This post is an excerpt from my this week’s column at Baptists Today. Check it out.
Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal
The repeal of the United States military’s policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly went into effect this week. In response, Richard Land, the SBC’s chief ethicist and lobbyist, had this to say:
It’s a sad day for our men and women in the armed services and for the country. This policy, unless it is reversed, will cause significant numbers of our dedicated men and women to leave the service, particularly at the critically important non-commissioned officer level. This action will seriously degrade unit morale and will lead to a myriad of problems. Our armed forces are not the place for social experimentation. They exist to fight and win wars and defend our freedom. Their ability to perform those functions will be lessened by this policy.
Land declared that the DADT repeal will “destroy unit cohesion.” In an interview with Christianity Today, Land continued:
[Chaplains are ]fearful that there will be interference to preach what they believe to be the truth of the Scripture. Will they be forced to perform homosexual commitment ceremonies or homosexual marriages? I predict you’ll see a significant number of resignations in the near future. They’re very concerned and pessimistic. We shouldn’t do social experiments with the military as a laboratory.
Richard Land knows good and well that no chaplain would ever be forced to perform any marriage or commitment ceremony. And it is also worth pointing out that – as many historians have noted – conservatives back in the 1940s referred to racial integration of the military as an unnecessary “social experiment.” Might be time to come up with a different argument, Richard…
Check out a few Baptist news items of note:
- The Christian Post profiled a North Carolina Baptist pastor who is an outspoken supporter of amending the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriages. Meanwhile, the Winston-Salem Journal quoted a Baptist pastor opposed to amending her state’s constitution. Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber explains, “We don’t think it is government’s job to discriminate against any group of people.”
- The Southern Baptist Convention’s chief executive Frank Page announced the formation of a Hispanic Advisory Council. The council has the goal of “more fully integrating Hispanic Baptist churches into the total fabric of Southern Baptist life and ministry.” According to Baptist Press, Hispanic leaders had requested such a council and additional ethnic advisory groups may be named later.
- Rob Boston of Americans United has detailed a church-state controversy in Tennessee. Bellevue Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist megachurch, has been accused of violating its tax-exempt status by engaging in partisan politicking in local city council races.
LOL