Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

I still have a lot of COC friends on social media. Seeing their posted reactions to the Supreme Court ruling today is rather eye-opening. I'm not entirely sure why COCers (and American religious conservatives in general) are getting so worked up about this. I can see why they would generally vote against same-sex marriage, but why is this particular issue so emotionally charged for COC members that they will make statements like "the end of religious liberty in our country," "the beginning of the end for America," or "God will now send in 'Babylon' to destroy us"?

Lev

"Coming Out" of the coc I've always been curious as to why "Christians" think that America is a "Christian" nation. This gay marriage issue has their panties in a bunch because they think this is the end of the christian nation, when in fact the US hasn't been a christian nation in years, if ever. The bible does speak of homosexuality as a sin, but they worry about how others that aren't claiming faith in Christ live. If they are "outside of Christ" how can they be held to a Christian standard? The gay friends that I have in no way affect my ability to live my life. If they want to get married, let them. It's not like they are any sinning any more than being drunk, lying, stealing or anything else. I always thought that those who consider themselves "in Christ" should hold THEMSELVES to the bibles standard and not someone else. After all, doesn't everyone have logs in their own eyes to remove? I know I do.....

Maybe it is because same-sex marriage folks have been using lawsuits and threats of lawsuits to go after anyone who has a religious objection. Perhaps it is because companies as big as Apple and orgs like the NCAA threatened to boycott the entire state of Indiana over strengthening the religious rights of individuals. Perhaps it is because Catholic orgs have been under tremendous pressure since they cannot both be true to their values and religions tenets without being hauled in to court. Can a Catholic school that people pay a premium in order to have their kids raised and taught Catholic refuse to hire same-sex married people? Maybe people are fearful that more and more lawsuits will be brought against anyone who refuses to perform or facilitate homosexual marriage ceremonies? IDK, just thinking of the top off my head why people might think religious freedom is under assault. Hmmm. IDK Maybe they are just afraid that their favorite bakery is going to be shut down by another lawsuit happy gay couple. IDK, I do not have any cofc people I talk to on the internetz, and I do not do much with the facebooks.

Lev wrote:I'm not entirely sure why COCers (and American religious conservatives in general) are getting so worked up about this. I can see why they would generally vote against same-sex marriage, but why is this particular issue so emotionally charged for COC members that they will make statements like "the end of religious liberty in our country," "the beginning of the end for America," or "God will now send in 'Babylon' to destroy us"?

Lev

Interesting that revisionist right-wing Americans tend to see themselves and their country as the weakened nation about to be taken over by Babylon, instead of ever seeing America itself as Babylon.

Some of the loudest CofC voices I've heard screeching about gay marriage are the very ones who screech about free play and equality, and individual rights to choose. As long as you choose their way, I suppose, all is kosher.

instead of ever seeing America itself as Babylon

I believe America has been a Babylon since its founding.

As far as this ruling being the beginning of America's end, people have been prophesying that since the establishment of the republic. That obviously didn't happen in the late 1700s, and the SCOTUS ruling isn't ushering in the U.S.'s End of Days either.

margin overa wrote:...the SCOTUS ruling isn't ushering in the U.S.'s End of Days either.

But even if it is, why should Christians care? Aren't we supposed to be citizens of heaven first? I doubt very many early Christians were bemoaning the fall of the Roman Empire. BH is exactly right: USA=Babylon.

Lev

Perhaps this is a topic for another thread, but American Christians in general--and COCers in particular--seem way too patriotic to me.

Lev

Lev wrote:Perhaps this is a topic for another thread, but American Christians in general--and COCers in particular--seem way too patriotic to me.

Lev

I entirely agree, and it's not just CofCers. While certainly conservative, a lot of older southern CofCers I've known tended to skew toward's David Lipscomb's dismissive attitude toward politics. It's my parents' generation that began to heavily invest in identifying with overtly Republican patriotism. They've been in step with their cohorts in other denominations, particularly the Southern Baptist Convention...which means they'll condemn the Baptists all day long on doctrine, but it's certainly OK to vote the party line when it comes to politics.

I got a few "we need to return to being one nation under God" type posts, and a disturbing amount of pro-confederate flag posts, though only from a couple of people, and a couple of pleasant surprises.