Free speech and the End Times

I recently received the following email from a friend who pastors a church that Carla and I attended for a short time a few years back. Following his email is my response. Identifiers have been X'd out:
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Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 6:18 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients

Subject: Are we in the End Times?

Yes.

We have been for the last 2,000 years and the clock is ticking. But whether we see the return of Jesus in our lifetime or He waits 10 more generations isn't the point.

The point is that the heat is being turned up right here in the United States on those who dare call themselves Christian.

Two items in the news recently…

First the pastor in San Diego who was issued a citation for holding a Bible Study in his San Diego county home. He was threatened with zoning laws and told that he might be fined thousands of dollars. It was rescinded yesterday with an apology from the county executive, but not until the county was contacted by the church's lawyer.

Then we have legislation in the Senate Judiciary Committee right now (S. 909)
“…that would create a new class of crimes based on the traits of the victim, including "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."

Under "hate-crimes" laws like S.909, pastors could be prosecuted for preaching the biblical view of homosexuality. Similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.

Whatever happened to religious freedom and free speech?? (ask Carrie Prejean)

Here is a website that will assist you if you want more info or want to be heard on this issue: http://capwiz.com/fof/issues/alert/?alertid=13283021

Of course, this has all happened time and again throughout history. In one instance Daniel describes a wicked ruler who will use “smooth words to corrupt those who have rejected God's covenant” and the verse finishes, “…but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” (Daniel 11:32)

So once again the key is, Do you know your God? Are you taking action for Him right now? Are you standing up for your beliefs and letting others know (with gentleness and respect) that holding to biblical values doesn't mean you are perfect, just that you want to be faithful to God?

Many years ago I heard the question, “If Christianity were a crime, would they have enough evidence to convict you?” If we don't make ourselves known, that may not always be hypothetical.

In Christ,
XXXXX
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From: Danny Coleman
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 12:37 PM
Subject: RE: Are we in the End Times?

Hi XXXXX,

I enjoy receiving your newsletters. It helps Carla and I feel a continuing sense of connection to XXXXXX. It is because of that sense of connection that I feel compelled to respond to the most recent email that you sent out. I would prefer a spirited discussion over pints of Guinness ;^) , but email will have to suffice:

1. Regarding the End Times/Last Days: In Acts 2 when Peter quoted Joel-- and thus made it clear that Pentecost was a sign of the Last Days—I don’t think he meant “the beginning of a 2,000+ year period of time.” That’s certainly not what his hearers in Jerusalem would have understood him to be saying. Likewise, when the writer of Hebrews wrote “…but in these last days…”, (1:2) was he/she referring to a 2000+ year period of time? I don’t think so. That seems sort of like calling your wife and saying you’ll be a little late for supper and then, 50 years later, when you still haven’t shown up, she says, “well he did say he’d be a little late.”

I think a much more sensible understanding is that Peter, Paul, et al were indeed living in the End Times. Though many couldn’t see it, the end was approaching for the Levitical system, the temple, the Jewish governing authorities, etc. Within a few decades they would be no more. This would have been a monumental occurrence to 1st century Jews. I’m sure you’re familiar with the events of 70 A.D. and have read Josephus’ account of the siege of Jerusalem.

The “End Times” have been and gone. We live not in a pre-millennial “Last Days” where things are deteriorating towards a gruesome end, but rather in the continuing expansion of the Kingdom of God. And we get to participate in that expansion of the Kingdom, if we choose to. This is good news!

2. Regarding Senate Judiciary Committee legislation S.909: Have you actually read S.909? There is nothing in there that would make preaching against homosexuality a hate crime. In fact, S.909 very clearly defines a hate crime as an act which “…willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person…” It goes on to clarify that “…the term ‘bodily injury’ has the meaning given such term in section 1365(h)(4) of this title, but does not include solely emotional or psychological harm to the victim…”

So there you go. We can preach against the gays and hurt their feelings without having to worry about the Feds showing up on our doorstep. Personally, I don’t think Christians should be preaching and demonstrating against gays since to do so is not to follow the example of Jesus, Paul, etc. I heard Dobson on the radio the other day talking about “returning America to its Christian roots” and I had to wonder what on earth he meant. Although Christianity is in the mix of America’s roots, so is a huge dose of Enlightenment Deism. Not to mention slavery, religious intolerance (for example, the horrible ways the Puritans treated the Quakers in New England), marginalization of women, classism (only landowners could vote), land stealing, genocide against native Americans, etc., etc. “Christian America” is a myth. Like all of us as individuals, America was and is a very mixed bag—capable of great good and great evil. It seems to me that Christians nowadays can turn very ugly and un-Christ-like and downright idolatrous when we get our focus onto promoting conservative political values rather than on following Jesus and living the Sermon on the Mount.

The case with the San Diego Bible Study that you brought up involved an overzealous zoning enforcement officer who stepped out of line and a pastor who, in turn, overreacted. The real issue though was not religion; it was parking. The county had received complaints from neighbors saying that attendees of the Bible Study were clogging the street and blocking driveways with their cars. The county’s Chief Administrative Officer has issued the following statement about the matter: "I want to say in the most direct terms: the County has never tried to stifle religious expression and never will."

And what on earth does Carrie Prejean have to do with a discussion on the limitation of religious freedom and free speech? There was no government attempt to suppress either. She exercised both her religious freedom and her free speech to a nationwide television audience. Some people didn’t like her opinion. Should that be a shock? Others defended her right to her convictions, including Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco, who is a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage. (I still haven’t figured out how parading around in a bikini is a witness for Jesus, but that’s beside the point.)

XXXXX, the reason I’m taking the time to respond to your email is because I believe we Christians, and especially Christian leaders, have a responsibility to be people of the Truth. We should not be propagating half-truths and rhetoric. What we should be is quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. The actions we should be taking for God are to love our enemies, to pray for our persecutors, to be peacemakers, to care for the needy, to seek justice for the oppressed, to heal the sick, to visit those in prison, to act justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly, etc. In doing these things, we will reflect Jesus, just as Jesus reflected the Father.

Just offering an alternative Christian perspective.

Take care,

-Danny