Leave it to the Family Research Council to sink to a new low in order to fundraise. I received the following email from FRC president Tony Perkins:
Please Take a Stand for Persecuted Christians In America . . . and Everywhere!
In other words, all of the information FRC put in about the unfair treatment and murder of Christians in the Middle East was just a lead-in, or a prop, for the organization to whine about cases in which no one was persecuted.
These are the facts behind each case FRC mention, facts which the organization conveniently omitted:
Kelvin Cochran was dismissed because he made bad decisions on the job regarding a self-published book which in part attacked gays.
The Kleins and Baronelle Stutzman broke non-discrimination laws and were found guilty via due process of the law. Stutzman in particular is in no danger of losing her business, home, and life savings because the fine against her was low.
Both Eric Walsh and Craig James were fired because of questionable comments they made. Walsh, former public health director of Pasadena, CA, made several homophobic and Islamic comments. He also said that evolution was "religion created by Satan." James's firing was a personnel decision from Fox News Sports after several homophobic comments he made in the past.
With regards to Modder, according to Media Matters, "an investigation found that he had repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior when interacting with students and that "the command has reason to believe" that he "provided false statements in denying statements he made during briefs to students."
As for the Christian adoption agencies, the problem lies with them accepting taxpayer monies while discriminating against gay and single potential parents.
The irony is that the people in all of these situations mentioned by FRC have been able to gain a platform via television and newspaper profiles and speeches at large functions, garner support, and raise money due to their false martyr status; something which Christians in the Middle East, i.e. the actual victims of persecution, aren't able to do.
And that's the sad part regarding FRC's fundraising letter. The organization does nothing for these real victims of anti-Christian persecution other than exploit them to raise the profile on its phony anecdotes.
Facing the consequences for breaking laws or bad decisions on the job cannot be compared to having your throat cut or being beaten to death because of your faith. And only an organization with a cynically gross mindset, such as the Family Research Council, would dare to make that comparison.
Please Take a Stand for Persecuted Christians In America . . . and Everywhere!
When I testified before U.S. Senators about religious persecution, I wore it.
When I testified before the United Nations about religious persecution, I wore it.
When I travel around the country wearing it, people ask me what it stands for—and it helps open their hearts to Christ and His people.
"It" is a simple lapel pin.
The pin features the Arabic letter "N" (which looks like a "U" with a dot above it).
ISIS uses this, "N" when wanting to identify Nasrani, or Nazarene, followers of Christ.
In the Middle East today . . . it means persecution and death for your fellow Christians.
But I'm asking you today to let me send you a Nasrani Pin to show you stand with persecuted Christians overseas . . . to show you stand for Jesus and His people anywhere . . . and to show you stand with FRC against the growing persecution here as well.So far so good. I don't believe anyone should be physically attacked, murdered, or terrorized simply because of their faith. I actually commend FRC for bringing attention to this. BUT then the letter adds the following:
When ISIS terrorists—Islamic jihadist radicals—enter towns in northern Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East, they find out where the Christians live and work.
The terrorists issue a three-way ultimatum: Convert to Islam . . . or pay a crushing religious tax that many can't afford . . . or be brutally executed.
And if the Christians won't renounce their faith?Their home or business is marked with the "N." They are marked as Nasrani: followers of Jesus of Nazareth. And they pay a heavy price.
Christian children, moms, dads, the elderly are being massacred. Some are crucified. Some are beheaded. Some are shot. Some are bled to death by having their throats cut as they are held still. Some are tortured before enduring any of these deaths.
They are the Nasrani martyrs.
They will not renounce their Lord.
Will you stand with them today? Will you claim the same Nasrani mark? Will you stand with FRC's efforts to wake up the slumbering U.S. government and United Nations to their plight . . . even as FRC also stands against persecution of Christians in America?
When you support FRC's efforts to stand for religious freedom—in other words, to stand for persecuted Christians in the United States as well as overseas—I will send you a Nasrani Pin as my thank you.
It's true that Christians in America are not being beheaded and tortured.
But make no mistake . . . we face persecution here.We face the effort to shut down the public expression of the Good News of Jesus Christ and His values. We face powerful institutions determined to force Christians to violate vital aspects of their beliefs. And Christians here are suffering:
- Aaron and Melissa Klein lost their cake-making business, their income, and may be financially ruined because they wouldn't renounce a biblical view of the sanctity of marriage and bow to the government. They have received death threats, vandalism, shaming and possible loss of their home.
- Navy Chaplain Wes Modder is suffering humiliation and possibly the end of his 19-year career—because he is standing for Jesus.
FRC is pushing back, often successfully, on behalf of religious freedom in America. We are advancing laws, policies and awareness that are crucial.
- Kelvin Cochran was fired as a fire chief; Craig James, fired as a sportscaster; Eric Walsh, fired as a health administrator; and Baronelle Stutzman faces the loss of her florist business, home and life savings. The parade gets longer. Christian adoption agencies have closed. Ministries face crushing fines.
We all—all those who bear the mark of Jesus of Nazareth—stand together as Nasrani.
In other words, all of the information FRC put in about the unfair treatment and murder of Christians in the Middle East was just a lead-in, or a prop, for the organization to whine about cases in which no one was persecuted.
These are the facts behind each case FRC mention, facts which the organization conveniently omitted:
Kelvin Cochran was dismissed because he made bad decisions on the job regarding a self-published book which in part attacked gays.
The Kleins and Baronelle Stutzman broke non-discrimination laws and were found guilty via due process of the law. Stutzman in particular is in no danger of losing her business, home, and life savings because the fine against her was low.
Both Eric Walsh and Craig James were fired because of questionable comments they made. Walsh, former public health director of Pasadena, CA, made several homophobic and Islamic comments. He also said that evolution was "religion created by Satan." James's firing was a personnel decision from Fox News Sports after several homophobic comments he made in the past.
With regards to Modder, according to Media Matters, "an investigation found that he had repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior when interacting with students and that "the command has reason to believe" that he "provided false statements in denying statements he made during briefs to students."
As for the Christian adoption agencies, the problem lies with them accepting taxpayer monies while discriminating against gay and single potential parents.
The irony is that the people in all of these situations mentioned by FRC have been able to gain a platform via television and newspaper profiles and speeches at large functions, garner support, and raise money due to their false martyr status; something which Christians in the Middle East, i.e. the actual victims of persecution, aren't able to do.
And that's the sad part regarding FRC's fundraising letter. The organization does nothing for these real victims of anti-Christian persecution other than exploit them to raise the profile on its phony anecdotes.
Facing the consequences for breaking laws or bad decisions on the job cannot be compared to having your throat cut or being beaten to death because of your faith. And only an organization with a cynically gross mindset, such as the Family Research Council, would dare to make that comparison.
1 comment:
The cynicism of FRC is boundless. Getting a small fine for breaking an anti-discrimination law is hardly in the same league as facing ISIL. Would they even care about the latter if it wasn't an excuse to concern troll about the former?
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