The opinions in
this article are my own and do not reflect those of any church,
denomination, or agency. Read with an open mind.
Who
are pleading for our children? Why are we drowning the tearful voices of
our hurting children with the loud cries of adults debating on subjects that
are, by choice, for adults only. Little children are innocent and unable to
defend themselves. Adults are to love, care, and protect children. The
sad story is that too many of our children are being wounded emotionally and
physically by the very ones that should be providing nurture and care.
These children are being abused in ways that leave permanent scars that
impact the way they will relate to others or how they will feel about
themselves throughout their lives.
While we get in heated debates whether or not to have a gay channel on our
cable network, let us not forget a more important subject: child abuse—the
intentional wounding of the defenseless and the weak. While adults can
choose what to watch and decide whether or not they want to corrupt their
minds and cripple their intelligence with pornography, too many children are
being sexually molested against their will, damaging their tender hearts,
minds, and bodies for life.
- WHO ARE THE
HYPOCRITES?
- What are the real
issues? This is an evil world. Christians live in this evil world.
The role of the Christian is to be the salt to season and not the pepper
to burn holes in our stomachs. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:1 “Be
not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your minds.” This implies that the world will always be in a mess.
When we feel that there is an activity, institution, or program that
speaks against God’s Divine will, the Christians’ first role is to
protest against it by their consistent lifestyle and teaching, not by
coercing and threatening. The most effective antidote against an evil
in society is the positive lifestyle of Christians. If all Christians
in The Bahamas truly lived a Godly life, we would not need to fear the
evils that surround us. The truth is that thousands of so-called
Christians patronize those evils. They are watching the Pay per View
Channels and are going to the sleazy joints. We are the hypocrites, not
the ones practicing open homosexuality.
-
- BOTH ARE EVIL
- The many porn
channels have been showing dangerous, mind-polluting images, including
gay porn for decades on our channels. Why have we been so silent about
them? Is it because we are watching them? Are we sending the message by
our protest that heterosexual promiscuity (between consenting adults) is
okay while homosexual promiscuity (between consenting adults) is
abominable and despicable? In my mind they are all equally evil. These
channels are designed for adults who want to mess up their minds or do
not have Christian moral principles. This is their choice. It is not a
crime. On the other hand, when a five-year-old boy’s anus is penetrated
by the penis of an adult male, this is not the child’s choice. It is a
crime and sin against him. When a six-year-old child is forced to
have sex or is raped by her step-father and contracts a sexually
transmitted disease, it is not a choice made by that child. It is a
crime and a sin by the adult against the child. Where are our voices
when the weak and defenseless are wounded? Why do we defend corrupt
leaders in the church or community and leave the hurting hanging out to
dry? Every week in The Bahamas many children are being severely
abused against their will and turned over to prostitution by adults who
should know better. Where are our loud voices of protest?
-
- THE ANTIDOTE
AGAINST EVIL
- Why haven’t we
shouted and screamed against the ten porn channels that have been on our
cable network for years? Yes, I am sad that they exist, but the truth
is that not everyone shares my views and lifestyle. This is a
pluralistic society. These kinds of channels are under “lock and key”
making it mandatory that we intentionally choose and spend money to
watch them. What Christians can do is to not patronize them. Teach
others the dangers of watching them and send letters of protest to the
networks to remove them.
Let’s be careful in putting too much energy in speaking out against evil
that we really miss our mission on earth: To preach and live the gospel of
Christ. Christians, let’s not forget that the best and most effective way
of identifying the counterfeit is studying the real. Let the people of our
nation see the “real” in our lives. We must expose evil. But evil is
exposed when we live real godly lives. I am not saying we should not have
seminars or workshop on the dynamics of abuse or the dangers of
pornography. This is what I do. But once again, we must remember that the
Christian’s lifestyle must be the loudest voice against evil in society.
- THE
CHRISTIAN’S DILEMMA
- We do have a
dilemma concerning speaking out against homosexuality. Some of the
ardent, do-not-want-to-change homosexuals call me homophobic simply
because I believe that homosexuality is evil and one can recover from
the lifestyle. On the other hand, I am condemned by Christians who are
bitter against homosexuals because I present a companionate, kind, and
loving approach to dealing with them. This is really a twisted and
thwarted world. Christians, we are putting our own feet in our
mouths. Let us have more campaigns and demonstrations on demanding that
Christians live godly lives. Let us spend more money printing posters,
banners, newsletters and sermons how to live for Christ. Let us also by
our lifestyle expose child and spouse abusers and rapists. We must not
cover them up.
ARE WE PURE?
A few years ago I wrote
an article entitled “Where will our Cruise Ship Dock” as an attempt to help
us to think about what is most important. It was in response to the gay
ship coming to Nassau. Here are a few lines from that article:
“The main question I want
you to ponder is this: "Where will our national Bahamian cruise ship dock?"
Will we qualify to pull into the harbor of moral purity? Will we cast our
anchors in the calm, peaceful waters of justice and safety? Will we travel
across the turquoise waters of sexual fidelity? Will we leave the ship and
walk down the pink sandy beaches of family respect and unity? Will we eat at
the banquet table of teenage virginity, experiencing the cool, balmy breezes
of positive parental modeling? Will we run into the subtropical sun of
personal integrity? Will we climb coconut palm trees of openness and honesty
and drink the coconut water of truth and sincerity? Will we swim in the
comfortable cool waters of national pride? These questions are designed to
help us think of the reality of the state of our nation.”
Barrington Brennen
is a marriage and family therapist. Send your questions to P.O. Box N-896
or email
question@soencouragement.org or visit the website at
www.soencouragement.org
