Two Visions Of Faith: Competing For The Allegiance Of A Nation

I am a cultural terrorist, at least that's what Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council implied in a recent interview with the American Family Association's daily radio podcast.

What have I done to deserve to be associated with a term normally reserved for people like Timothy McVeigh and Osama Bin Laden?

I support the separation of church and state.

According to Tony Perkins, I should be cast out from society as an unpatriotic American because I support the First Amendment's protection of religious freedom, including the prohibition against government establishing a religion or prohibiting me from practicing my faith.

Perkins considers me godless -- no doubt a great shock to my congregation -- because I don't believe our public schools are an appropriate venue for organized Christian prayer, or any imposed prayer for that matter.

To be fair, Perkins was not talking specifically about me, but about all of us who believe in protecting the boundaries between religion and government. It's possible, by his standard, you may be a cultural terrorist too.

Here is a shocker: Tony Perkins and I differ. Perkins demands the right to pray however he wants, to whomever he wants, wherever and whenever he wants. He does not care how his prayer impacts those around him or what his insensitivity conveys about the nature of the God to whom he prays, and he shows no evidence of wanting to extend the right he enjoys to those outside his particular version of the Christian faith. Make no mistake, Perkins is not fighting for more prayer in public life, he is fighting for more Christian prayer (as he prescribes Christian) in public life.

Earlier this month, this man who seems to consider himself the arbiter of all that is moral and right called the "It Gets Better" campaign "disgusting." He said it is "appalling" to let young people who are targeted by bullying know that they are supported and that they will get through hard times. Apparently, the worst sin, from Perkins' perspective, is that this message of hope was supported by President Obama. Perkins characterized it as the president "telling school children that it's okay to be immoral."

I already have indicated that we differ. The worst sin, from my perspective, is ever to tell a human being, especially a child, that his or her life is not precious. I understand that Perkins' religious convictions do not align with the LGBT community. However, that is no excuse for him or anyone else to support the continuation of the crisis of bullying that is plaguing our schools. Where is his religious conscience? Perkins is implicitly blessing the abuse of young people driven to suicide because of the relentless harassment they faced in their schools. No child should ever feel that suicide is his or her only option and no religious leader or any sane adult should ever even think of endorsing such an option.

Mr. Perkins, I know what you think of me. Now let me tell you what I think of you: You are a bully of the worst kind. You wrap your hateful, venomous rhetoric in the American flag and claim it rests on the word of God.

I have committed my life to God. I have been a Christian pastor for more than 50 years. I have seen the positive and healing role religion can play in people's lives. I also understand and accept the fact that there are patriotic Americans who choose a spiritual path different from mine.

I think I know a thing or two about faith. And what I know to be true is that the vitriolic rhetoric coming from Tony Perkins and those like him strikes me as inconsistent with the Christian faith as I understand it or with the teachings of Jesus Christ as I read them.

I also know a thing or two about patriotism and American history. As I understand my label as a "cultural terrorist" to be defined by Mr. Perkins, I am proud to share the honor of his label with people like Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington -- cultural and political heroes that neither I nor most Americans consider terrorists of any kind.

Ultimately, what Tony Perkins thinks of me and what I think of Tony Perkins is of little consequence. The implications of both of our views for this nation, however, are different. I honestly believe my view supports democracy and leads to peace while Perkins' view subverts the democratic process and leads to hurtful divisions. All of us have a stake in which of these visions prevails in this land.

What people like Tony Perkins don't understand -- or choose to ignore -- is that his ability to practice his religion as he sees fit is a direct result of the hands-off approach that government has taken toward religion for the last 200 plus years. Tony Perkins has the right to advocate for belief in the singular correctness of his own faith only because all of us have the right to choose a form of religion or no religion as we see fit. But, from the perspective of our present form of government, Perkins enjoys no greater preference or rights than anyone else -- not me and certainly not the young people being bullied in our schools.

Two visions are competing for the allegiance of our nation. Both Tony Perkins and I will have to trust the American people to make the right choice of vision for our future.

 

Comments

[thebigbike]

11:22 PM on 09/06/2011

kudos for speaking out against the tony perkinses of the country. you just need a louder voice if you are going to redeem your vision of christian beliefs from his in the eyes of those outside the argument

[Salty too]

11:44 AM on 09/06/2011

Just another so-called Christian who's views are more worldly than biblical.

[see-ellen2001]

08:50 PM on 09/05/2011

Absolutely excellent.

[BeninOakland]

07:21 PM on 09/03/2011

Actually, it is people like Rev. gaddy that are trying to save America from the worst of itself. Rev Gaddy strikes me as a very moral man, while people going on and on about depravity--i.e., sexuality that they neither understand nor approve of-- strike me as people who would rather judge others than make sure that they themselves are sinless.

I have yet to hear anyone who condemns gay people as being perverted or depraved or immoral have the slightest concern about the immorality of what is done to gay people, our famailies, our lives, and our happiness on a daily basis.

I have yet to hear anyone commenting on america's decline and condemning gay people have the slightest concern about what is REALLY killing our country-- deficit spending into the trillions, undeclared and unreasonable wars, poverty, declining education standards, international machinations, and on and on and on.

