FRC is caught distorting two incidents in one article. |
Leave it to the Family Research Council to go overboard in the distortion department
The following came from its Washington Update:
HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines were just on the cover of People magazine -- and now, they're the face of something else: a controversy over the fact that their pastor preaches the Bible. For the last few years, the Texas couple has charmed their way into people's hearts -- not just with their talent for renovation, but with their sweet and genuine relationship. Their show "Fixer Upper" has exploded in popularity, and the parents of four have never shied away from their faith -- which they've talked about at length in their books and interviews.
Today, that faith is under fire by a handful of far-Left extremists who've latched onto a sermon the Gaines' pastor, Jimmy Seibert, preached about marriage and sexuality. "If someone were to say, 'Marriage is defined in a different way,' let me just say: They are wrong," Seibert said. "God defined marriage, not you and I. God defined masculine and feminine, male and female, not you and I."
Now, I'm not sure why it's news that a Christian church believes what the Bible teaches about sexuality, but apparently, this is a shock to the liberal media establishment. When reporters contacted the church, the communications director pointed them to Antioch's webpage on "beliefs," where it says: "Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime." That was their belief when the church was founded 17 years ago -- and it's their belief today. And, as recent polling points out, Chip and Joanne's church is hardly in the minority! Fifty-three percent of all Americans (not necessarily Christian) told Wilson Allen Perkins polling this month that despite what the Supreme Court ruled, they still define marriage as the union of a man and woman.
Obviously, the Left is trying to do to Chip and Joanna what they unsuccessfully did to the Robertsons of "Duck Dynasty:" take down a hugely successful program in a show of political force. That's unlikely to happen to a couple like the Gaines, who have no interest in renovating their views to suit a narrow ideology. Hopefully, HGTV has learned since its ousting of the Benham Brothers that religious discrimination doesn't play well with viewers.
You'll notice that while FRC talks about "far left extremists," the groups isn't specific about who these folks are. That's probably because they don't exist.