Posted by
Jesse P. on Friday, November 16, 2007 10:06:32 AM
The
Florida Education Association is threatened by the proposedmarriage ammendment currently being promoted to the 2008 Florida votersballot by John Stemberger and
Florida4Marriage.org. An FEA spokesman (reported in
365gay.com) recently said that marriage was less importantthan property tax and insurance reform.
To the best of my understanding FEA is aunion designed to represent the views and protect the interests ofFlorida's teachers, and plays no small role in what is taught in ourschools. So it is no small deal when the organization speaks out on culturalissues. Several weeks ago spokesman Bill Phillips made a comment thatproperty-tax reform was a critical issue that really matters, and thatany discussion on marriage would only divide us and distract us fromthe more important things like insurance reform.
Read the story here.FEA is doing its best to protect its constituents "rights" to engage in a sinful lifestyle. Phillips admits as much: "
Theproposed language of this amendment would clearly endanger benefitsand rights already enjoyed by our members and we find thatunacceptable." Clearly Phillips' understanding is that gay people enjoytheir sinful activity and anything that would bring into question the"benefits" of this rebellion is unacceptable. Other than the perverted enjoyment ofsin, what benefit has ever come from homosexuality?
This is a very typical response and indicative of the sinful humancondition, to minimize the seriousness of sin and downplay its effects.Essentially, rather than try to defend what cannot be defended, someadopt the tact of downplaying homosexual perversion, to such an extentthat they view it as less important than rather minor issues likeinsurance and property taxes.
Here is more of Phillips' quote: "Additionally, our state is currently facing a financial storm made up ofan economic slowdown, inadequate insurance reform and an ill-conceived propertytax amendment. Florida must focus on the critical issues that really matterinstead of an amendment that seeks to divide us."
But what is the effect of this downplaying of sin? By minimizing theseriousness of homosexuality, we also minimize the importance andprominence of marriage. If homosexuality is not important, marriagecannot be important. If marriage, however, is important, threats ofhomosexuality must be viewed as important as well.
That is why we must not be distracted by comparatively irrelevantissues like tax reform than we are about enduring central issues likemarriage and family. Societies have long prospered without homeinsurance, because the families who lived in those homes were strong.
The biggest "storm" our state faces is not financial but moral. Willthe great Failed Experiment of building a society on the foundation oftampered sexuality actually work this time? Or will God's Word, whichpromises that he won't be mocked and we'll reap what we sow prove trueas it always has? I think the latter is true, but I hope Stemberger'sefforts will keep the Failed Experiment from being launched to wreakhavoc in Florida.