[arnwill]

02:01 PM on 09/03/2011

I don't think Perkins and company long for a Christian theocracy per se. I think, much like a progressive who worries about facism, Perkins et al are driven by fear. They fear a" liberal", as in godless, agenda that might challenge their world view or threaten their "constitutional" rights --- even to the point of denying others the same. As someone who has been part and parcel of the evangelical community for far too long, I witness the ugliness and down-right unchristian manifestation of such fear(s) all the time. Separation of church and state safeguards everyone's rights. Good article.

[Norcal2]

07:36 AM on 09/04/2011

I always find it interesting when evangelicals liek perkins try to break down the barriers of church and state.

Considering that Roman Catholics will be the majority religion in the US in a generation or so....don't they fear their children will be indoctrinated by the "papists" as they would say?

Isn't that why their ancestors came to America from Europe...to get away from state religion?

[Stormwalker03]

02:21 PM on 09/02/2011

Rev, I just wanted to say "Thank you." For my partner, for my family, and for myself.

I would also like to add some food for thought and I'd very much like some reactions to this. Marriage is a Religious institution. All the opposition to gay marriage say this. I'm not disagreeing. But I do have a suggestion.

Follow the separation of Church and State.
Remove all Marriage laws and legal code.
Revamp them completely and replace Marriage with Social Union or another agreed upon term.
Remove the legal ability to marry from ministers, preachers or whatnot.
-You must purchase a marriage license, change the term and let this be the entire paperwork necessary to join two lives into one legal entity.

Please, I look forward to your views on this, whomever reads it.
And thank you.

[dschiff]

04:38 PM on 09/03/2011

Very interesting suggestions. I'm not opposed to removing marriage from the auspices of religion.
I'm not sold on replacing the term with Social Union, though not for any good reasons.

My thoughts: This seems extremely challenging to enact. Way too much opposition. This is one of clergy's last remaining powers, and they will fight to keep marriage 'divine' with their teeth.

[Conuly]

07:24 PM on 09/03/2011

And if we'd done that from the beginning, got government out of marriage from the start, it'd be great.

[Angie Tyne 1]

05:24 PM on 09/01/2011

Thanks, Rev. the rest of us appreciate your efforts.

There are a large number of Christians who do not appreciate the political action that the churches have been involved in. Their families are the ones to suffer when equal marriage is denied, birth control withheld, stem cell research prevented, social services cut, etc.

For the last 30 years the religious right has allowed itself to be co-opted into being an arm of the GOP.

May I recommend an intervention?

www.au.org

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a group that is lead by a pastor. He recognizes the threat politics represents to faith organizations and works to keep them out of govt. If people of faith wish to stop the decline of their religions than they should work to keep it from controlling the lives of those who do not share their beliefs.

[DougEBarr]

09:22 AM on 09/01/2011

You've described two visions of faith and of course yours is the "right" one.

"...all of us have the right to choose a form of religion..." No one has the "right" to divide humanity.

"...right to choose ... no religion..." This is the only sane option.

"I honestly believe my view supports democracy and leads to peace..." In case you haven't noticed, democracy does not lead to peace. Democracy is the form of government that emerges when we all believe we have for example, "the right to choose a form of religion" and to thus divide humanity "as we see fit". http://www.thelastwhy.ca/poem/

[Billy Fritts]

03:17 PM on 08/31/2011

This has nothing to do with this post--I was wanting to ask you a question----Has any one on here heard that Maryland is forceing vaccine shots on there children by gun point and guard dogs--There children are hearded in like cattle to the slaughter--I was wondering if this is true---

[Bearthoven]

08:13 PM on 08/31/2011

Never happened. I live in Maryland and had something like that happened it would have been all over the news with a lot of irrate citizens.

[Conuly]

07:24 PM on 09/03/2011

Where did you hear that?

[bryanzth]

03:03 PM on 08/31/2011

I listen to Rev. Gaddy whenever I can. I think he is on the right side (correct side) of the Beatitudes, Parables, the Letter of James and the Lord's Prayer (as well as other passages that show the real actions a true follower of "The Way" should portray).

I do not believe that any of the Calvinist, Jesus-as-Punisher members of the New Apostolic Reformationist movement (Dominionists, etc.) portray the message that Jesus had given us.

I do not think the New Apostolic Reformationists are especially representative of any of the original message that Jesus left us, and rather represent a reactionary anti-Christian message that was composed AFTER the fact.

Thank you Rev. Gaddy.

BZ.

[gloriaswanson43]

02:56 PM on 08/31/2011

Thank you for supporting separation of Church and State.

[Adam of CA]

01:17 PM on 08/31/2011

The diversity of christian denominations is the testimony that christianity is divided within its own ranks. Therefore, it is absolutely important to keep such religious chaos separate from the State.

[LeFlaneur]

01:17 PM on 08/31/2011

"Make no mistake, Perkins is not fighting for more prayer in public life, he is fighting for more Christian prayer (as he prescribes Christian) in public life."

This point cannot be re-stated enough. Excellent article.

[UserNameJane]

11:54 AM on 08/31/2011

Not sure why my post did post. All I said was Great article, and Keep up the good work Rev. Gaddy.

[Stormwalker03]

02:23 PM on 09/02/2011

Jane, it takes time for posts to be approved, that's all. Thanks for posting!

[UserNameJane]

11:45 AM on 08/31/2011

Really nice article. Keep up the good work Rev. Gaddy,