Last week Yahoo! ran a story that had been picked up by other news outlets of a video that had found it's way on to the internet showing Phil Robertson, patriarch of the Robertson clan of Duck Dynasty fame, speaking out against abortion. Some liberal news sources made a stink about it but the thing that I found most disturbing was something subtle, easily over-looked that appeared with this story on Yahoo!
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| Phil Robertson, patriarch of the Robertson family, from A&E's Duck Dynasty |
Just above the link for the video showing Phil speaking out against abortion was the following disclaimer, "Warning: Language might be offensive." After viewing the video I was left wondering, "What offensive language we're they talking about?" Phil did not use any profanity, course or suggestive language. He wasn't gross or hateful. He simply and honestly defended the right to life for the unborn. Then it hit me. Yahoo! had labeled his view that abortion was wrong as offensive.
It is now "offensive" to voice opinions that the culture does not want to hear. What's the best way to shut someone up? Label what they are saying as offensive and then censor it. Only a crude, crass, uneducated, knuckle-dragging Neanderthal would voice the opinions that Phil Robertson espoused, therefore they are offensive and can be dismissed and ignored. What we are seeing is traditional Christian views being put into the category of the lunatic ravings of the KKK, Al-Quaida, Neo-Nazis, etc., which makes it easier for the culture to ignore and overlook.
This shouldn't really surprise us though. This is exactly how the dominant culture in Paul's day treated the Gospel message. In fact Paul wrote of Christ being a "rock of offense" (Romans 9:33), and the gospel being "the offense of the cross" (Galatians 5:11). The gospel has always been offensive to those who are opposed to God. I believe that we will increasingly see the gospel and those who voice support for the gospel painted as "offensive" in our culture and pushed into the category of the lunatic fringe. However, we know that however much a culture tries to suppress the "offensiveness" of the gospel it is the power of salvation unto those who believe and not even the gates of Hell can prevail against it.
So no offense, but I choose to be offensive!
Here's the video in question.
