showing judgement towards that man? Or is she showing judgement towards his behavior? I know my wife, and I know that she could say what she said to him, and 5 minutes later have a pleasant conversation with him and invite him over for dinner that night.
So I learned something from my wife that day. And I learned something from the Muslims this week, as well. We all have a line in the sand were we become "intolerant" of certain bahavior, regardless of others' opinions and responses. Where exactly your line is drawn depends on many factors. Ironically, an ever-increasing number of people have moved their "intolerance line" so far that the only thing they are intolerant of is when they perceive other people being intolerant.
But as for me, I'm siding with the Muslims on this one.
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4 comments:
So true my friend. It reminds me of the phillosopher T.S. Mills:
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degrated state of moral and patriotic feelings that thinks nothing is worth a war is worse."
AW
Is AW from above my hubby?
Hmmmm...regardless, I agree with you & AW.
Danny,
A puzzle:
Two guys are arguing over who has the slowest horse. Both adamantly claim theirs is the slowest. They devise the one effective plan to prove the point. The will have a race and each jockey the other guys horse. Does the football story change if it's the Muslim team that no one will play. It probably does for the Muslims.
Another puzzle:
How to tolerate intolerable things: The Savior got this one for us: with a greater outpouring of love. It's hard to do, but ultimately the only thing that will work.
Keep up the good posts, and keep doing good things.
The real Uncle Bill
I appreciate that, Uncle Bill. We really are at our best when we are emulating The Savior.
I believe that you Californian's are a great example to us of drawing your line in the sand, staying firm, and still showing love and charity while facing adversity.
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